Posted by Simguy on Saturday, 03-Jun-2000 10:37:30

Before: Demi may not be the destroyer of old, but she’s still one of boxing’s most complete fighters, and the fact that she isn’t ducking Jeri leads many pundits to think she’s spotted flaws she can exploit in the blonde’s game. Ryan can’t win a chess match here, she’s got to pressure Demi, make her resign herself to defeat and wear the brunette down. Jeri in red bandeau bikini, Demi black bikini.

During R1: Demi not backing off her young opponent goes toe to toe, twisting her torso to take Ryan’s punches on her shoulders then digging short counter right hand strikes to the mouth and body. Ryan giving as good as she’s talking, and late in the round, she snaps that deceptively quick right hand hard off Demi’s forehead, putting the brunette wobbly butt. Demi on her bicycle, shaking her head is hurt as Jeri walks her down, pawing the jab to load up on a few more right hands to the bell.

R2: Much more respectful Demi, bouncing around the perimeter of the ring—Ryan the aggressor, Jeri unable to line Moore up for more than a jab or glancing right hand—brunette in survival mode brings out the boo birds flitting around Ryan, completely opposed to taking any risks whatsoever.

R3: Demi still circling, but she’s circling, but she’s slashing in and out more this round—Ryan covering up to accept the attack, allowing the brunette to get off and get gone. Ryan is pursuing, but she’s not cutting off the ring—this is Demi’s fight and she picks away at Ryan, pawing lead rights, double jabs and hooks, moving after she punches to avoid receipts.

R4: Shutout Jeri Ryan as Demi rests those legs and the blonde is able to square up to the target. Moore going to the ropes fighting purely defensively, right at her cheek, left across her gut, is unhittable to the head, but Ryan going to the waist with wide lefts and rights gets some work done. Demi seems satisfied to limit Jeri’s opportunities rather than create any for herself as the blonde builds a healthy lead after 4.

R5: Real Demi Moore shows up, embarrassing Jeri with flashy combinations, often ending the sequence with a biting hook into the breasts before walking to her left. Jeri busting up, walking into a lot of punches and late in the round, Demi times a sensational right hand diving in on the punch to rock Jerri’s head back. Moore stunned to see Ryan soak up the punch and keep coming—if Jeri’s hurt she’s not showing it. Demi dances the last few seconds, almost in awe as Ryan takes her absolute Sunday best on the button.

R6: Both girls concentrate on the body—Jeri because she can’t hit Demi’s head—Moore because Ryan’s chin is discouraging. Even slugging through much of the round as the girls takes turns tanning one another’s sides and middles with one or two shots before covering up for the receipt. Moore right in front of Jeri and Ryan’s methodical pounding takes its toll—Demi finishes with her back on the ropes, dipping and ducking artfully, but judges like Ryan’s output.

R7: Ryan with digging lefts and rights to the midsection seems to have taken Demi’s legs out of the fight. Moore more stationary, laying in to clinch rather than slip and the blonde begins to exert her will. Demi looking ragged, wilts to the ropes and turns her body to accept Jeri’s shots, Ryan getting off with robotic intensity, working her way up Demi’s body from the hips to bounce wide shots off the brunette’s head at the bell.

R8: Blonde posts another shutout as Demi lays in, gets herself bodied to the ropes, and looks tired as she twists and turns and clinches, Ryan the stronger girl at this point, keeps Moore pinned to the corner, shouldering the brunette back and digging into that midriff now looking to come upstairs with that jolting Joe Louis right. Moore just not offensive e enough—surviving rather than winning and Ryan comfortably ahead after 8.

R9: Demi shows signs of life, going shoulder to shoulder with Jeri midring, working left hooks to Ryan’s tummy and shining the blonde’s kidney with a clubbing right hand. Jeri laying in cheek to cheek answers most of the brunette’s punches, but in the final minute, Demi mixes in the short right uppercut and pivots to her right, holding Jeri’s right bicep in her left in a kind of dance step move. Moore able to land some clean shots out of this posture to take the round.

R10: Demi reaching in with the left, ties up Jeri’s right hand and curls right uppercuts against the blonde’s chest and teeth—Ryan taking stoically as the brunette piles on. Moore turning her girl, getting Jeri to move her feet, has Ryan wobbly butt, and gets off with heavy right hands—methodically digging, then clinching to smother Ryan’s attack. Midway through the round, Demi turns on a vicious right uppercut, still gripping the blonde’s right arms to hold and hit, and Jeri seems hurt, unresponsive. Demi headlocking her girl to the ropes, uses the shoulder shuck to set up clipping rights and lefts, getting dramatic head movement out of Ryan as Jeri’s hands droop down—she’s just taking shots. Moore letting her hands go, pours on a withering barrage, landing lefts and rights to the head, beating Ryan unrecognizable and THE REF STEPS IN! Demi Moore is pushed back, then goes elated as Jeri sobs her protests to the ref. Unbelievable TKO10 for Ms. Moore.

After: Demi reaching in to her bag of tricks, pounds out Jeri Ryan who sticks to her story: “I wasn’t hurt. I was taking her punches, and I knew she was running out of gas., I was just about to answer when the ref stopped it and robbed me of the chance to continue. Did anybody see me go down? She couldn’t hurt me.” True, it’s hard to tell if Ryan is hurt or not, but she took some huge shots in this contest and the beating to end it doesn’t look that controversial on tape. “She was out,” stated Demi flatly, “her eyes were gone. I give her credit for standing up to the punishment, but I’d have killed her if they let it go on.” Great come from behind win for Demi proves she still belongs with the names at the top.

Reposted by Archer on 9/21/09.