Before: Rachel maybe garnering boxing's 'most improved' so far this year - Nichols showing heart, combativeness while aggressively seeking her first win. "Going to be tough to look good against Shannon," notes one Celebrity Ring columnist. "Elizabeth's so tall and rangy, hits hard and does a lot of things with her distance that make it tricky to box her."

Nichols upbeat at the podium, anxious to match mitts with a former champion. "I think I can punch with Shannon," Rachel tells reporters in prefight. "That's the key. If she keeps me out on the end of her jab, it'll be a long night for me - but if I can coax her into swinging, I think I can the better of her, chin to chin."

Nichols in clingy peach tank top, cotton panties, white gloves. Shannon in clingy red tank top, cotton panties, white gloves.

During R1: Shannon hopping-to, attacking Rachel near the Nichols corner. Elizabeth with left at her hip, right under her chin - nice snappy up-jab fixes Rachel's position, setting her up for a rifling right cross in the opening moments. Nichols stung, shook up: Elizabeth steps, twists her hips to the right, pulls a glorious, sleek hook across her foe's available mouth and SITS RACHEL DOWN! Shan jogging prettily to neutral corner as poor Nichols sits up in astonishment, punching the canvas in frustration as the takes a first-minute 8. And then...Shannon lets her off the hook. Elizabeth hopping back in, jabbing smartly, but not pressing her advantage - Nichols able to gather herself, even fighting back in the final minute. Backing straight up, Elizabeth is tagged a glancing left/right against her face as plucky Rachel comes forward at the bell.

R2: Shannon hopping-to, showing a classy, very stiff jab up off her hip - really jamming it in on the left side of Rachel's jaw or stamping it to jug. Elizabeth's defensive footwork keeping her out of trouble - she's loping back from Nichols' receipts, circling in either direction. Shannon very calm, supple - she'll just bend at the waist to her right, slipping Shannon's punches, rolling them off the left shoulder. Bell to bell boxing shutout, Shannon: corner wants her to pick up the intensity a little - "Let's get this girl hurt, baby. Her head is right there Shan - find her with the right hand, send her home with the hook baby, that's all it is!" (Slow mo replay during break focuses on Shannon thrusting a lead right at Rachel's face. Nichols spanked clean, staring back - Elizabeth brings the right hand back to caress the left side of her own neck, then touches the right to her right ear as she adjusts her feet - pretty bit of elegant showboating while Rachel's on her heels.)

R3: Shannon loping, feinting, looking classy - but not doing a lot of punching. Nichols able to creep forward - dukes at her temples - pawing her own jab to brush at Shannon's lips, then leaning into long right hands, grazing Elizabeth's chin as she leans back out of range. Shannon doing a nice job rotating away from hard contact, never getting tagged flush - but she's letting Rachel stoke her courage, come forward and get off with increasing confidence. Assertive points for Nichols - she can't find Shannon's chin with anything heavy, but she's got brunette defensive in the third.

R4: Rachel coming forward with more confidence - dukes at her temples, body lean forward as she looks to measure Shan with pawing jabs, then lay into her lusty rights. Elizabeth scowling, leaning back out of range (weight on right foot) - neatly poking the jab up off her hip onto Rachel's mouth to disrupt blonde's advance. Shan loping to either side - midway through she glides to her left, feints, then slings a rifling right hand off her shoulder, punching Nichols face back with sudden spank. Curling left hook - all sinewy hips, torso-rotation from Elizabeth - fist lashing up and around, neatly kissing Nichols' chin and RACHEL IS HURT! Rache goggle eyes, stumbling sideways to ropes, completely undone. Shannon hops-to - left hand high now - she pumps a jab to Nichols left eye, then leans into a sleek, rifling right on the chin, swivelling Rachel's head. Follow up hook all lanky and licking, but it's not necessary: Nichols already swooning to canvas to sprawl chest-down at Shannon's feet. KO4 in clinical long-armed fashion - Shannon Elizabeth.

After: Elizabeth breezing prettily away from her vanquished foe with just a demure glance down to make sure of the KO, then beaming happily at her corner as she sashays back for hugs. Plenty of lanky wallop from Shannon tonight - moments of tentativeness early from the brunette didn't hurt her as blonde couldn't press enough to take complete control of the ring. Impressive KO affirms Shannon as a legit lightweight contender.