Before: Meteoric too tame a term for Durance - Erica the hottest rookie out of the chute since Shannon Elizabeth stormed her way to the lightweight title some years ago. "Her victories have shown her physical assets and technique," says one Celebrity Ring scribe, "her defeats have shown her heart and durability - Erica's an exciting talent." Biel perhaps the sternest test yet for young Durance - another precocious brunette with tremendous athletic gifts - former champ's looking forward to the challenge. "I love what I've seen from Erica," admits Jessica, "but I don't think she's been in with a fighter of my calibre yet. I think they're rushing her a little bit - with some seasoning, she would've had a real shot against me. Right now, this is my fight to win or lose, and it's going to be a long night for Erica." Biel in crimson bikini, Durance in shades-of-blue setting sun bikini, punching ponytail.

During R1,2: Jess feeling Erica out, showing leg, smoothing around the ring. Durance dukes up, pumping out that jarring stick, scooting to cut off the ring and bring battle to Biel. Jess with cute moves, spinning off the ropes, turning Durance, but Erica the clear aggressor - nobody hurt, Durance takes points by default.

R3: Durance jabbing to chest to locate Biel, hooks off the stick and drops tidy right hands down the middle to back Jess to the ropes. Biel covering up, bobbing and rolling at the waist - she's under fire. Durance pounding the jab to set up hooks and crosses - overloading the cutey-pie head movement of Biel, then going body with big booming hooks behind the elbow. Very methodical, systematic stuff - Durance getting off, resetting with tuff pushes against Jessica's shoulders, going to the champ's body, constantly putting hands on Biel. Down the stretch, Jessica's been twisting and slipping pretty well, but she's caught a left uppercut on the mouth that has her glutes a-jiggle. Durance going body like a veteran as Biel cramps up - thudding ab-work folds ex-champ forward as Biel clinches out the round hurt.

R4: Biel's seen enough: time to get to work. Jess working in and out, lifting the upjab off her thigh, scorching Erica semi-screened rights, clouting her step-away hooks across the mouth. Tidy chin-checking has Erica stepping in fence post holes early - Biel smiling as she finally gets to her girl. Jessica circling, shearing in off angles and potshotting Durance as Erica blocks and waits her turn. Shutout Jessica - she nods confidently to her corner at the break.

R5: Durance won't cooperate - she halts the Biel rally and throws it right back in Jessica's face. Erica restarts the jab - stalling the Biel rushes, forcing Jessica to slink away outside and look to slip n' counter. Erica able to cut off the ring, put combinations on Biel - Jess making the first punch miss, but getting caught the follow-ups, especially to the body. Fight rages around the ring as Biel tries to leg out the pressure - Durance walking her down and administering a throbbing beat down. Jess clinching in the final minute, wrapping up behind the elbows and getting cheek by jowl to slow up the Durance freight train.

R6: Durance tireless, marching on Biel behind that piston jab, putting punches together to overwhelm Jessica's sneaky-slick supple defence. Biel tiring - the pursuit is hounding her, relentless - the punching hard, accurate and constant - Jess more and more reaching for Erica's sweaty waist or tieing up the arms for break. Erica hungry after the breaks, pushing in on Jessica and getting off jagged - Biel hunted from bell to bell for another Durance shutout.

R7,8: Biel engaging more - she can't finesse or bamboozle Durance, decides to stand and fight her. Gorgeous stuff - Durance a bit more upright, more conventional, punching straight off the shoulder with stabbing efficiency, always stringing together tidy combos. Jess slugging out of the crouch, making Durance miss over top then bending to drag home body shots and clanging hooks across the chin. Neither girl moving an inch unless they want to - chins and legs holding up under fearful back and forth volleys. Biel cops a close 7th, Durance a tasty 8th.

R9: Biel with a cheeky lead right hand gets over Durance's left - Erica's back foot slides forward, knees buckle as Jessica shows sneaky power. Jessica not backing off this time, tearing into the breadbasket and jugs with slinging side to side lather - poor Erica beaten sideways to the ropes, forced to clinch head and arm to forestall the shellacking. Biel's colour high, chest heaving - she pushes back in and lays siege - Durance covered up, looking to drop short punches off her temples onto Biel - Jess opening up and wailing away her hardest lefts and rights shoulders and head on Erica. Crowd roaring at the bashing give and take - Erica's sturdy peek-a-boo defence holds up under shattering shellack as Biel nabs the ninth.

R10: Biel jumping in her lead right, slicing her hook across Durance' mouth - Jess going all-in to craft a late rounds miracle. Erica backpedaling, hands up to block shots at her ears and temples - Durance retreating in good order, starts to pre-empt Biel the jab and run her into counter-hooks on the mouth. JESSICA GETS HURT! Delayed effect as legs give a shimmy - Jess has to back off and regroup - Erica goes over to stalking offence. Durance walking Biel down cautiously rest of the way - both girls have been stung and rung up tonight - looks like both are through taking risks. Close contest goes to the cards, comes back UD10 Erica Durance!

After: Biel classy in defeat, clapping at the decision while shaking her head ruefully - she knows she let herself get outworked in a few of those early heats. "I got going too late," Jessica admits in postfight. "I think I pretty much had her clocked late, but those early rounds count too. Erica just never let up and I have to hand it to her - she's the fighter Jenny O'Dell wishes she could have been." OUCH! Durance beaming, all square-jawed and happy - she knows she just took a huge step forward to title contention by beating one of the best in the business. "I watched more tape for this fight than any other," gushes Erica in her postfight. "We knew Jessica likes to fight in spots, she doesn't like to be rushed and I knew I had to throw more punches than I usually do to keep her under pressure. I busted her a SOLID jab tonight - I was really hurting her with it and that allowed me to be her boss. She's as good as they say though and I learned so much from her tonight. I'm definitely a better fighter standing here now than I was when I climbed through the ropes at the start."