UNIFIED LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

By simguy 10-1-05

BLONDE! magazine exultant, rushing a special "Blonde Supremacy" issue onto stands recounting (#4 ranked) Helfer's rise to prominence, Theron's resurgence and how this fight was really pre-destined in the cradle. "You don't see two genetic lottery winners like these in a fight very often," one article proclaims. "Charlize has turned back all shapes and sizes, all manner of personalities, styles and celebrities, but she's never been in with a woman who so closely shares her gifts before. There may never have been a blonde supremacy bout so worthy of the label!"

Theron a little more reserved, but surprisingly generous where Tricia's concerned: girls more curious and wondering about the other than catty. "It's not like when I was pushing Diaz aside and taking over from her," Charlize says. “Those were very bitter times and I can see Helfer's got more class than Cameron ever did. Physically, Tricia's got tools - anybody can see that - but I like to look beyond a girl's legs when I'm sizing up opponents. I think the Helfer myth falls apart when you look at her record: it's a little thin, not a lot of quality in there. Not saying she doesn't deserve a shot - she totally does - but it says something about the state of boxing when a Tricia Helfer is my number one contender. I don't know that she has the chops to be with me - that's why we fight the fights - but right now I'd have to say she's still a little on the green side to really have a hope of beating me."

Helfer courteous as always, but taking no guff: she'll answer those charges during rebuttal. "I give all respect to Charlize and I give it to my past opponents as well," says willowy blonde. "Every girl I fought tested me in unique ways and made me better. Every girl I fought was in some way a preparation for Charlize - most were tall, strong lightweights with skills and wheels - it's not like I haven't seen the type before. I know I can't be favoured over Theron coming in, but make no mistake: I will fight Charlize with everything I've got. She's there to be hit, and I'll test her: when that bell rings, I'm coming to take everything she's got away from her."

Theron in cream dream bikini, Helfer in metallic baby blue bikini.

Rd 1: Theron's hands a little low, attitude a little lax - she misjudges her rangy opponent's reach and pays as Helfer strides in a ringing right to open festivities. Charlize caught flush on the jaw, staggering sideways to ropes: mouth pouting open, dukes at temples, she stands up straight and SHIPS A SHELLACKING! Helfer baring her teeth, opens up torquing hard from the hips - elbows in as she pulls punches in tight arcs onto Theron's ears/shoulders. Furious lathering tattoos Charlize, then Helfer backs off, realizing champ won't go this early. Rest of the round canny boxing from Helfer - she lures Charlize midring, stalks and circles with that sleek prowling footwork, hands out to either side in a gentle gullwing as she creeps to the right, prodding Charlize the jab to body and guard. Theron windblown, but regrouping - she's stepping forward, not offering offensively, just getting a read on her girl in a wide Helfer first.

Rd 2: Helfer sleek n' supple - stalking to her right, showing Charlize the right, then licking the hard left hook - very fluid, stroking delivery. Theron dukes up, hasn't seen a lot of this sinewy style before: Helfer showing looks you generally don't see north of 120. CT giving away a lot of belly: Tricia getting in there with opportunistic body jabs, banking poke for the later rounds, slinking around counterclockwise to avoid the receipts. Charlize starting to jab, finding Tricia in the left shoulder - Theron leaning into a few right hands off the stick - missing, but slowly dialing in. Down the stretch, Helfer with a slick feint-right hand, strokes a lanky hook across Charlize' chin instead, swivelling champ's head and leaving her staring. Helfer leans in and catches ALL of the Theron chin a slinging right and CHARLIZE GOES WOBBLY BUTT, stooping forward hurt behind her gloves: Helfer leans in on her front foot, face businesslike as she tucks a pair of gangly left hooks in behind Theron's elbow at the bell PIK! PAK! Flashing eye contact as girls pass en route to corners: Helfer's got sauce, actually winking at Theron as if to say "That's two!"

Rd 3: Helfer corner upbeat, trainer rubbing out her thighs, speaking calmly, clearly: "Great Trish, perfect - you're too fast for this girl, ok? I want a little more chest, a little more belly - ok? Start tearing her up downstairs - I want her breathing HARD after this round, ok?" Trish responds - firm, snappy backhanded jab drives Charlize to ropes: Theron dukes at temples, digging in - Helfer goes to the body. Trish with a sinewy, dip n' dig galloping delivery down there, dropping her shoulders and licking her mitts up against the Theron torso. Slashing out wide - Tricia slings lefts and rights behind the Theron elbows, loving it in above the hip, scraping across ribs. Charlize lips parting in moist complaint, blonde curls in her eyes - she's soaking up punishment, taking a good shot, but not doing much to discourage Tricia. Bell to bell Helfer - she's just on Charlize, working her with strapping, bandy-armed shellack, banking a huge round on the champ's golden-brown chassis.

