Before: Kate coming in off a competitive, but disappointing stoppage loss to Beckinsale - Huddie looking to stay busy and maintain her 'most improved' momentum against rugged Carla G. "Gugino and I are like two peas in a pod," Kate beams in prefight. "Beckinsale's a snooty little sneak and I had trouble finding her at times; Carla's going to stand and bang with me like a real fighter. I'm looking forward to it. I know I belong in the FCBA now, and I think a spot somewhere just above Carla Gugino is exactly right for me at this point in my career." Gugino a curvy little minx who's been an 'opponent' much of her career - she'd like to change that rep with Hudson. "Early in my career, I was put in too tough," Carla recalls, "I was undersized and undergunned for some of the girls they had me in with. I fit right into the mix at bantam - with girls like Garth, Spears, and Katie here - I'm stronger than them and more durable - I really think that I'll be able to shake things up at 120." Pretty hopefuls fairly jiggling during ring instructions: Kate in scarlet crochet bikini; low ponytail with forelocks framing face; small black work out gloves. Carla in royal blue bikini, twist tied top and low-rise hipster bottoms; small black work out gloves.

During R1: As promised, girls close shoulder to shoulder, proceed immediately to swap leather. Short, muscular punching both ways - girls hunched in close, clubbing and licking tight licks off hips, ribs, tits and chins in close. Katie's hook turned tight to Carla's mouth has Gugino on her heels at times - close round, but Hudson managing to come forward at bitter expense throughout.

R2: Similar, workmanlike rhythm - girls closing and maintaining high output rates shoulder to shoulder. Neither lass counter-punching much: when one's operating, the other's simply digging in and bracing herself to accept the blows. As they hunch forward, both tend to fall naturally into a loose crossed-arm stance - snatching and clubbing tight-swiping rights and lefts out of the posture. Again, Huddie bouncing a compact hook off Gugino's forehead or jaw can move Carla off her stance - blonde coming forward in increments.

R3,4,5: Crowd-pleasing war of attrition - neither girl making any effort to be elusive or cute. It's' close-in, sweaty, grunting work - hooks to tummy and tits prized above all else from the tight crossed-arm stances, but both girls mixing it up well, utilizing both hands and a variety of punches. Tidy right uppercuts score for both women, often in concert with the mop-up left hook to chin. Right hands chopped heartlessly atop left hips draw gasps of pain from either lass - it's a very mirror-image like struggle as they rotate in their crossed ams, always nearly touching. Through 5 it's very hard to separate 'em: both girls busting up, both very stubborn when it comes to giving up canvas - just a good solid, systematic pounding both ways.

R6: Same again - but Carla's starting to break down. Tell tale at first: Carla backing up on her heels, output dropping - then more obvious as Hudson opens up on her hooks and really bounces 'em vicious off the target. Gugino starting to wander - right hand at left cheek, left across her gut: she's being walked down, shelled and pushed as Katie H becomes the full time aggressor. Down the stretch, Kate clips the close-in right uppercut, then follows up with three cudgelling hooks, pasting Carla on the dome of her head as Gugino's slouching forward. Carla's legs give a shimmy - she steps around, then sinks to one knee, eyes brimming. Bell saves Gugino, but she's reeling to her corner like someone's tilting the ring like a see-saw.

R7: Gugino still woozy - mouth open, doe-eyes shiny: Katie gets right to work. Chopping lead right hand to the mouth - brace of hooks splattered against chest and face drives Carla ropeside. Katie stepping-to, hooking Carla's stomach (Hudson keeping her right at her chest and she hups that baby home), then doubling the left uppercut to Carla's chin. Quick pivot to the right - Katie's hooking Carla's face from just outside Gugino's left shoulder: brunette stooping forward, staring into punishment like she loves to gobble leather. REF STEPS IN! Carla out on her feet, goggle eyed and getting pasted - Katie jumps away the gleeful TKO7 victrix.

After: Hudson glowing in victory, hugging her cornermen and jiggling in celebration. Gugino battered, forlorn: hard for a proud woman to accept defeat in a situation she was CERTAIN would result in victory. "I feel FANTASTIC," Katie blurts in postfight - face puffy from Gugino's good work, but joy undiminished. "We fought toe-to-toe and I was better - I couldn't have asked for more." Good outing for Hudson - even her losses show improvement as strong legged blonde continues to put the pieces of her game together in '07.