Before: Dushku supremely confident, chatty with reporters in prefight, "Realistically," breezes the champ, "Connelly's only chance is to hook up with a complacent Eliza Dushku. Tough luck Jen - looks like I'm going to show up for this one. I even studied tape of (yawn) Jenny in 'action'. When I'm sharp, girls get hurt - you know it." Connelly putting on a show during weigh in, flashing sheet-metal abs and coming in a wiry toned 118. "I'm pumped for this fight," beams Jen, "I'm in shape to fight 15 rounds and I'm just going to set a murderous pace for Eliza. I'm going to get her breathing hard, then I'll run her right out of those belts. I'm not going to rule out a late stoppage!" Dushku in red leather bikini - Jen in navy sports bra, red boy cut stretch cotton shorts, low ponytail.

During R1: Methodical shutout Dushku. Eliza pointing her left shoulder at Jen, edging in and out, pivoting in crisp 90 degree swings around Connelly's right flank. Jen compact, punching straight from her shoulders but missing - Dushku's timing, movement beguiling early. Offensively, Eliza's committing to Jen's rigid midriff, bouncing hooks and lead right hands off the stoney surface, banking body shots for the long haul.

R2: Dushku setting the pace - she's got range, initiative and position, now she puts her punches together and does ruinous work on her shellshocked challenger. Whatever Eliza wants, she takes, rip-digging that hook into the ribs, clubbing short left/rights off the temples, chopping straight left/rights up the middle. Connelly reeling, covering up, gloves at her cheeks - she's routinely touched 3,4, even 5 punches at a time, getting rocked, staggered, then regrouping. Astounding damage being done - Connelly's pretty face busting up, body cringing - crowd groaning in sympathy as Dushku lands blistering blows flush. Bell to bell Eliza beats Jen into a stumbling swoon - Connelly refusing to go down but ragged at the break. Dushku lifts her mitts and cooing taunts as Jen wanders back to her corner.

R3: Jenny sporting a much improved jab, girls duel for control of center ring outside. Jen using her height and reach, Dushku relying on quickness and timing - shorter champion eventually outjabbing the taller challenger, imposing her will down the stretch. By the final minute, Eliza's wheeling around her girl, sticking Jen in the face, stabbing her chest and belly - Connelly dukes up, grimacing, not answering back.

R4: Another shutout Eliza Dushku. Champ edging in close, rolling her shoulders to pound those abs, work that bra then it's a quick pivot to the side, mopping up the head a hook if it's there. Connelly breaking down, just gutting out the minutes - she's just turning, squaring up to take the blows as Dushku snaps off combos. Down the stretch, a wide lead right across the belly, crunching left hook on the jaw sags Connelly destitute in the ropes. With her girl hurt, helpless, Dushku takes a page out of Liu's book, dipping the shoulder, tapping crotch a meanspirited hook - not because she has to, just because she can. It's Eliza telling Jen - I can get to your most vulnerable areas and there's nothing you can do about it.

R5: Another shutout - glorious for Dushku fans, repulsive for Connelly supporters. Jen weak kneed, hands at her eyebrows - she's wilting into the ropes, staggering sideways around the ring under the constant barrage. Dushku staying on her girl, hacking and chopping tight blows upstairs, gloves bouncing off skull, shoulders guard - downstairs Eliza's digging tough to gut and ribs. Crippling, comprehensive beat down has Connelly dazzled with punishment.

R6: Connelly's corner begging her to quit - Jen shakes 'em off, barely gets off her stool as Eliza rushes in. Stamping volley of straight lefts and rights bursts through Jen's high guard, stacking her up at the turnbuckles. Ringsiders screaming for the fight to be stopped as a hungry champion tears away at what's left. Jagged punching - too precise and leveraged to be called a flurry - bashes forth from Dushku as she bends side to side. Jenny tilting forward at the waist, unresponsive as Eliza's fists plow into the body, or snap Jen's head to the side. It's a steady, heartless torrent of Eliza's hardest punching and a frightened ref can't wait any longer. Dushku is tackled off her crumbling prey - Connelly swaying out on her feet, stubbornly refusing to go down. Awful TKO6 Eliza Dushku.

After: Connelly given the shabbiest beating of her career - her hollow, staring eyes betray her shock in postfight. Even Claire Danes is a fan tonight: "Hey, I give credit where credit is due - Eliza lived up to her hype tonight. What I loved about this performance was Jenny came in so proud of her abs - she'd obviously put the work in and Dushku went right at her opponent's pride to break her down. Those were some serious body licks Eliza was dishing out - Jen's hurting right now." Dushku fighting like a dominant champ - calling out one of her top contenders, totally dismantling her in minute after minute of vicious, yet icilly disciplined power punching - chilling. As one scribe points out, "there was maybe one minute in that fight where Connelly was competitive. One minute. Other than that...Jezuz!"