Rd 4: Theron's seen enough, decides to start fighting. Theron's jab suppressing Tricia's early - CT banging hard to upperchest, being the big girl, backing Helfer up. Char stomp-feinting, getting flinch out of Tricia, then bringing hesitation right hands wide and loud to the flank. Helfer's lips curling back in pain - she's stepping the perimeter, showing respect for Theron's power. Midway through, Charlize steps in close, pulls a looping right onto Tricia's jaw. Still in there snug, Char gives a little left shoulder bump, then tucks a slutty right hand flat against Tricia's sternum, drawing a muffled sob of hurt. Pivot to the right, Charlize loops the outside in right uppercut and picks up Tricia's startled face: eyebrows high, eyes closed, mouth forming a woozy little 'O' and TRICIA TAKES A KNEE! Charlize sauntering past, catches Helfer with a little right hip action, shunting challenger onto her backside - big beaming smile Charlize while poor Trish takes the 8. ON COMES CHARLIZE! CT glowing, plowing in to finish and HELFER WON'T HAVE IT! Tricia showing real backbone - she's hurt, staggery, but dug in and slugging - she fights Charlize to the bell and beyond as ref has to pull snarling wildcats apart. Glares all around - emotions fully engaged now as both women have tasted the other's fury.

Rd 5: Charlize takes it to Tricia's body, leaning in close and giving her a dose of that lanky-limbed galloping attack. Helfer able to tighten up stroke, step around with Charlize and answer back - great strapping back and forth lights up both exquisite bodies. Tricia separates herself late with uppercuts - neatly clipping, clouting away to chin in close. Bell: Charlize with hair in her eyes, looking a little drowsy - she's trusting her chin an awful lot tonight as Helfer's connecting at a dangerous clip.

Rd 6: Tricia the fresher vixen, changing up her look, dictating to a dishevelled champion in the sixth. Tricia circling to her right, sticking Charlize jabs head and body, neatly slide-stepping back out of range of Theron's late receipts. Helfer with that sinewy, licking delivery - she sets her body in motion first, sort of a feint as she dips or leans: Theron's not reading it well, getting caught by the slight delay on stroking lefts and rights. Charlize face puffy, shining up nicely - Helfer clapping her some gorgeous shots, turning her torso into the blows, sidestepping sinuously. Late the round, Tricia licks a limber left uppercut onto Charlize' chin off the front foot (HOO!) - eases onto the right foot to clout Char that silky left hook (HAH!) - tilting Theron onto her left foot astonished. Helfer able to get another hook, AND another - batting away at Charlize' groggy face as Theron stares back stupid with shellack. Bell: Tricia unmistakably strutting - that's CHARLIZE THERON'S face she's pasting!

R7: Tricia a little hook-happy, head hunting too much - Theron times her, drops a stubby right hand onto the left side of Helfer's face and DROPS TRISH TO HER KNEES! Charlize blowing curls out of her eyes as she glances down, taking the time to straddle Helfer's back en route to a neutral corner. Tricia up at 8, cursing herself, nodding decisively 'Yes' to the ref as he wipes her gloves. Theron hard-eyed, striding in with the left dangling at her side - she dips low to her left, pulling her hardest right hand across Tricia's quivering ribs. Crowd groaning as Helfer soaks it up, but Trish answers right back: licking right uppercut shaves CT's left ear, left hook sweeps over top her back as Theron rotates under the shots. Back and forth, dangerous lanky stroke - Charlize attacking at the ropes, but Helfer proving resilient. Tricia with a bit of a Hurley look at times when she buries her face in her gloves and just leans and tilts for angles in there - often taking the edge off Theron's welting strokes. Charlize adjusting like a pro, recognizing the chin isn't available - more and more she bats away on the flanks, pulverizing Helfer's long coastlines, Theron's long arms shivering on whacking contact. Bell: chests heaving, eyes flashing - ref has to enforce the break as Charlize won't break off the attack.

