Posted by simguy on 7/6/02

Before: Long outstanding debt about to be addressed as Charlize takes on the always dangerous Jeri Ryan. Ryan bumping Charlize back a few places on several magazine polls of top 10 lightweights- her crushing KO over Theron last time out said to be a signpost of Theron's decline. Adding to the tension - allegations that Ryan is to Charlize what Debbe Dunning's been to Cat Bell - a fighter who's figured Theron out, has the tools to expose her, and the hunger to keep on doing it.

Black silk bikini, long blonde locks for Theron, purple bra style bikini, straightened, shoulder length hair for Jeri.

Round 1: Shutout Theron. Gliding lateral movement has Ryan turning, unable to get set. Jab touching up Ryan's eyes, screening her for screeching straight right hands on the mouth as Charlize gets off, pivots away. Ryan stalking, unhurt as Theron's just throwing to make contact, get her range and timing down. When she's not doing anything else, Charlize is throwing a speedy snik-snak one-two against Jeri's left bicep.

Round 2: Charlize showing speedy hands and feet, getting cute with Ryan now, but starting to put the hammer down. Theron will step in with a shimmy, batting and slapping at Jeri's guard, then bite down on a clouting right to the jaw, bending low on follow through, pivoting out to the side. 2,3 throw away punches, then a big pay off - Ryan freezing as she gets clocked, allowing Theron to create the next angle. Down the stretch, Charlize with a glorious double jab, ringing right cross - Ryan blinking, standing upright, so Charlize helps herself. Clanging wide lefts, drilling right hands finally back a startled Jeri Ryan up. Ryan taking hard swatting chops on her face, hands at her chest, back on the ropes as Theron POUNDS away at the bell.

Round 3: Bully's coming out in Charlize. She's punching, then palming up, pushing Jeri around like a shopping cart, muscling a punchy Ryan around the ring. Theron all loose and relaxed, really getting whippy snap on her right hands, bending her body in behind the tight shots, edging in close, then spinning off all supple. Ryan busting up, she's coming forward but not getting off. Round ends to the sight of a groggy Jeri Ryan on the ropes - Theron crouched with her left shoulder in the girl's chest - Charlize just jerking in clipping right uppercuts to the breasts and face, crouch-and-rolling with Jeri's responses, standing right there and making her girl miss. Third straight shutout with power, Charlize.

Round 4: Charlize flat footed for the most part - she's standing strong, waving and slapping her left hand, not really jabbing, then suddenly stabbing home harsh right hands on the teeth and jugs of her foe. Ryan taking a terrific punch thus far and by the final minute, she's banging out that Joe Louis jab from her hip, right hand coiled at her chest - still having trouble finding the range as Charlize reads, steps out to avoid the cross.

Round 5: Charlize standing, pot-shotting with darting right hands, loose and lanky with that left, but occasionally cuffing Jeri hard with a hook whenever Ryan advances. Jeri used to the Theron power now, taking flush but not moving - she's pawing out that jab, just keeping it on Theron and down the stretch: girls trade right hands - Jeri's shorter, straighter and Charlize' legs give a quake. Theron palming up on Ryan's shoulders to push her off, but Jeri's won't have it. Raucous punching from Ryan, thudding work to the body and jaw, strong lefts and rights backing Charlize up in a daze. Theron's turn to ride it out hurt at the ropes - Ryan hammering the ex-champ into stupor with heart-stopping power from both sides.

Rounds 6-7: Fight settles into a rhythm. Charlize giving Ryan a little more lateral movement, just enough to make the puncher move her feet. Theron really placing the right hand well, chopping up Ryan's face, wobbling Ryan butt on occasion, but Jeri showing no signs of being badly hurt. Charlize covering her step-outs with that educated left mitt - Jeri forced to deal with different arm angles, changes of speed - Theron warned for backhanding repeatedly as she scores prettily while stepping to her right. Ryan not shutout - she's stalking forward, pawing her own heavy stick, getting into range and landing the odd short right cross. Two big blondes circling patiently, picking each other over, nice lanky pace, but both rounds decisively Theron's.

Round 8: Ryan with a sturdy effort, knows she's behind on the cards, does a good job of cutting off the ring and getting a little trade out of Charlize. Jeri's taking Charlize' right hand and moving forward: Theron's getting her head snapped slightly and backing off from Jeri's right as Ryan hounds Charlize to the ropes. Jeri with her fists tightly cocked at her chest gets close, dips her shoulders and lugs punches up into Theron, getting her legs and back into damaging blows as cagey Theron clinches, pulls down on Jeri's head and looks to get out of the round.

Round 9: Charlize showing good respect, keeping her distance - when she's nimble, Jeri doesn't really have any answers. Tactical boxing round for Theron sees her salt away more points - Ryan coming forward, looking strong late still applying pressure, but she's down to three minutes.

Round 10: Ryan with a nice first minute, jabbing Charlize onto her heels then shaking the svelte blonde with spanking right/lefts on the hips. Charlize pushing her right palm on Ryan as she steps back, looking pained, but midway through - Theron palms right, turns into a shoulder-shrugging left hook and Ryan stutter steps in shock! Charlize with a fluid, bouncy attack, hops in close with a clouting right off her hip, carrying into Ryan with that right shoulder and bulling the girl backwards. Jeri tottering off balance - Charlize loping forward and licking her with loose lefts and rights, falling in close with the shoulders on follow through until Ryan hits the far ropes. Jeri on trembling legs, face in her gloves as she stoops forward and Charlize takes it all away from her. Big, breezy beat down from Theron as she reaches down Jeri's sides to welt the flanks and lower back with slashing punches. Charlize using that left forearm to prop against Jeri's guard, then curling the tight right uppercut to bounce Ryan's head back. Smooth brutality from Theron as she puts lanky power to good use, shredding Jeri and leaving her distraught at the bell. Comes back UD10 by wide margin - Charlize Theron.

After: Slow struttin' from Charlize, hands held high as she drinks it in. She hands out a shellacking to a hated rival - Ryan battered unrecognizable by the constant lashing of Charlize' fists. Jeri taking a terrific punch in this fight, soaked up some dreadful shots that would've taken out a lot of lightweights, but it's an expensive point to make. Ryan bending to exit between the ropes when she is captured by an exultant Charlize and roundly spanked! Jeri shouting in numb outrage, half in, half out of the ring - Charlize with her left arm around the girl's ribcage, pinning Jeri to her hip while walloping right hands. Uncalled-for scolding of a gallant opponent draws boos from the more righteous in the audience. Scathing editorials abound, but some veteran scribes see calculation in these post-fight displays: "Charlize knows Cat won't stand idly by and see brave, hard working girls like Ryan get humiliated. It's happened before - girls get trapped between those two and get hurt."