Before: "I had her," Evangeline says fiercely, eyes sparkling. "Jen was quitting in our last fight - I was coming on and she was out of gas and the only reason they called it a draw is because she's 'Jennifer Connelly'. This time, I'm going to leave no doubt in the minds of the judges, the fans, and especially in Jennifer's mind as to who the better woman is. I'm punching to win and there's nothing she can do about that."

Connelly hard-eyed as she listens to youngster's confidence - fighters with a great deal of respect for each other, but fighting three times in quick succession starting to gnaw at the goodwill between the two.

"It's time to smash Evangeline Lilly," Jennifer says. "She's too good for me to allow her to gain more momentum - now's the time to give her a good thrashing. She does remind me of me to some extent: this must have been what it was like for Eliza Dushku to see ME coming up hard in the rear-view mirror. Unlike Dushku, I won't let Lilly pass. She's still got some learning to do."

Jen in white string bikini; Lilly in green jogging bikini, slick battle braid hair. Small gloves both vixens: white for Jen; black for Lilly.

During R1-3: Confident Lilly takes Jen to ropes, scours her with a constant tattooing every minute, every round. Connelly: left shoulder pointed at 'Vange; left arm across tummy; right hand under chin - Jen bobbing to roll punches, leaning into ropes to slip, dipping low at the waist to bump her lead shoulder into Lilly's hips. Lilly: squared up on Jen, dukes at chest or eyebrows; constant bobbing torso movement, synchopated with crisp, snappy punching; tidy combinations keeping Connelly under constant threat. Lilly in a nice rapid rhythm - bobbing, pushing at Jen, jostling her, pulling her guard down. Lilly with straight lefts and rights (palms down) chopping into Jen's chest and face - then curling hooks or sweeping right hands to body as necessary. Suppressive effect has Connelly trapped against ropes, unable to use her legs or get off much herself - just the odd snatching counter-shot from Connelly as she rides out Lilly's storm early.

R4: Jen finally able to spin off the ropes, landing a nice right uppercut to startle Lilly long enough to affect escape. Connelly using her legs this round, fetching Lilly a stiff jab while wheeling. Evangeline bobbing, frowning - you can see her reminding herself to move her head. Connelly tries a few sparing right hands - missing over the top - but she recovers well - hopping away before Lilly's whistling hook can connect.

R5: Jen coming in off her jab, dragging a thick right hand to the pit of Lilly's sturdy belly, then clouting her the lean-away left hook (weight on right, rear foot). Lilly walks through it, answering with vigour: Jen's head snapping from a stubby jab/right hand - blunt hook in the chest chases Connelly awkwardly to ropes. Lilly hopping-to, staying right on top of Jen - pushing and headbutting Jen in her chest to keep her rope-bound. Grinding, pulverizing offence from Lilly: Jen gritting her teeth, covering up, twisting her torso side to side to help distribute the punishment - but Lilly's getting work done here. Down the stretch, Jen pushes a rising right but eats a crashing overhand right in exchange - crowd breathing in sharp as Jen sags hurt into ropes, blinking in confusion at the bell.

R6: Hounding, pounding round, Lilly to Connelly. All four sides of the ring visited as Evangeline walks Jen down - Conelly reeling, stabilizing, getting hurt, then reeling away to regroup. Evangeline absolutely heartless in pursuit - muscular shoulders bunched, fists clenched in tight balls - she just keeps coming and coming - pushing her way into Jen's chest, then bludgeoning her head to head. Crowd roaring at several points as Jen's head rocks back from gobstopping wallop - Connelly legs proving stubborn as 'Vangie bangs away huge, but can't get Jen off her feet. Bell: Connelly busted up, mouth open, wobbly butt back to her corner - Lilly visibly pumped by her onesided success this round.

