Posted by Simguy on 11/16/2002, 10:15 am.

Before: Great momentum building fight for the winner. Both girls coming off stirring KOs, both want to keep it going. "It's an intriguing fight," says Bally's chief oddsmaker, "both gals carry devastating power at lightweight, but they couldn't be more different in approach. You've got a textbook stalker in Ryan, and an unconventional slugger in Elisabeth. Ryan's consistency means she'll probably win rounds, but Shannon's always been comfortable sacrificing points for one clean opening. Ryan's too good a pro to drop a decision here, but if they get to slugging, watch out. Both girls live to finish hurt prey--I wouldn't bet the over on this one." Ryan in red bikini, Elizabeth in stars and stripes bra-style bikini.

During R1: Both girls clearly wary of the other's power, each gambling in big right hands, but covering up quick--nobody wants to make that first mistake. Second minute, Elizabeth gains control with  brace of hooks to the crotch--Ryan stooped over hurt tight lipped as ref gives her a break. Upon resumption, girls lock up, struggling to twist the bither off balance--both wind up on the canvas and more warning all around. Fight bogs down into a series of messy clinches and wild brawling blows--difficult round scored a draw.

R2: Shannon with the quick start, pitching from her hips, lefts and tights, elbows in--Ryan giving ground in good order, dukes up to block shots, Second minute more awkward tackling, mugging in the trenches, Ryan getting some back with a thick right hand to the trunks--ref backs her off as Elizabeth doubles up hurt for a break. Down the stretch, Ryan banging away toe to toe with Elizabeth, but not allowing Shannon to extend--clobbering give and take favours the more economical blonde, Pounding right on the chops loosens Shannon up on the ropes--she's hurt--facing into blows as Ryan piles on with clouting lefts and rights to the head at the bell.

R3: Sloppy slogging continues. Ryan jabbing her girl's chest to get range, then working in a nice tight stance. Right hand at cheek, Ryan's cranking hooks, working her foe's right side, clouting her ear, then covering up, hunched over as Shannon gets her licks, Elizabeth slugging with bared teeth, going wide to the flanks, using her forearms to shove Jeri back--bristling back and forth action with not let up. Then, final minute: swamp. Girls constantly bwrap each other up, both taking liberties in the clinch with elbows and laces--ref forced to intervene time and again. Another drawn round.

R4: Frustrating action with periods of two-way licks that sound out sharp on hard bodies, interspersed with staggering clinches, heartless fouls, constant warnings and delays. No decisive scoring, but tactically, Jeri's preventing Shannon from limbering up and extending on pounches, and blonde's bodying up with the intent of walking Shannon back. Elizabeth's clinches are wilder, less purposeful, often the result of over-committment on punches, Another drawn round, but with Ryan getting a lot of what she wants in this fight.

R5: Foul-fest as both girls get SO cheap. Shannon doing it with low blows--glorying in the sight of wounded Jeri doubling up, choking back sobs, Jeri doing it with banging forearms in the clinches, shoving Liz hard in the neck, always making the brunette go backward. End of the second minute, haphazard wrestling along the ropes--Jeri gets her head under Shannon's right arm, pushes the girl into the strands and delivers a shocking elbow tip to the exposed right side. Cry of anguish from Shannon--vicious flagrant foul no mere forearm--Ryan loading up and driving her right elbow back into Shannon's ribcage to draw the referee's attention. Upon resumption, Elizabeth's whiny and cringing on the ropes--Ryan squaring up and letting her hands go to take the round late.

R6,7,8: Jeri Ryan imposing her will. It';s Ryan coming forward, staking--Elizbaeth backing away, looking  hounded, desperate. Jeri using her jab to position her girl on the ropes, then getting in closer than Shannon would like--it's two-way stuff but Ryan's pounding out decisive little victories all around the ring. Jeri more compact as she works--she'll keep the right at her cheek while she strokes multiple hooks, cover up to ride out Shannon's response, then lather right hands while protecting high with a responsible with a responsible left. 6th and 7th see Elizabeth determined to stand in and trade, but in the 8thy, se's breaking down. Purely defensive clinching from Elizabeth as she tries to slow the blonde--Shannon's mouth open, eyes cloudy as she drops all three rounds and starts to fade.

R9,10: Suspense is gone--Shannon's legs are shot, she's fighting in spots, then covering up like a whipped dog as Ryan has her way. Jeri working out of that tight bguard right in front of Shannon, twisting into cracking lefts and rights, never exposing herself as each punch seems to take something out of Shannon, Give Elizabeth credit--she's banged up and hurt., but she's still pitching--gorgeous lanky limbed back and forth as Ryan simply eats Shannon up. Final bell, Elizabeth staring in awe, badly eaten from hip to head--she weaves on the spot as Ryan struts back to her corner with a hard smile. UD10 by wide margin Jeri Ryan.

After: Experts confounded--expected shoot out never materialized as Ryan fights a very controlled, measured war of attrition to take it out of Elizabeth. "Everyone hits Shannon, everyone hurts her," says a glowing Jeri Ryan in post fight, "but they all make the same mistake. Shannon's most dangerous when she's hurt--she catches girls when they open up and try to finish her. She doesn't have the skills to really break a girl down methodically--she needs to you to make mistakes. Sure she was ready to go at several points in this fight, but I just stayed oin her, kept working her over like a pro should," Hey, was that some kind of slap in the face to oine Cat Bell? It sure seemed like it.

Reposted by Archer 9/6/11.