Posted by simguy on 1/19/00

Before: Connelly a durable, but limited brawler, handpicked by team Ryan to allow Jeri to showcase her boxing skills. Jennifer dangerous early, but pundits like Ryan's style, fitness match up in this one. Small venue fight, Connelly in red adidas terrycloth trunks, black sports bra, black shoes, red gloves - Jeri in white sports bra, light blue adidas trunks, white gloves and shoes.

During R1 Ryan off to a dazzling start, glides around Jenny, sizing the busty brunette up, and hurt Connelly with her first punch: a whipping right hand counter as Jen paws a jab. Connelly covering up, and Ryan goes to work with rising lefts and rights, stepping in and out with surprising footwork to whitewash Jen this round. Connelly shut out, busted up in the lower lip as Ryan slams the door in the first.

R2 Ryan out fast again, using her legs to get position on Connelly, and the blonde is able to heft lefts to the gut, rights to the jaw and get out before Jen can react. Connelly swelling up around the left eye as Ryan targets the area with repeated whipping right hands from well outside.

R3 Jeri looking loose and relaxed, left hand swaying low at waist level, right cocked at the chest as Ryan stalks, jabbing or blocking with the left and leaning into sharp right crosses to the face of Connelly. Jen finally on the board in the final minute as she clubs a tentative left hook to Ryan's tummy while the blonde plays possum on the ropes, looking to counter with something mean.

R4 After a corner warning to stay off the ropes, Jeri brings the fight back to center ring, showing good ring generalship, steering Jen with the jab, and setting her up for the lashing right crosses. Midway through the round, Ryan stepping right begins to put together withering lefts and rights, and Connelly goes wobbly butt. A brilliant series of swatting lefts and chopping right hands breaks Connelly down completely, and she falls forward to take dreadful punishment as Ryan steps back and snaps off vicious uppercuts to the chin. Ryan finishes the round working Connelly along the ropes, drilling the right hand to the face or sternum as Jen is slow to react, taking flush.

R5 Ryan working confidently, continues to outclass her opponent this round, using that loose, low left to stuff jabs, whip hooks from her hip to keep Connelly hurting. Ryan sets down on right hands midway through the round, intent on the knockout, when Connelly crashes inside to blast her own right off Jeri's jaw. Ryan comes up hurt, nearly taking a knee, and Connelly hunches up, anticipating the Ryan response that never comes. Jen realizes Jeri's status, and guns a banging series of left hooks as Ryan holds her guard stiffly in front of her face. Jeri cudgeled sideways, taking hooks flush on her jaw and RYAN GOES DOWN! Jeri sprawls on the canvas, beaten senseless by Connelly's rugged lefts, and Jeri won't beat the count. Ryan sitting up at 10 with wide, glassy eyes as Connelly is the jubilant, KO winner in 5.

After: Shocking loss for Ryan as Connelly whacks her out with one of her few offensive forays in the whole fight. Ryan executing flawlessly for nearly the entire bout, showed vast improvement in shutting Jennifer out in round after round, but that crunching right hand on the button with time left on the clock proved the clincher. Mixed blessing for Ryan, who shows the boxing look her trainers have been stressing, but a devastating loss nevertheless.