Before: If there's one blonde doing a number on brunette names these days, it's Courtney Thorne Smith - parleying a big stoppage of Ashley Judd into a narrow, disputed decision loss to Kelly Hu - Smith is resurgent and looking to stay busy. Connelly badgered into this fight by Courtney's public disrespect and harsh comments - pundits wonder whether the brunette has already fallen into her crafty opponent's web. "Smith isn't playing me," Connelly says, "she's been speaking from the heart. She doesn't like me, doesn't respect me, and she thinks I'm going to be a pushover for her. Why, you ask? Because she will never, ever have the opportunity to give an Oscar acceptance speech. It's just petty jealousy and I plan to beat it out of Courtney when we meet." CTS in black sports bra, high cut grey stretch cotton trunks, white shoes and gloves, Jen in navy sports bra, red boycut trunks, red gloves white shoes, ponytail.

During R1: Blistering start from Connelly traps Smith in her corner - CTS grimacing, under fire, she's covered up and trying to roll with Connelly's blitzkrieg attack. Jennifer HAMMERING away to the midsection and sides - concussive hooks and chopping right hands - brawny pushing with the left shoulder and elbow to keep Smith pinned down. Sustained bombardment starts to pay dividends midway through - Courtney buckling from the ripping blows to her ribs and stomach - blonde reaching around brunette's waist to clinch, but Connelly keeps working - plugging away around the blonde's outstretched arms so ref can't issue the break. Down the stretch, a woozy, shaken Smith shoeshines her way off the ropes and fights well in retreat, walking Connelly into some sharpshooting right hands to avoid the shutout. Jennifer pumped up, grinning and nodding in her corner - Smith hurting, won't recover fully during the break.

R2,3,4: Smith showing her veteran savvy, fighting tough when hurt, finding a way to nullify Connelly's obvious strength advantage. Ever see Hagler/Leonard? That's what Smith is doing - fighting a series of engagements all around the ring, beating Connelly to bursts of shoeshining leather, then quickly moving to new ground. Smith also very, very rough in these rounds - she's warned repeatedly for coming in with her head, she's getting her forearm into Jennifer's throat to push off with, she's stopping Connelly rallies with timely lowblows - Smith not known as a dirty fighter, but she IS known as an analytical type who will do whatever seems dictated by the situation. Top it all off with sudden bursts of blows to Connelly's sports bra and you've got a very methodical, systematic dismantling of a tough brunette through 4. Courtney takes all 3 rounds, patiently building her lead - outfoxing, frustrating, and shining up her foe.

R5: Connelly calmly, flatly tells her corner, "I'm losing." Trainer responds, "Just keep doin' what you're doin' - she can't keep up this pace." Jennifer's been coming forward all night, paying the price, but she HAS been touching Smith in the ribs, keeping the pressure on with her legs. Pays off this round as Courtney is visibly slower, setting down on her punches more, trying to get a breather-round in. Connelly not having it - she crunches her way into the Smith breadbasket with those soul-sucking hooks, backs her blonde to the ropes and applies a beefy beat down for several long stretches. Smith clinching, open mouthed, looks a tired fighter after setting a young woman's pace in the first half.

R6: All Jen Connelly. Jennifer slipping inside the Smith jab and thumping that hook off the belly Zeta Jones style - Courtney getting tight lipped, backed up by the smoking counters. Against the ropes - Courtney is suffering - Connelly very strong when she can lean on a girl, set her hips for hooks and work on a stationary opponent. Connelly goes bell to bell, hurting Smith several times during the stanza - at the bell, brunette pushes up off her smoldering foe - Smith is ashen faced, favouring her right side and staggering slightly. Connelly nods in approval.

R7: Connelly getting on top - Smith doesn't have the legs to pull the run and shoot anymore, she's hanging in shoulder to shoulder with Connelly and getting all banged up in ruinous exchanges. By the midway point, Jennifer's got her girl seated in the ropes again, helping herself to rightside rib, shoving and slugging with bullying glee. Smith covered up, bent over at the waist - she's coming back with the odd brushing flurry, but it's not discouraging Connelly in the least. Brunette sends blonde to her corner hurt once again and Smith isn't shaking off these punches.

R8: Jen piles on. Smith a permanent resident on the ropes now, laying in with Connelly, reaching sleepily around the brunette's triceps to hook up those arms, but Jen's pushing and fighting through it, refusing to be bogged down. Connelly single minded, giving it to Smith HARD in the belly, HARD on the flanks - there's just no escape for Smith as she can't punch back, can't hold, can't spin out. Courtney trembling at the bell, stepping uncertainly and hugging her devastated middle as Connelly bounces back to her corner all ponytails and grins.

R9: Jen Connelly shutout! Smith ACHING on the ropes, soaking up a comprehensive beating as Connelly keeps her pinned, bodies up when necessary, and keeps her hands moving. Courtney glassy eyed, suffering in mute silence, right hand at her left cheek, left across her battered gut - punches are bashing off her arms and body as Connelly works unmolested, just beating her girl down. At the bell, Smith wobbles forward - Connelly stacks her up and pushes her back to a seat on the ropes, sauntering away as the blonde offers no resistance.

R10: A badly beaten Courtney Thorne Smith shows her pride, refusing to get pancaked in this fight. She comes out blasting to Jen's bra, backing the brunette up with tightly clipped left and right uppercuts - Connelly's back hitting the ropes for the first time in the fight as Smith stands up into the jug mugging. Jennifer gets her wits together at the minute mark, bumping hard with her left shoulder and slugging back - bashing free for all develops as both girls ring each other up in gaudy trade. Step by step, Jennifer backs Courtney across the ring, girls taking turns lavishing on with power strokes and by the end of the 2nd minute, SMITH'S back is against the ropes. Courtney's all used up - she's arm punching with nothing left, taking hellish punishment as the stronger brunette POURS it on! Connelly snarling, punching brutishly to her girl's waist and Smith sobs aloud, buckling forward at the waist and screaming through her bit - Jennifer's using the right palm to push Courtney up a little, then JAMMING in that lethal hook to the body and SMITH GOES DOWN! Courtney Thorne Smith spilling to her haunches, hugging herself in agony, breath coming in great wracking sobs and it's OVER! Connelly gets the last minute stoppage as Thorne can't get off her butt. KO10 Jennifer Connelly.

After: Sweet vindication for Jennifer Connelly, who had been hurt by Courtney's cutting commentary in the weeks leading up to the fight. "I am SO happy right now!" squeals Jen in post fight, "I wanted to stop Courtney so badly, but she just kept taking it and taking it. I knew I had her broken, but I just didn't think she'd go and then all of a sudden... she DID! I want Denise Richards. I deserve Denise Richards. I hope we can put that fight together as soon as possible