Posted by simguy on 12-11-03

Thanks to Ginny for this repost

Jewel anxious to catch a rusty J-Lo on the comeback trail: "I can't remember the last time Lopez had a fight," chuckles the blonde. "Now's the time to jump her." Jennifer, when on, is often considered the pre-eminent pressure fighter at lightweight, but if anyone's going to test that premise, it'll be Jewel. "I won't have to look for her," admits J-Lo prefight. "The fans're gonna get their money's worth because neither one of us stops punching until someone makes us." Jenny in BI battle dress, Jewel in teal bandeau top, navy boy cut trunks, slick ponytail.

Rd 1: Girls step-to, set up strong midring and get down to business. Identical stances - left hands riding across belly, rights up around the cheeks, girls edging their lead shoulders into the opponent, nudging up and extending the left elbow to measure, then snapping off the hook. POUNDING exchanges - both standing their ground, taking murderous punishment amidships and flush on the face, both showing terrific chin as crowd gasps at the the shattering back and forth. Jewel slowly, steadily giving ground - Jennifer just getting the better of the bludgeoning give and take. Lopez punctuates the round with a startling brace of hooks - doubling up to the stomach, then curling one off the face to leave Jewel staring at the bell.

Rd 2: More Lopez! J-Lo shouldering up with Jewel, nudging and elbow-propping her, then clouting her with tight, hammering hooks. Jewel grimacing, not answering back, but taking a terrific shot - crowd gasps as Jewel is caught square in the face - head rocked back, but legs holding firm. Lopez staying on her girl - steady, persistent beating - shouldering Jewel back, walking her down, pouring it on. Final minute fought out at the ropes - Kilcher sullen, shipping shellack - J-Lo fighting off blonde's left shoulder, hook-hooking her tummy, tits and chin to the bell. Big beaming smile, J-Lo as she bounces back to her corner - Jewel dazed, badly worked over in the second.

Rd 3: Girls shoulder up, trying to lever the other back, then stepping in with those short, cudgeling hooks. Brutal give and take, but Jewel's starting to back J-Lo up - no one punch doing it, it's just the constant attrition of hooks in the body, bouncing off skull and rough shoulder-bumping. Jewel also turning on shocking right hands - nice and tight, mixing it up - J-Lo getting face-spanked something awful, crossing her arms and looking dazed at points. Midway through - Jewel lands that bashing right on the eye, turns into a quick hook, hooks Jen's chin again to get that mouthpiece loose and Lopez staggers back wobbly butt! Kilcher hopping-to, leading with her head, pushing Jennifer up against the ropes and it's WAR! Lopez hunkering down, curvy beauties cheek to cheek, pushing for room then THUNDERING away to offending breadbasket. Thick, pounding blows flow well past the bell - ref working hard to separate determined brawlers. En route to corners, both girls in a state of drowsy stupor - they're each just getting clobbered, each wondering what more she can possibly do to separate herself.

Rd 4: Lopez determined to get those punches back - she's strong to midring, shouldering up and getting Jewel to trade hooks straight up. Bit by battering bit, Jewel's starting to drift - punching back, but looking groggy, not reacting as quickly to punishment. Lopez' hook starting to do ruinous work - exploding off Jewel's face, detonating in her firm belly - Kilcher finally stops punching, crossing her arms and trying to huddle close to Jen to smother. Lopez feeling it, gets low, comes up pumping amidships, driving Jewel to the ropes with feverish gut-punching then propping her up the left elbow, shifting to the right and hooking hard to the left eye of her opponent. JEWEL'S SHOOK! Kilcher getting walloped, arms crossed against her body - she's not answering back - hooks just pounding off her face, buckling her in the body as Lopez widens the stroke to dig liver. Kilcher busting up, taking a beating, refusing to go down AND THE REF STEPS IN! Lopez leaps away the triumphant TKO4 winner!

After: Poor Jewel battered and stunned - she's essentially out on her feet, fielding horrendous punishment and somehow staying on her feet in this fight. Lopez not much better, swelling up badly in the immediate post fight, but strutting hands high - many didn't think she'd be this sharp coming off the long layoff. Jewel breaking one of boxing's cardinal axioms: never hook with a hooker - Lopez able to work her favourite punch at will tonight. Brief but vicious affair - girls pack 10 rounds of hard punching into 4 blistering heats.