Charlize Theron vs. Catherine Zeta Jones (I) by simguy 06-Feb-99

Looking to capitalize on her biggest win to date over Angie Harmon, Theron's handlers hand pick another luscious, but far less experienced brunette in Catherine Zeta Jones. It's the kind of fight that Theron herself was thrown into earlier in her career, leading to charges of mismanagement against Ms. Zeta-Jones' promoter. But wiseguy oddsmakers have this a close bout, 2:1 Theron. Each girl is a mirror image of the other stylistically and although Charlize has more fights, she's still developing.

White jogbra and teal high cut aerobics trunks for Theron, black jogbra, red trunks for Catherine.

Round 1: Predictable feeling out round as both boxers stick to their orthodox routes, stepping around one another, pot-shotting jabs - playing it safety first. Theron the more accurate jabber, also scoring some nice double jabs to Jones's face to take a nothing first round.

Rounds 2-4: Either her trainers see something or Zeta Jones has great instincts, but she switches tactics in the second, hurling HARD RIGHT COUNTERS TO EITHER BREAST each time Theron throws a jab. It's instantly successful, and Jones lights Theron up with the right hand and immediately begins to dominate. Charlize, backing up with her left arm across her aching chest is tentative, doesn't seem to know how to adjust and continues to get clocked. Zeta Jones just has a sweet angle and she hones it in each successive round, holding Theron by the shoulder on occasion in order to plow the right INTO THERON'S BREASTS. It's a disaster as Theron staggers to her corner in the second, shut out and badly hurt in the third as her guard comes down but again displaying that freakishly tough chin. In the fourth however, the power punches catch up with her. Midway through the round, Zeta Jones leans back as an exhausted Theron bends forward, then Zeta-Jones surges into a picture perfect right hand counter to the chin. Theron's head snaps, her mouthguard dribbles down her chin as she freezes comically before collapsing in a heap on her back. Wild KO4 for upstart Zeta Jones shocks a mostly pro-Theron crowd.

After: What Happened? It almost seemed like once Theron got hurt, she just couldn't answer the challenge. Give credit to Zeta Jones - not a huge puncher, exploited the opening until it gave in a shockingly easy walk over a highly touted prospect. Theron beginning to look like a head case - winning the tough fights - losing the set-ups.

Analysis: It was pretty surprising. Charlize had every advantage, including a fairly stout chin. What was more unlikely statistically than the knockout was Charlize actually losing 3 rounds in a row. I would have thought that Zeta Jones' only chance to win was via lucky knockout, but she was really in charge once she started to land power shots. As the man says, "Everybody's got a plan until they get hit." I guess it's back to the drawing board for Charlize.