R8: Tricia with that dabbing right, sets up torquing, greasy hooks - stroking Charlize' chin, cheek and unhinging champion's knees. Hard punching has Theron wandering away all blurry - legs won't give way, but she's hurt, stunned, staring into punches and taking too many of them. Helfer heartless, poised as she stabs jabs to Charlize' quivering gut, backing champ to ropes, then DRIFTING her a smart right cross clean across the chops. Charlize swaying, eyelashes fluttering, lips parted, hands at her chest: she's just being tuff, soaking up Tricia's best in a wild display of hubris. Corner screaming at Charlize to clinch, but she just won't do it - taunting groggily "that the best you got?" after getting torched. Helfer breathing hard, bending side to side to pull lanky haymakers onto her foe's jawlines: breathtaking stuff as one long blonde stacks another up and beats her senseless. Bell: Charlize swaying on the spot, hands gathered at her chest - she's out on her feet, but still nagging Tricia to "punch harder". Theron staggers to corner and gets a VERBAL beatdown from near-hysterical trainer: "What the HELL are you trying to prove!?! I will throw the towel in if you don't punch back at this tramp! Man, I mean it!"

R9: Charlize busted up, turns 100% slugger to crowd's delight. Left hand low, Theron leaning in with lead rights, twisting to get sweeping sidearm rights, bending to loop overhand rights. Helfer trying to jab Charlize off her, but Theron surging in, making it a bandy-armed brawl - Helfer constantly banged off balance and ushered to ropes. Charlize swinging hefty to the body, bounding back with hands at her sides and bellowing at Tricia to fight - Helfer gritting her teeth, starting to lump up as Theron's fists skid off skull, chest, ribs and tummy. Tricia staggered at one point - caroming right off her temple buckles knees, nearly sprawls her, but she reels to ropes to stay upright - Charlize in hot, loping pursuit. Bell to bell Theron: she chests up and shouts in Tricia's resentful face, blowing blonde curls back with the exhaust.

R10: Tricia: looping overhand right to the chin, slide back for a little distance, stroke the lanky left uppercut as Charlize wades in. Theron with hands at her sides, twists, pulls that shattering right hand hard against Helfer's flank, steps and gets it again as Tricia cringes to her right. Helfer in retreat, but picking spots to intercept and drill Charlize: Theron refusing the power, wading through it and putting devastating heat against Tricia's throbbing ribs. Second minute, Charlize imposing her will: Helfer's in full retreat, teeth bared, eyes betraying just a hint of panic as Theron takes this fight into deep, deep waters. All Charlize down the stretch, recklessly attacking with her hands down, just stepping into shots and slinging haymakers onto Tricia. Round ends to the sight of Helfer covering up face in gloves, bending forward, giving Charlize her back: Theron heartlessly swabbing away in great, lusty sweeps, mopping up every inch of that trembling kidney band at the bell. Charlize mindless, keeps on punching - ref has to body her off as Tricia straightens, clutches at her back with agony-narrowed eyes. Comes back DRAW: Charlize Theron retains her titles!

After: Theron screeching "YES!", pumping her fists at the announcement. Helfer expressionless, stoic, trying to ignore sudden Krusher celebration as bodies start jumpin'. Champ dodges a bullet with a late rally - Tricia classier, more composed, slicker than expected - she wins the majority of minutes (18) but Theron's power bails her out with timely knockdowns (2).

"She's very lucky I didn't knock her out," A shiny, lumped up Charlize beams in postfight, white towel around classic shoulders. "She had nothing left at the end - I mean, I think a draw is being very, very charitable to Tricia Helfer. At first, I was confused by her movement - I haven't really seen anything like that since Hurley - but once I figured her out, I basically had my way with her. You know, it was a nice try, she's a competitor - I'll give her that - but she needs seasoning. She should hook up with Cameron Diaz - that level of blonde - more Charlize Theron right now would ruin this kid."

Tricia upbeat and why not; she fought Charlize to a standstill tonight! "I'm not down at all," Trish says, still wincing from that vicious back-beating sustained only moments previously. "I proved that I belong - I outboxed Charlize and she out punched me - I can live with that. I'm not going to stand here and say I deserved to win: she's the champ and I didn't beat her decisively, and I believe you need to do that to take a girl's titles. I do believe I've earned a rematch though, and I know now that I can beat her, no matter what she says."

BLONDE! magazine recognizing Theron as the lightweight champ, but withholding blonde supremacy label for the nonce. "Tricia fought her heart out tonight and Charlize found a way to come from behind and deny her," says one sr. editor, "but we didn't see enough to just hand something like Supremacy to Charlize. If anything, there's more doubt in our staff room now than ever before as to who the best blonde in boxing truly is!"