Posted by Simguy on 8/20/2004, 7:31 am.

Partial Report

Denise in green sport top, yellow nylon jogging trunks, white shoes and socks
Kate in red and white vertical bar sports top, solid red bikini trunks, white shoes and socks

TKO8 Beckinsale

Denise came in with all the momentum in this fight. She’d just fought and won a tempestuous shootout with favoured Jenny McCarthy, and she showed her competitive spirit in going the extra mile with a post fight smother of her vocal foe. Richards looked to stay busy and keep the ball rolling against a former top 10 import.

Beckinsale had hit the skids. After a meteoric US debut which saw her stop one other than Cat Bell and Charlize Theron both, a serious flaw was detected in Kate’s game. “Beckinsale’s one of those fighters with world class ability, but who isn’t very durable,” reported an analyst in Celebrity Ring magazine, “Her straight ahead style conquered Britain, but over here, it’s draining her. Kate’s been fighting one big name star after another, sometimes on three or four weeks--she just isn’t built to sustain that kind of pace.”

And so hot fighter met cold, and right away, savvy boxing onlookers recognized the telltale adjustments in Beckinsale’s game that sowed the message had finally sunk in. Still sharp punching, but working from angles more often--Beckinsale used her dancer’s legs to turn Denise, fade Denise, walk her into right hands, spin ‘round her off the ropes. Richards’ accuracy was down noticeably in rounds one, four, six and eight as Beckinsale used the jab more than she ever has, worked in and out and put together her trademark combinations to devastating effect on Richards’ chin.

Yet for all Kate’s improvement, this would be a controversial stoppage. Richards, under fire and sliding along the ropes, found herself peppered and popped as Beckinsale unleashed a furious barrage of hooks and crosses that cudgeled her beautiful opponent on the ears and face. A panicky ref moved in to halt the bombardment, but Richards was furious, still combative and clearly distraught that Kate had been awarded victory. Beckinsale halts her slide, but Denise isn’t dealt a deflating blow--most at ringside felt the American beauty could have continued.

Reposted by Archer 9/17/11.