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UNIFIED LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

by simguy 10-29-05

Rare intrastable bout for the Krushers - who's got the advantage? "I think it's a plus for me," says an upbeat Heigl. "I see Charlize in the gym, see her get hit, pushed around - there's no 'Theron Mystique' for me - I know she's human. I also know exactly what I have to do to win this fight, which is huge against Charlize. Most girls get in there and they don't really have a clue."

Theron dismissing criticism of the in-house defence: "Katherine Heigl's my legit number 1," shrugs the Golden champ. "I'm not going to deny Kat her rightful share of the spotlight just because Kim signs both our paycheques - Kathy's earned this. She's the best girl I've been in with in a long time: I have to be razor sharp for this one."

Special commentator and Krusher expert Cat Bell agrees. "Katherine Heigl isn't your mother's punching bag anymore," says the recently Heigl-KO'd beauty. "Kat's harnessed her size, knows how to use it and I think she'll get in Charlize' grill and cause her problems. Theron's used to being the boss backstage and it'll be interesting to see how she handles prize-fight defiance from Heigl. From Kat, it'll be interesting to see if she can shed that sparring partner mentality for this fight: she's been pushed around PLENTY in that gym over the years by Charlize, but now she's got to compete hard with Theron."

Theron in cream bikini - Heigl in beige crochet bikini.

During R1: Heigl adopting stablemate Jewel's frame defence, encroaching on Theron with a jamming jab out of a high, tight guard, right hand cupping temple. Charlize backing up, dipping to her left to rip-snap a whippy left hook off Kat's flank, turning at the ropes to lope right. Down the stretch, hard-poking Heigl able to pin CT to ropes, smoke her a fat right roundhouse in the ribs: Heigl's inside. Kat cleaning up thick hooks and right uppercuts - beating Charlize in her lungs, testing the chin with compact clubbing to the bell.

R2: Similar stuff, Theron loose-limbed, gangly, giving ground and potshotting Heigl hooks and slinging right hands. Kat stepping forward behind that ramrod jab, covering up to block up top - she's forcing herself on Charlize, making her work. Heigl enjoying long stretches with CT covering up, leaning back over the ropes - Kat brawling hard, mauling Charlize with rough forearms across the throat, hammering the flanks, bashing the arms. Charlize gently rolling, twisting, riding it out, but the bruises are adding up: Heigl takes her second straight hard working heat.

R3: Theron potshotting, but not a lot on these shots - she's backing up, trying to keep her distance as Heigl's marching forward. Kat systematically pursuing Theron to ropes, bodying up to pin her down, beating the body with crowbar finesse, pounding the biceps/shoulders and slamming away short to jug. Charlize grimacing throughout - golden midriff being brutalized, then she's brushed back the uppercut, then she's jug-mugged as she leans back. Creeping paralysis spreading throughout those Oscar winning limbs - CT limp, pliable as she leans forward behind her mitts. Down the stretch, crippling hook crunches in thick behind right elbow, drawing a breathy gasp from the champ - Kat follows up a quick-clipping left uppercut to straighten CT up woozy and CLOBBERING right hand rocks Theron back against the ropes. Charlize swaying in the wind, staring, hands drooping: KAT'S CLEANING UP! Big, brawny lefts and rights clang away side to side, belting Theron's drowsy face to and for. BELL! Charlize punched into stupor, hair obscuring her eyes, mouth in that "Wha' hoppened?" pout - Heigl HAMMERS away for her third straight, stomps back to her corner nostrils flaring.

R4: The resilience of Charlize Theron. Badly beaten last round, CT takes midring with authority, scolding Heigl a hot up-jab off the hip. Theron glaring, chin tucked - she's creep-stepping to her right, right cocked tight at her shoulder - she turns into sudden screened crosses whenever Heigl looks to be getting bold. Katherine benefiting from Jewel's high-guard stance: Theron right hands skidding off the defence, but Charlize adjusts, collecting belly and jug via the low-slung hook off the front foot. Theron keeping it mid-ring, back off the ropes - she keeps Kat turning, controls her for points in the fourth.

R5: Theron leaning into hard right hands, falling into Heigl - fight starts to open up as Charlize stands toe-to-toe. Kathy nice n' tight, bobbing down in her crouch and busting Theron to the ribs and midriff with bashing counters - Theron getting the worst of it, backing up under Heigl's thumping torso assault. Midway through, Charlize mouthbreathing, resting on the ropes again - she rides her hands on Kat's shoulders, cupping Kat's ears and trying to control her head as Heigl sets up big-girl again. BEAT DOWN! Kathy fighting off Charlize' chest, shoulders rotating to put mitts on tummy, then as CT crumples, Heigl lights her up rigid uppercuts through the middle. Theron staring, facing into blows - she's soaking up TERRIFIC punishment amidships and to the chin and CHARLIZE TAKES A KNEE! Crowd roaring to it's feet as proud Theron sinks down to relieve the pressure: Bell up on her feet screaming "GET UP!" at her rival from ringside. Heigl bellowing in exultation - neck muscles rigid, arms tight as she pumps her fists: she's feeling it against Charlize! Final minute mop up one of the worst minutes of Charlize' storied career: Katherine Heigl going at her with wrecking-ball ferocity, swinging at the arms, bashing the torso, stamping those perky jugs flat. Theron lolling at the ropes, sagging, soaking: she's out on her feet at the bell as ref jumps in to keep Heigl from landing late.

