Posted by simguy 12/28/02. (Thanks to Ginny for this repost)

Before: Jones well rested, taking some time off from a devastating slump to pamper and reload - she's smooth bodied but strong coming in against similarly built Tyler. Liv a dangerous right hand puncher with welter weight sock, good economical delivery and keen killer instinct not a pushover - Jones needs to reclaim her class to compete with the younger, stronger woman. CZJ with short Chicago hair, red bikini over black fishnet stockings, liv in royal blue bikini over black fishnets.

During R1: Similar looks, chins tucked, hands up, elbows in, shuffling, sliding, well-balanced footwork in a clockwise rotation. Measured pace - Tyler looking to get close, work the Jones midriff with heavy, short digs. Jones unashamed to clinch, walking Liv around, nudging and pushing off. Catherine shortening up her strokes and getting the cleaner touches. She'll back off and clip Tyler coming in with tightly curled lefts and rights, just turning her shoulders into the shot, bending her body into follow-through and laying in close to smother the receipts. Jones able to land pre-emptive right hands on the jaw, then body up safe - snug punching and smart weight management as Jones engineers a professional first.

R2,3: Same thoughtful, deliberate work from both women. Tyler dutifully digging right hands to Jones' paunch or lower left side - Jones giving up the odd body shot, but wrapping up Liv's arms, turning her, walking her around in supple clinches. Jones fighting in reverse very well, turning tight side to side, drawing her fists across Liv's advancing face and chest, and routinely ducking down into that short right hand that's getting good pop off Liv's jaw. Against the ropes, Jones looks good - blocking and rolling supple, taking Liv's bashing strokes on the shoulders, gloves - glancing contact for the most part. Jones placing her counters thick and sure, loud in Liv's gut, sharp on her cheek - Jones always ducking in snug after scoring.

R4: Tyler's aggression blunted - she's been coming forward, getting touched up - she hangs back this round and tries to work the center of the ring. Jones obliging, doubles up the jab and spots a few workmanlike right crosses on the jaw - Tyler starting to totter slightly as she's soaking up hard Zeta J rights on the chin each and every round. Jones taking apart Liv's heavy jab with deft little slips inside and out, countering with hooks and right hands flat to the body - Tyler wincing, reddening up as she is forced to the ropes. Nice final minute of work from Jones - she's grinding her forehead on Liv's chest and shoulders, keeping her upright, smuggling in tight, stuffing blows to the belly and crowding the receipts for the most one-sided round of the fight.

R5: Liv looking shopworn, but muscling up - she negotiates Jones to the ropes and sets up big girl to load on the leather. Doesn't work - Jones calm in the pocket, bending low to get her shoulder into Liv's hips, bending back to roll and slip punches, pulling in ruinous counters to the breadbasket and getting tight counter uppercuts as she comes out of defensive crouches. Liv much busier, but missing over the top or being blocked downstairs - Jones getting all the touches and not wasting much energy in the process.

R6: Jones uptempoing, seeing the haze and discouragement in Liv's eyes. Catherine in a closed stance, left across her body, right up around her chin, weaving her upperbody and getting thick contact on short swings to the waist of Liv - Tyler earmuffing her guard, trying to stand her ground, but nothing's coming back. Jones jumps in with a wide hook to corral, then gets her body in behind short, shocking rights, banging Tyler onto her heels, forcing her to ropes once again. Supple, systematic work from Jones as she dismantles a flagging Tyler at the ropes - digging body shots, crisp clouts on the jaw as Jones dips and crowds, fitting in punches with no back swing. Jones pressing up, arches her back to get the right uppercut - tight shot carries through with bicep and shoulder, smudging Tyler's sleepy face at the bell.

R7: Clinch, Jones walks a woozy Tyler to the ropes - it's a just a systematic breaking down of a durable young fighter by a relentless veteran. Minute of patient, heavy handed body work has Tyler numb, stooping forward. Jones migrating to tight little hooks and uppercuts, scraping her blows up around and between the guard - all shoulder, back and legs behind these punishing blows. Down the stretch, Jones feeling the weakness steps back and pulls a walloping right hand over the top, clapping Tyler hard upside the head and leaving her stunned. Jones pressing in with her left to push the stunned Tyler into the ropes - hammering away with another flush right hand blast to the jaw and TYLER GOES DOWN! Liv sprawled all of a sudden - tenderized by 6 rounds of deliberate work, then suddenly detonated in professional fashion. KO7 Catherine Zeta Jones.

After: Workmanlike effort from Jones exactly what she needed - short punching, just-enough movement and great footwork - it's classic efficiency from a rejuvenated Jones. Tyler doing reasonably well early, but working at Jones' pace, trying to match wits a little too much instead of making Catherine fight - it's a clear recipe for destruction.