Monday Night Fights by simguy on 4/26/2002, 6:45 am 

Before: Source close to both combatants puts this fight into perspective, "Williams has been very dismissive of Halle for years, very condescending, but the Oscar victory for Berry has changed all that. Winning the Oscar has put these two women in the ring - Halle feels it's her time and Williams just can't brush her off anymore. Berry wants Vanessa off the stage and really pushed for this fight. This could get ugly." Both women with strong pageant backgrounds, Williams becoming more of a puncher as she matures, Berry with the reflexes and legs at this point - it's a classic match up on many levels. Berry scoring the first punch psychologically: during a face-off for photos, Halle leans in and says, "Is that a zit?" - reference to Vanessa's informercial appearance. Halle in black push up, yellow bikini bottoms, black shoes, yellow gloves, Vanessa in blonde ponytail, purple crop top with tight baby doll sleeves, white polka-dots, bare midriff, purple and polka-dot bikini bottoms, white shoes and gloves.

During R1: Tactical first. Berry using more of the ring, showing plenty of leg, jumping in on Vanessa with the low slung left hook and the swishing overhand right. Williams hunched forward, chin tucked behind left shoulder, right hand at her chest, left backhanding jabs off her stomach - she's more economical with her movement, saving energy, trying to time the youngster for right hands. Berry busier, takes the round.

R2: Halle circling, uptempoing - Vanessa's covered up, moving her head, blocking and parrying, but unable to get off. Breezy shutout Halle Berry - not doing a lot of damage, but testing Vanessa's reflexes, swatting the ribs with either hand, getting in glancing rights to the ear - no question Halle's got the quicker hands at this stage of her career.

R3: Vanessa's seen enough - starts to get the timing down. She's holding Berry off with the jab in the belly, driving in off that back foot to nail right hands as Halle pulls straight back, beating Halle to the hook when the girls lean in on front feet. Midway through, Vanessa tags the hook on the chops - Halle leans back, hands down and Williams DRIFTS her a lancing right on the chin, sending the younger beauty toppling to the ropes. Vanessa stalking in to pile on, but Berry won't be punished: savage two way trade erupts as Berry digs in and chucks leather, girls just spanking it up toe to toe at the bell.

R4: Halle back on the outside, circling to her left, turning Vanessa's right flank. Berry's legs winning the fight thus far - Williams turning, patiently picking off Halle's jab, slipping the right hand, but she can't mount much offense and her counters are falling short. Berry scraping the ribcage on either side with swishing lefts and rights, then escaping without receipt.

R5: Berry jumping in, swipes a whippy right across Vanessa's leftside ribs, jumps out. Repeats the pattern as Williams starts to wince, trying to cut the ring off and make Berry trade. End of the first minute, Berry dips her shoulder to sell the right to the ribs and NAILS Vanessa behind the jaw with a perfect short left hook - Berry dancing away with a yelp of glee as Williams spills to all fours. Vanessa shaken up - takes her 8, steps forward and almost goes down - ON COMES HALLE! Berry jabbing Vanessa to the ropes, lets her hands go in a vengeful punching spree - slashing arcs of lefts and rights take belly, breasts and head without mercy. Williams getting shredded - she's reacting late, getting her head bounced, taking on a real beating at the ropes. At the bell, a jubilant Halle Berry prances away all smiles - Williams sullen, glossy from leather - she's losing this fight through 5.

R6: Veteran sticks to her gameplan - trying to cut off the ring, trying to touch Halle with the jab, steer her to the corners. Berry with her hands down, bouncing left or right, swatting off her thighs with either mitt over top Vanessa's straight punches. Midway through, Williams pounds a right hand off Halle's chest, staggering the brunette - Williams turns on a hook, brushing off Halle's simultaneous hook as Berry has no leverage, then HAMMERING home the bending right cross - Vanessa following through low as Berry melts into the canvas, stunned on her left hip. Halle takes 8, eyes unfocused, lips trembling - ON COMES VANESSA! Williams with heartless payback, bulls Halle into the ropes, reaching her left arm under Halle's right to prop the girl up for bashing rights to the body and face. Berry getting shoved and slugged to RAGS, takes a vicious beating to the bell. Vanessa heaps on a flagrantly late right hand that drapes Halle wide eyed and stupified on the ropes - garnering a savage reprimand from the ref.

R7: Both girls lumping up, faces swollen, ribcages glossy and Vanessa finally has Halle flat footed. Williams outboxing Berry when Halle can't use her legs - Vanessa reaching the jab into the belly, hooking hard off her front foot, then leaning onto her back foot to pick Halle up with the fall-away hook. Berry breaking down, often stumbling forward into Vanessa's clean punching - Williams just zeroed in and drilling her opponent with well placed scoring blows. Round to Vanessa - Halle sleepy in her corner, unresponsive to direction.

R8: Halle catches a second wind, gets back on her toes and treats Vanessa to a shutout beating. Williams stalking forward, getting picked up by unexpected slashing hooks and that catspaw right hand over the top - Halle's really getting nice leverage on these shots despite her movement, shaking Vanessa's legs and backside on occasion. Midway through, Williams reaches the jab, catches a quick counter right off Halle's hip - Berry bouncing away as Vanessa nearly spills to all fours again. Vanessa hurt and Halle takes cruel advantage - bounding in to slash at the ribs, shoulder shimmying then landing a gaudy hook flush on the jaw, dipping in, then leaning away to draw the jab - then turning on the quick counter right to spank Vanessa's surprised face yet again. Williams shaken up emotionally as well as physically - she doesn't usually get outclassed like that.

R9: Halle showboating, circling with her hands down, playfully cuffing and swatting as she rambles - midway through Vanessa makes her pay. Williams rolls with Berry's right, comes back with a drilling right hand with back and legs behind it, clocking Berry flush on the teeth and driving her pinwheeling back to the ropes. Halle giving up a monster shot, eyes staring, gloves at her lips - Vanessa strides in and lathers away with another spiteful beating - pushing the wobbly Berry in the shoulders or on the guard then slashing away on the jawline with chopping lefts and rights to the bell.

R10: Halle busted up last round, keeps her distance, doubling up nicely on the jab, hooking off the stick, pivoting around the hook to keep Vanessa turning midring. Williams reduced to reaching for Halle's midsection with overhand rights - Berry's legs decisive factors to the end. Comes back UD10 by slender margin, Halle Berry!

After: Berry blubbering in joy - beating Vanessa the next best thing to winning the Oscar. Williams downcast, hands on her hips, looking embarrassed and suddenly out of place as Berry owns the ring. "I give her credit," says a reluctant Vanessa, "I didn't think she could take my punch. When she went down in the fifth, I just said, 'that's it' - but she got up and finished strong. She'll never give me a rematch - I hurt her too badly for that to happen. If I have to win a belt to force her hand, then that's what I'll have to do." Berry giddy in postfight, despite a badly swollen left eye and obvious punishment overall, "You know - nobody wanted me to take this fight - 'Vanessa's too dangerous', 'Vanessa's too experienced'. You know what she is? Vanessa's too OLD! There I said it - Vanessa Williams was an old, rickety old, bandy legged, beat up old cougar in there tonight. I can't wait for her next infomercial - "Endswell - the miracle product that keeps your swelling down when Halle's beating your ass!" Ouch. Halle thrashing her rival inside the ring and out - not leaving Vanessa much dignity tonight and earning a mortal enemy in the process.

Thanks to Apollo for this repost.

Archer 10/19/09