R7: CONNELLY WON'T HAVE IT! Evangeline overconfident - batting her gloves and strutting over to finish Jen - Connelly greets her right uppercut; left hook; left hook; short right cross to send Lilly reeling to ropes at the open. Evangeline blinking, shows her own scooting leg - loping to her right along the perimeter to clear her head. Jen walking Lilly down - Connelly smouldering, pumping a stiff jab to locate, then looking to lean in and down with hard right hands. Lilly still absorbing a terrific shot - she covers up when hurt, and takes a licking - but comes through as Jen has her way.

R8: Jen's right uppercut's been an effective weapon - but she opens with it from too far out this time, getting creamed Lilly's overhand right in exchange. Big head-swivel Jen as her right hand sails and CONNELLY GOES DOWN! Jen dropped woozy to her back - Lilly batting her gloves, jogging to neutral corner to await Connelly's groggy 8. Resume - Lilly bobbing and weaving her way in: this time Jen gets that counter-right uppercut right, clipping Lilly and stunning her at close range off the ropes. Jen muscular - shoving 'Vange in her shoulders to step out of the shadow of the ringropes: good strapping right/left in the body bunches Lilly up with a frown/pursed lips. HAMMER AND TONGS! Jen brawling furiously here - heart on her sleeve as she lashes long limbed body shots into Lilly's stout waist; licks at Lilly's back as 'Vange leans forward hurt; picks Lilly up curling uppercuts. Evangeline getting all scuffed up, beaten step-by-step to the far ropes - crowd roars as Jen's sustained slugging finally puts Lilly's back in ropes. CLINCH! Bewildered Lilly ties Connelly up for the fight's first ref's break - Jen hammering back from 10-8 down to make it 10-9 Lilly.

R9: No matter what Jen seems to do - Lilly recuperates in her corner and comes out first-round fresh: stamina effect almost Garner-like as Evangeline bats mitts and marches out to work. Connelly mouth breathing, a little loose and pushy with her punches - she closes stance, trying to husband her reserves and place quality right uppercuts from the screen. Lilly lavish with her energy in contrast - going full-bore at Jen, bouncing mitts off head, chest and shoulders, backing Jen up. Fight drifts to ropes - Connelly organized defensively, not breaking down per-se - but she's getting overwhelmed by the constant, brisk tattooing and occasional ripping power shot from Lilly.

R10: Lilly catapulting off her stool, rushing across the ring to bring battle to Connelly: Jen mouthbreathing, looking shopworn, lumpy from Evangeline's non-stop punching tonight. More of the same for Jen - defensively, she slips and rolls alot of punches, pointing her left shoulder at Evangeline and sliding away from her, walking the shorter woman into counter right uppercuts. Lilly soaking the odd well placed counter for the priviledge of bashing at Jen 4 or 5 punches in exchange - just a virtuoso exhibition of lung capacity, leg drive, and arm strength as 'Vangie presses ever-forward. Midway through - Connelly face-in-gloves, twisting sadly side to side under a torrent of Lilly lefts and rights: JEN TAKES A KNEE! Crowd squealing with excitement, but Connelly's eyes are clear - she's just relieving pressure here. Jen takes her 8 like bitter cough syrup, then digs in to resist Lilly's final minute deluge. Evangeline strong to the bell, lathering, chipping, bludgeoning away - she finishes up with a glorious 3 hook burst to sit Jen in the ropes at the finish. Comes back UD10 - Evangeline Lilly.

After: Connelly spellbound, eyes distant as decision is announced - she's classy enough to clap and nod in ackowledgement, but Lilly's resolute performance tonight a bit of a wake up call for Jen and the rest of the bantamweight division. "Connelly was the goal I set for myself this year," triumphant Lilly gushes, looking as pleased as if she had just unified the belts. "I just would not be denied by her. I set a pace she couldn't match and I kept it on her all night long. I threw a blanket on Jen Connelly - a blanket of leather - and I just wouldn't let her breathe. I'm just going to say it: Jennifer Connelly is a great fighter and champion...but she got old in these fights with me."