Posted by simguy on 11/13/2004

Before: Brook excited - title shot and a chance to get on even footing with her mentor and stablemate. "Jeri's been great with me," says Kelly, "she's taught me so much, but - end of the day - it's about me taking what she's got. It is awkward - obviously I don't want to hurt her, but at the same time, I've got to go at her as I would any other girl, yeah? I honestly think I can beat her and I have to just do what she's been training me to do." Ryan gracious enough to offer the rematch and looking forward to seeing improvement from Brook. "She's tougher, that's the main difference - she's got an edge now that she didn't have before. Technically, she'll never be a real great boxer, but she's strong on her feet, has a ton of heart and probably has the second best right hand in the division. She's terrific competition for me, and she knows me very well - that makes her more dangerous than some of the girls ranked higher than her at 130." Red bikini Jeri, bright baby blue bikini Kelly, curly low ponytail.

During R1: Kelly able to snake her left arm around Jeri's head - she draws Ryan into the cauldron at the open. Girls wrapped up top lefty, plugging away righty to midriff, jerking up into jug - Brook gets the better of it as she tugs and slugs Jeri in a staggering counter-clockwise reel. Ryan disengaging in the middle minute, working behind her jab, trying to settle Kelly down. Brook stalking, pawing with her jab and leaning into overhand rights to force Ryan to ropes - Kelly mops up big as Jeri covers at the bell.

R2: Kelly able to establish cauldron again on Jeri - heads in close, left arms wrapping around up top while right hands plug away to available belly. Ryan clearly uncomfortable, getting tugged off balance, soaking up ruinous body-work - she disengages once again and tries to negotiate some distance. Kelly pressing, reaching out her jab, gambling on long right hands - she cashes in down the stretch to jerk Jeri sideways, sending her toppling into the ropes. KELLY GOES JUG! Brook roughly palming Jeri's shoulders square, stacking her up at the ropes, then POUNDING rack - lusty crisscross lefts and rights jamming away, forcing a woozy Ryan clinch. Kelly pressing her girl into the strands, making Jeri feel the weight: brunette's just bashed her way to an early 2-0 lead.

R3: Jeri getting the stick out, harsh, zippy pokes from the waist, Ryan stepping smoothly to the left to get Brook moving her feet, tap-tapping at big brunette. Kelly turning, pawing her own jab - she's still looking to get big right hands over. Good regrouping round for the champ - she settles Brook down, gets her accustomed to taking spank off her face - much more orderly pace as girls circle midring.

R4: Easy clockwise rotation, girls wary, jabbing at each other, ho-hum fare when JERI DETONATES A RIGHT HAND OFF KELLY'S CHIN! Short shot, Jeri just turning her shoulder into it and BROOK GOES DOWN! Jeri walking casually to the neutral corner - Kelly writhing and twitching on her back to shake off the KO. Brook up for a queasy 8, eyes moist as she digs in to accept Jeri's charge. Beatdown - Ryan palming up big-girl, bracing Kelly, batting at her flanks, rifling short right hands to the chin, curling tidy left uppercuts as Kel droops forward. Ryan taking rack whenever it pleases her - just shrugging her shoulders and digging up jug - Kelly blubbery, reaching around Jeri's back to smother. Bell to bell blonde - Jeri beats Kelly's legs into groggy stupor this round.

R5: Shutout Jeri Ryan. Champ dialing in after a rocky start - jab starting to pound away face, right hands slicing to chin, come-back hooks scything across belly or swatting that chin. Tuff shoulder palming - Jeri very physical with Brook, pushing her while sidestepping, constantly exposing Kelly's punch-buzzed legs. Brook shopworn, mouth-breathing - she's just reaching for Ryan, form degrading somewhat as the punishment adds up.

R6: Shutout Jeri Ryan. Champ methodical, stepping left around a clockwork jab, leaning in close for tidy right hands to sternum and chin. Brook reaching to clinch: Jeri keeps hands free, shrugs and chugs up into jug - Brook sent back outside with a stricken, heartbroken expression. Ryan just walking brunette down all over the ring, going about the grim business of paralyzing big British beauty with systematic work.

R7: Kelly starts snapping that jab, contesting the punch with Jeri - Ryan startled to take face spank in the first minute. Girls fencing outside, jockeying for position - Kelly leans into a sliding right and FINDS ALL OF JERI'S CHIN! Ryan's legs buckle - she steps away with a vacant expression and HOPS TO ALL FOURS! Delayed reaction knockdown - Brook skipping happily to a neutral corner - Ryan's turn to struggle up and gather herself. ON COMES BROOK! Pancake tackle into the ropes, Ryan stacked up hard, jostled and KELLY GOES RACK! Brook chugging away, then getting more methodical about it, wrapping her left arm around Jeri's shoulders to anchor her for plugging rights. Poor Ryan held fast, right arm listless around Brook's back, soaking up Brook right hands beefy to jug. Jeri's strong legs hold her up, but she's trembling from the abuse - Brook rejuvenated - giving it to Jeri hard this round.

R8,9: Grim brawling, hamhanded, flatfooted trading midring. Girls looking to grease right hands to chin off the jab, swaying back to pick up clouting hooks on each other - often dangerous, simultaneous exchanges. When in doubt - both girls go jug, working out of the wrap, bundling one another into the ropes and plugging away mindless - it's starting to take on a last-woman-standing vibe. Jeri pounds out the 8th, Kelly the 9th - competitive fight going into the 10th.

R10: Who's the more consistent, fresher girl? Who's punching more, maintaining her accuracy despite the punishment? Who's coming forward, winning the exchanges, imposing her will down the stretch? Answer to every question is Jeri Ryan. Brook stubborn, not giving away the round, but she's getting jabbed senseless, eating stern right hands, gutted hooks underneath. Brook can't hold her ground, and when she digs in, Jeri's stepping smartly around her, making Brook move again. Ryan taking a little off the fastball, just getting off smooth, finding her left uppercut in addition to crosses, hooks and jabs - it's a virtuoso, veteran closing stanza from the champ. Brook busted up, disconsolate at the bell - she knows it's coming back UD10 champ.

After: Warm, jug-squishing hug in the aftermath - both beauties well worn from thudding give and take - girls chatting in a friendly embrace as ring fills with media and entourages. Ryan just more professional, really showing championship pedigree in turning back a determined challenge. "She gave me hell tonight," Jeri admits, left arm around Kelly's waist as both face the camera. "She hit me a right hand in the 7th that's probably the hardest poke I've taken all year, and she just wouldn't quit. I had to dig down - I've got an extra layer of ability that Kelly doesn't have yet and I was able to separate myself, but it was a close run thing. Kelly Brook is no joke at lightweight." Looks pretty friendly, but then, so did Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbysko in the beginning. We'll see how much second fiddle Kelly's prepared to play in Jeri's long shadow.