Posted by simguy on 3/29/2002, 9:52 am

Before: Basinger sick to death of all the Halle Oscar talk - Berry bringing the statuette to press conferences and interviews - Kim finally snaps, grabs the thing and throws it in a trash bin to ignite a wild pre-fight brawl. "She's just jealous," observes Berry, "everyone knows Kim's Oscar was pure charity. If you ask me, they should do a recount in her case." Kim in black boat neck sports bra, grey stretch cotton aerobics briefs, messy ponytail, Halle in black push up, retro cut yellow bikini bottoms.

R1: Halle leaning over her front foot, touching Kim with lead rights, licking at belly and chin with doubled up whip-hooks. Basinger with the right under her chin, left across her body stays low, blocking and rolling in an attempt to close range and midway through - Kim finds chin with a sweet counter hook to put Berry wobbly butt midring. Basinger follows up with a chopping right hand along the jaw, and a bashing hook on the teeth with plenty of forearm, spilling Berry the length of the ring. Halle dazed, legs out the rest of the round - Kim steals a Berry round with economical output.

R2: Similar stuff. Kim not even trying to match reflexes with Berry, staying defensive, letting Halle open up and looking for spots in between. Alarmingly high connect percentage for Berry as she puts pretty combinations together. Off the front foot, she'll chop the right hand in, thumb up, lean onto the back foot with a batting double hook, move on in to shoulder Basinger off and reset the process. Also troubling, that ripping double hook up underneath - Kim's grunting as Berry gets biting pressure on those abs. Late in the round however - Basinger once again times a beautiful counter - a curling overhand right to beat Halle's right uppercut - Berry wobbly butt, limp as Kim pushes up on her shoulders, positions her at the ropes, and strokes her upside both ears to steal the second with another timely flurry.

R3: Berry shakes it off, keeps plying her trade. Slashing rights and lefts in bewildering arcs are taking their toll - Basinger doing her best to move her head, but Halle's tracking is flawless. End of the first minute, Halle licks left hands up between Kim's gloves to shake the blonde up - Basinger in retreat for the first time as Berry hops after her, punching on the bounce. Basinger digs in at the ropes - Berry leaning in on her front foot to work the body with snappy hooks to the bell.

R4: Cat and mouse continues. Halle much busier, throwing 4 and 5 punches for every 1 of Kim's, and connecting plenty as Basinger starts to lump up. But Kim staying composed, taking a good shot, is still picking her spots with veteran precision and she LABELS Halle midway through with another jolting overhand right out of the crouch. Berry put wobbly butt again, extending her palms to push Basinger off, but the blonde pounds bra and mouth with cudgelling force over Halle's outstretched arms. Berry beaten back to the ropes, does a nice spin move to get out, opens up the canvas as Basinger continues to use judgement to off set ability through 4.

R5: Pattern continues. Kim crouched forward, covered up, getting picked apart by Halle's licking, lashing combinations, but Basinger maintaining her distance, timing her foe and landing the haymaker to turn the round around late. Berry queered by a crashing left hook as she pulls back with hands down - once again she reaches in to push Kim back, only to take clobbering shots on the face that have her head lolling dangerously at the bell. Basinger steals yet another Halle Berry round - brunette stumbling, discouraged, knows the good work she's doing probably isn't carrying the rounds.

R6: Halle busy, but smarter - she's getting off, leaning in and out, then pivoting around, making it harder for Kim to line her up. Berry really digging in the hook to belly and ribcage - Basinger cringing forward from the gut touching, allowing Berry the second she needs to affect her escapes.

R7: Berry's uppercut resurfaces and immediately busts Kim up out of her crouch. Basinger stumbling backward - Halle with that hopping pursuit, licking punches from her waist as she bounces forward, unerringly clapping Kim's face with the whippy delivery. Basinger hits the ropes hard, gloves at the cheeks - she's stooping forward in trouble as Halle goes to work. Berry over her front foot, leaning outside Kimmie's right shoulder - brunette lashing left hooks and uppercuts to the body and chin as Kim slips into stupor. Turns into brutal shove and slug, Berry setting her body to torque her left hands, punishing the blonde's midriff and chin, shouldering up on Kim to press her back for more. Midway through, a short left uppercut lifts Kim's head up - face blank, eyes glossy, and Berry keeps throwing it. Left uppercuts bat away at Kim's slackened features, Basinger slumping to a seat in the ropes, taking helplessly and the ref jumps in to end it! TKO7 Halle Berry.

After: Basinger badly busted up at the end - gallant effort for the blonde who used guts and savvy to give Berry hell for 6 rounds of brilliant counterpunching. Youth is served, Berry scoring an awesome connect rate finally just wore Kim out and Halle takes the elder Oscar winner for a groaning walk of shame. Berry rough and scolding throughout - Basinger barely aware of the proceedings.

Thanks to Apollo for this repost.

Archer 10/19/09.