UNIFIED LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE by simguy 8/3/02

Theron having to make weight on her third try - she's openly contemptuous of Berry, rumors abound of a lax blonde training camp this time around.

"Maybe she forgot I had her out on her feet last time we met," sniffs Halle. "I may not be the biggest banger in the division, but I can hurt you. Who does Charlize think she is?"

Theron's response: "Who am I? I'm the best fighter in boxing sweetheart. Get ready to be very, very disappointed in yourself."

Charlize in black bikini, shoulder length straight locks, Halle in gold bikini, brunette tousle.

Round 1: Theron loose, relaxed, hands down as she shuffles after Berry. Halle on her toes, giving little shoulder feints, stepping out to circle right. End of the first minute, Berry looks like she's going to circle, swats out the walk-away hook and catches Theron clean on the chin! Charlize with a little leg buckle, staggers, puts a hand on the ropes to steady herself and Halle pounces for a look-see. Berry measuring with the right, then cranking a low slung, snapping hook into Theron's ribs and stomach, THEN bending the right hand onto the eye. THERON IS STUNNED! Charlize leaning back in a daze, hands stupid at her chest, sopping up punches with her face. Berry suddenly changes direction, PANCAKING THERON'S BOOBIES with a clobbering brace of lefts and rights! Theron breaking down, falls in to clinch. Berry's content to get the break, step back to center ring, luring the shaky-legged blonde forward and boxing her up sweet to the bell. Shutout Halle Berry - She bounces back to her corner all excited, "Did you see that? One punch! One punch - I shook her up!" Theron? Getting endswell.

Round 2: Charlize more disciplined, hands up, eyes clearing - she's trying to get her jab on Halle, rein her in. Berry changing directions, stepping around either Theron shoulder, flicking jabs at the face, landing pot-shotting right hands over the top and insolent swatting hooks across the belly. Theron's legs aren't back and she's having a tough time cutting off the ring. Berry able to turn those flanks, put punches together from angles. Down the stretch, Theron maneuvered to the ropes, Berry stooping to backhand jabs into the bra; just pawing, bringing Charlize' hands down then HAMMERING face with a sudden overhand right! Theron's legs give way - she's DOWN! Charlize all busted up  over that left eye, swooning as blood starts to leak from an awful lump. Berry hopping away squealing in delight as the champ takes a ragged eight. Nice finishing flurry for Halle just before the bell as she beats Theron to a seat on the ropes with hard-swabbing side to side whip action across those famously sensitive jugs.

Round 3: Charlize staring, slowly pushing out the jab and catching Halle's cat-quick right hand counter over top of it. Halle's snapping, slinging hook VICTIMIZING Charlize' beautiful face and, more importantly, keeping the right hand at home. Theron just unable to deal with the hand speed, getting scorched every time she opens up. With Charlize under wraps - Halle goes to work, sliding in from angles, getting off tic-tac-toe, then swiveling out, putting punches together in the waist, on that chest, finishing up on that glossy face to post another brilliant shutout round. Berry with her mitts in the air - she's RUINING Theron; sends the blonde tottering back to her corner for more repairs.

Round 4: All Halle Berry! Halle doing whatever she wants in there - fencer's stomp attack behind a series of jabs to drive Theron ropeside...flurries to the body and head, then pivoting away from the receipt...walk away potshots with the hook, or shoulder feint, then dropping the big right hand potshot over Theron's low left. It's all working, all devastating the champ - Charlize just getting shredded, looking shabby, indecisive. And her FACE! Berry's polishing up Theron's beautiful tanned face to a hurting, swollen sheen. First sign of cheek from the challenger - she swats Charlize' drooping butt after the bell; Theron too dazed to respond, stumbles back to her corner.

Round 5: Halle romping, liquid quick in there tonight, just taking Charlize apart brick by brick. Midway through, Berry reaching under the blonde's long arms to prop her back, digging right hands to body out of the wrap. Theron pushes off, screens Berry with a brushing left between the eyes and DROPS a slinging right hand out of nowhere to the chin. DOWN GOES HALLE! Berry electrified on her back - limbs all stiff and jerky - eyes wide and glassy as she flops pathetically, writhing to get back to her feet and just BARELY beats the count. Berry getting her gloves wiped off, pleading groggily with the ref not to stop it! He steps away and Theron charges in! Berry with her hands at her chest - Theron strides in a CLOBBERING right hand on the chin, wilting Berry against the ropes, leaving her destitute. Charlize piling on - stabilizing Halle with a left in the chest, then DRIFTING in right hands and the REF JUMPS IN! Theron dragged off her helpless opponent - Halle blubbering in protest. Oh the humanity!! TKO5 Charlize Theron!

After: NO! Berry sobbing in disbelief - she had Theron helpless in her clutches and it's all taken away. Charlize achy, pained as she raises her arms in victory and vindictive as she stomps over to gather Halle up around the waist. Walk of Shame for Berry - Theron snarling, face badly lumped up from the challenger's heartless punching; Berry can't stop the tears.

"Punks don't become champions," growls Charlize postfight. "Halle Berry's a quitter. I slapped her out like I was her momma and what the hell was the ref waiting for? I could have killed that girl tonight." Asked about the knockdown and Halle's seemingly unstoppable punching, Theron is curt. "I was seeing what the kid had. Look, Halle can box, you're going to get hit when you fight her, but I've got the kind of heart Berry can only dream about. She honestly felt she had me out with that lucky punch in the first - in the FIRST! Somebody better give this kid a history lesson."