Posted by simguy on 2/18/2005

Before: Kelly with a bit of a chip on her shoulder - she's been in the trenches a long time, paying her dues - sure seems like a lot's come easy to Erica Durance. "I do think she's been heavily over-rated," says Brook in prefight. "She's obviously a quality fighter, but she's ambushed a lot of girls who didn't take her seriously, gotten a lot of gift decisions - let's just say I'm not sold on Erica Durance." Erica looking to get back on that monster roll that made her rookie of the year - is Brook made-to-order? "Kelly's a heavy hitter - I can't afford to take her for granted," says ever-diplomatic Durance. "I think I'm the faster girl, I'm better conditioned, I'd say I hit harder on average and I'm the better boxer. Look, I'll be honest with you, I should handle this girl, I really believe that." Durance in shades-of-blue setting sun motif bikini, punching ponytail - Brook in scarlet push up and panties.

During R1: Erica crisp midring, sprucing Kelly up a snappy-tight combination of rights and lefts on the face, stepping right as Kelly steps back on her heels. Durance up-tempo - jabbing to the body, stepping out, jabbing again and bring the right hand, licking the step-away hook on the way out. Kelly fielding touches, but stepping forward - midway through, she eats a Durance right in order to drive home a right of her own: Erica doesn't like it. Kelly stepping in with a shoving right hand on the jaw and another to ear as Erica falters to ropes: Durance covering up hurt on the strands as Brook steps to strappin'. Good pounding finish Kelly, spanking away head and shoulders on Erica - Durance staying low, soaking it up, riding it out rugged to the bell.

R2: Erica shakes it off, attacks with vigour: Kelly hangs back, intercepts with her jab and scores some firm pokes for free as Erica's bunted back, forced to regroup. Durance stepping lively right, spitting jabs, dip-feinting, then lurching up into Kelly with a biting hook in the second minute - Brook crossing her arms reflexively, momentarily stunned - Erica lights her up with a gaudy 5 punch combo. Durance smiling, humming like a well-oiled machine, stepping right to set up off Kelly's left shoulder and clawing Brook's breasts with a nasty hook. RIGHT HAND BROOK! Kelly again taking punches in order to get position, sets down on a beaut to jaw and puts Erica wobbly butt. Durance staggering to ropes, earmuffing up again - Brook able to step-to, set her feet and bash away. Great smashing lefts and rights belt Erica's flanks, lats, skull and shoulders - brunette shook and buffeted, but riding it out sturdy to the bell.

R3: Erica adjusting - fighting Brook straight up not working too well - Durance more circumspect, darting in and out, turning juggy Brit midring. Durance doubling up snappy a crisp jab, stepping to either side, leaning in with short chopping right hands, easing out with that rack-clawing hook. Kelly dukes up, elbows in, walking Durance down, but not having much luck: Erica keeps her distance, sets the tempo for a classy bell to bell shutout.

R4: Erica's feet setting the table, carrying her nimbly in and out - she's getting off first, dressing Kelly up. Jabs and straight right hands to the body have Brook flustered when Erica unleashes a gorgeous flurry of lefts and rights, cudgeling ears and jaw, sending Brit reeling to ropes. Durance hopping in, committing to lead and POUNDING away to ribs, getting in there right/left, then stepping out, jabbing, constantly keeping something on Kelly. Brook grimacing, confused - straight punches are pounding in between her guard, body shots working underneath it. Durance piling up points, getting delicious jiggle out of Kelly's pale paunch via ripping hooks, but down the stretch - Brook with a crashing right off the ropes catches Erica pulling straight back. Smashing blow on the left eye - Erica staggering away to regroup, stumbling and GOING DOWN! Delayed reaction puts Durance on all fours, shaking her head in groggy disbelief - Brook snorting, glaring - power is compensating for skill through 4.

R5: No fluke - Kelly's getting that right hand over Erica's left mitt pretty consistently, hammerblows adding up on Durance' dependable jaw, pounding that left eye shut: Erica's legs aren't liking it. Durance getting hit, knees buckling, hands extending on reflex. Brook intense, eyes boring into Erica - Brit loading up right hands, but using her jab to stun and fix Durance' position - Kelly stepping Erica to ropes like an old pro. Durance' conditioning rescues her late - she catches a second wind, shakes off some good shots to steer Kelly back to midring, flurrying to keep Brit at bay to the bell.

R6,7: Erica slowly re-asserting her agenda - keeping the action midring, turning Kelly, touching her up and down the jab, being first to get off. Brook weight on the right foot, hoping to drive in and through Erica, but Durance constant lateral movement and direction changes confounding British thunder. Erica featuring a firm, stabbing stick into Kelly's body - Durance trying to wick a little of the power out of Brook, bopping back out of range, staying elusive. Erica also getting greedier concerning Kelly's hulking rack - going there with flashy flurries, scrubbing away and stepping to the side. Brook's eyes misting up, but she's hanging in there, bravely standing her ground, slowly getting outclassed through 7.

R8: Kelly leaning in to haul a thudding right to the pit of Erica's stomach, following up moments later with a pounding right wide to the hip - Durance wincing, covering up flat footed - Kelly's finally got her toe-to-toe. Brook pawing her jab, occasionally leaning in forehead-to-forehead, hooking Erica in the lats, bumping her in the guard the left shoulder. Erica sound defensively, but not letting her hands go, just letting that body shot work it's way through her system when Brook detonates a BOOMING right hand between the mitts. DOWN GOES DURANCE! Erica shuddering, crumpling, then sprawling on her back as Brook leans into chin with everything she's got - crowd screaming as Erica picks head off canvas with a fluttery-eyed look of astonishment. Brook sombre as Durance somehow beats the count - Brit thought she had it, now has to wade back in to finish the job. Erica out on her feet, stooped forward off the ropes - Kelly crunches into her with a brutal right uppercut mitt-splitter, left hook on the ear combo to spill Durance sideways against the strands. Brook staying on her girl, hands up nice and high - she scoots to the right, getting a sharp angle from which to rake Erica's face hooks and drive in with chopping right hands. Durance' pretty head on a swivel, eyes staring - she's taking a dreadful pounding as THE REF STEPS IN! Kelly Brook squealing with delight, jumping away the TKO8 victrix as poor Erica swoons out in the man's arms.

After: Brook taking a licking but once again showing stable-trademark sock in punching her way out of jams. Erica hurt very early on in this fight, never really recovered to peak form - Kelly doing a nice job of accumulating right hands on Erica's sturdy jaw to finally wear her down. "She was in trouble all night long," crows rejuvenated Brook in postfight. "I knew if I caught her with these (cocks right fist), she couldn't possibly stand! I feel this win really opens things up for me - I mean - this girl pummeled Jennifer Garner and I stopped her. That's got to count for something!" Durance downcast, nice shiner on her left eye - her first loss as a bettor's favourite - it's a bitter pill to swallow.