R6: Theron flat footed, groggy, eyelashes fluttering - she trudges out to meet Heigl midring with a firm 'I'm still here' right uppercut. Heigl back with a volley of cavewoman lefts and rights, bludgeoning away head and shoulders on Charlize as Theron covers up, slumps wearily into the ropes. Middle minute wince-making: Heigl squared up, bashing away - pushing at Charlize with bracing forearms and rough palm-shoves to jostle and prop. Crowd oohing and aahing every time Charlize' head spins or she cringes forward from something evil in her body - Heigl just putting ham on Charlize like we haven't seen in years. Charlize' breasts smashed flat by cruel stamping rights and lefts inside: Heigl taking the time to beat Charlize' oversensitive chest like a drum throughout the fight. Down the stretch, Theron's pride evident as she licks back uppercuts to tug Heigl's chin, momentarily disrupting Katherine's romp to the finish line.

R7: Heigl behind her jab, busting Charlize in the mouth, putting her back to ropes: Theron blinking, confused, punished. Theron face-in-gloves, soaking for the most part - after being mercilessly bludgeoned about her arms and flanks, she'll answer back a licking left hook in Kat's body, or swipe the left across Kat's cheek - but it's Heigl's punching carrying the minutes. Katherine chillingly systematic - non-stop drubbing of Charlize arms and torso beefed up with constant pushing, bodying, propping. Heigl ON Charlize at all times, suffocating her when not battering her, smearing her along the ropes. Theron open-mouthed, pulling down on Kat's head or trying to tie her up, but its another stanza in Heigl's win column at the bell.

R8: Heigl marching, stepping in behind that jab, pitching the right to the hip. Charlize ramshackle, but slide-stepping back in good order - she's tracking Kat with a stiff jab and midway through, she lights Heigl up gorgeous a tight right uppercut off the right foot. Heigl put wobbly butt, babysteps backward for the first time tonight - Charlize forward with grim vengeance in mind. Heigl crossing her arms, turning her face away as she back up under hot punching - Kat's back hitting ropes as Theron storms forward. Charlize' turn to get big - she palms Kat in her shoulders, bends knees to get up underneath with hooks, drawing sobbing gasps from her gut-rocked stablemate. Charlize whip-mitting right hands to the body as well, then looking for uppercuts - long arms tightening up stroke to put Heigl in a bad way at the ropes. Late the round, Kathy won't go - Theron pushes the biceps back to get at that hulking rack, plowing away left/right to the bell as Heigl wilts wearily against the ropes. Ref pushing groggy battlers apart: eyes are foggy, lips parted as war takes a two-way toll.

R9: Theron's rally continues - she hurts Kathy another right uppercut, splitting the tight frame defence and getting delicious head movement on Heigl. Katherine tottering backwards, staring, crossing her arms: Charlize able to walk her down with right crosses now penetrating, skidding off eye brow and tagging chin. Heigl hits ropes - CT steadies her with the extended left, drifting determined right hands to the head. Heigl busting up, drooping, but slugging back - Charlize still hurt, very available for clubbing hooks and right hands on her stubborn chin. Glorious two-way punching takes a tragic toll on both girls, but Theron won't be backed off - she keeps pushing Heigl flat to ropes, keeps labelling her right hands no matter how hard Kathy swings back. Bell: neither girl aware of her surrounding - both keep slogging groggy until ref pushes 'em apart. Shabby, wandering paths taken to respective corners - both girls utterly spent - but it's Charlize coming on strong in the championship rounds!

R10: Charlize in a wide stance, stops Heigl with a jab in the mouth, then DROPS her with a shearing right cross - Kathy caught clean, drooping forward, then crashing backward to lay out in stupor on her back. Heigl's head up off the canvas as she struggles to roll over to her right side - Charlize staggering back to neutral corner, chest heaving, eyes hopeful. HEIGL BEATS THE COUNT! Katherine showing Krusher pride, reeling at the ropes, eyes closing, but she refuses to submit - she waves Charlize on in and Theron trudges across the ring to finish. All Charlize, all the time: poor Heigl out on her feet, arms crossed, facing into beatdown as Theron swings away. Long limbed lanky lather - wide right hands lashing across midriff - snappy hooks ripping at ribcage, caroming off chin. Right uppercuts picking up Kathy's drowsy face time and again - crowd biting collective knuckles, cringing in sympathy with the beating Kathy's taking BUT SHE WON'T GO DOWN! Bell: Theron sobbing with effort - she's pushed back all heaving chest and fluttering eyelashes. Heigl destitute, beaten beyond on recognition - she lolls on the ropes, throbbing with punishment. Comes back UD10 for the winner... and NEW lightweight champ - Katherine Heigl!

After: Katherine breaking down into tears - the most glorious night of her career simply overwhelming young blonde. Charlize ashen faced, tender ribs tenser-bandaged over: she gives Katherine a prefunctory hug, kisses her damp skull, then limps away a beaten, dethroned queen to lick her wounds - leaving the spotlight to Heigl.

"I...I can't believe it," Heigl sniffs, shuddering with emotion. "I beat Charlize...I BEAT her...I took Charlize' belts. It's too much to process right now."

Heroic late rounds rally too little too late - Charlize leaves Heigl tilting on the verge of unconsciousness but can't close her out - sensational battle gives Katherine her first ever sub-130 title. Cat Bell removing her headset, throwing it at the monitor, sitting back with crossed arms and stern countenance: she's clearly disgusted with Theron's effort tonight.

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