Posted by Simguy on 9/20.2002, 7:00 am.

Before; Intriguing Top 10 match up pits the division's best counterpouncher agaiinst arguably it's best KO hitter--no secret what the respective strategies are going to be. "Jeri's very rigid, very basic," says a charitable Liz in prefight, "like any big swinger, she'll get discouraged when she can't find me. I shall shine her up in those moments." Ryan confident she can solve the British puzzle, "I think the jab will be crucial--I've got to get Liz making the extra defensive move, if she's not getting off, she's not getting oiff, she's not winning rounds. I can't guarantee a KO, I respect Liz's class too much, but it's certainly possible, especially if she falls behind and has to open up late." Liz in metallic blue bikini, white gloves, Jeri in red bikini, black gloves.

During R1: Liz in a low southpaw crouch, getting beneath Jeri's jab and coming up on the inside to clinch--gets Ryan off her game rearly. End of the first minute, stop and go action has Jeri wading in--Liz slidestepping back, twists into that right hook flush off the jaw--Ryan stepping in fence post holes from a shot she never sees. Hurley waxing away for the shutout--batting that righty jab onto Jeri's chest and head with the hammer delivery, swinging in the left to mouth, clipping the walk away right as she shifts weight to her back foot.

R2: Jeri more patient, doubling up on the jan, trying to track Liz's hread as Hurley crouches and weaves. Liz on flat feet, but supple upper body, she's stepping to the right., hooking off the jab, leaning into opportunistic left crosses. Down the stretch, Ryan times Hurley's left--blonde keeps her right tight to her cheek, jerks in a short left uppercut to clip chin as Liz bends in--Hurley unhinged at the knees clinches immediately as Ryan bulls her to the ropes. Jeri's round--Liz tasting blonde shock for the first time.

R3: Liz tentative, backing away--Jeri spitting out jabs from her stomach--left hand spanking off Hurley's right shoulder as brunette bends at the waist, tries to wheel away from the stick. End of the first minute, beautiful little step to the left, slicing left/right short and sharp to the bright side of Hurley's jaw and LIZ GETS HURT! Hurley's legs giving way--she clatters back to the ropes, hitting hard, barely covering up in time as Ryan charges the mound, Jeri clubbing away up top, missing or glancing, shoving the brunette back, ripping away with monster left/rights across the midriff, methodically lashing away around the elbows as Hurley takes a hurtin' seat in the ropes, Liz doing a good job of surviving--she's staying compact, using her shoulder against Ryan's ody to nudge up on the blonde, then pull away, changing the distance just enough to make Jeri miss. Ryan with a hard working shutoutk shaking her head and smiling--Liz is tricky, even when hurt.

R4: Liz recovers well, gets back to southpaw basics. Patient counterclockwise rotation, keeping her right foot ouside Jeri's left, keeping the righty jab batting and probing, changing up distance with a clever rock-back step. Whenever Jeri jabs and looks to advance, Hurley dips low, comes up underneath to clinch around the waist--breaking up Ryan's mo. Outside, Hurley's winning the duel, spotting her left hand routinely against Jeri's mouth, leaning away to get that right hook over Jeri's low left hand.

R5: Now it's jeri's turn, Ryan doubling up on the jab, stepping out to foil Hurley's cliunch and warning her back with a vicious right uppercut. Ryan able to come forward productively, Hurley slipping and bending at the waist, evading a lot of punches but not getting off. Jreri stepping left, unable to score flush to the head, but having good success drilling her right hand straight between Liz's breasts--Hurley off balance numerous times as blondes stamps 'em in.

R6: All Liz through the first 2 minutes, Liz working over and under Ryan's jab, timing the righty hook on the jaw, or slashing it across the waist, pivoting to the right after scoring, Jeri missing over the top for the most part, falling into the rhythm of following the crafty Brit around the ring, fighting at brunette distance and pace. All changes late--Ryan suddenly coming in strong, bundling Liz up under the arms and wrestling her to the ropes, Propping and shoving gives way to meaty lefts and rights to the torso--Liz in shock as she tries to punch with and gets clocked a beautiful right hand on the jaw. Big head swivel Liz, legs go funky--she drapes herself desperately off Jeri's neck to make it to the bell.

R7: Once again, Liz shakes off Jeri's sock, gets back to work. Hurley placing some brilliant counter punches onto Jeri's chin, scoring a crowd pleasing right hook in the first minute and a sizzling straight left in the second to ring the blonde up on her heels, Jeri taking a monster punch, momentarily dazed, but resuming her forward march--Hurley wide-eyed as she goes purely defensive in the last minute, unable to get Ryan off her feet with sharp, clean punching. Jeri nodding, slapping gloves with Hurley at the bell--blonde got tagged that round.

R8: Hurley changes up, turns puncher and has a blistering first minute at Jerri's expense. Blonde crossing her arms, bending forward at the waist--Hurley just swatting away with triple right hands to the waist, clipping little left uppercuts as she steps to the bright and keeps a-lathering. Fury abates--Liz convinced she's not going to stop Jeri, brunette goes to slap and slip the rest of the way, Little Claire Danes look as Hurley tucks the chin behind her right shoulder, tight pivots to the right as she nlicks that righty hook underneath Jeri's elbows, stamps hands to mouth for a shutout.

R9: Jeri coming forward, elbows in, gloves up high, stepping in the jab, but still can't land that right hand flush, missing over the top as Liz times her dips., Hurley nickle and diming, no longer setting down on her punches, but putting a classy butt-whipping together. In and out body leans, changing up the distance, never standing right in front of Jeri for very long--brunette in control through 9.

R10: Ryan with a spirited open--gets after Liz with a brace of jabs, not caring about connects, just trying to get the brunette committed defensively, then bashing down with either hand as Hurley bends forward. Liz not taking the full brunt of these blows, but she's getting overwhelmed, bailing out awkwardly and look to regroup. Hurley able to pick jeri up on the way in with the little check-hook, but Ryan's walking through it, swabbing away with brawling lefts and rights to be the effective aggressor. Jeri bangs out the 10th and saves her bacon, decision comes back a hard-fought draw.

After: Rounds 2 and 6 crucial: Liz winning them handily, but losing both late as Ryan's power proved decisive--Jeri unable to get the stop, but sock was still the key to staying competitive with classy Brit, On the other hand, Liz having a lot of success victimizing Jeri with counters, testing that bchin repeatedly and taking a lot of steam out of Ryan's offense with constant shifty movement. Good tactical match up, both girls executing well, neither able to gain separation with this result.

Reposted by Archer 9/5/11