Posted by simguy, Wednesday, 02-Feb-2000 07:17:19

Before: Boxing After Dark headline bout as Tia Time returns to NYC. Radio City Music hall is the site - Ryan with a big step up in class, but Carrere looking a little chunky at the weigh in may be looking past the up and coming blonde. Carrere tells Jeri to “get ready to hurt” following a Ryan comment about “Relic,” but pundits wonder how much ring rust will be a factor for the “Asian Hammer.” Tia in red adidas terrycloth trunks, black sports bra, slick ponytail; Jeri in white sports bra, light blue adidas trunks.

During R1: Both girls look to jab and each has moments as Jeri finds Tia’s eyes, while Carrere stuffs the left from the hip into Jeri’s bra. Even stand up boxing at center ring, girls rotating, but down the stretch, Tia jabbing Jeri’s head, folds the blonde into front chokes, slowing the action and disrupting Ryan’s flow. Tia mauling for points, muscles Jeri to the ropes and works the body in between smothering leans.

R2: Tia on Jeri’s body, hunts the blonde down all over the ring, hurling wide, hard right hands to the ribcage, Ryan’s legs falter as Tia taps the midriff, and Carrere bodies up in the latter half of the round. With Jeri shoved repeatedly into the ropes, Tia goes to the midsection with those scooping rights, and Ryan takes a knee to relieve the pressure. Big booming round for Carrere who has successfully slowed the bout down to a slogging pace thus far.

R3: Back in the middle of the ring, Jeri fighting with a desperate grimace. Tia lifting the jab off her hip, stuffs it hard to Ryan’s chest, keeping the blonde on her heels. Ryan pulling the trigger on some big right hands over the top - Carrere walking through them, and, in the final minute, Tia once again mugs Ryan, shoving her to the ropes, holding and hitting, and headlocking Jeri for breaks.

R4: Good opening minute for Jeri as she stings Tia’s Asian cheekbones with snapping one-twos but midway through the round, Carrere counters low with that wide right hand, crashing the first hard off Ryan’s ribs to force Jeri to her knees once again. Ryan seriously hurt, wobbles up at 8, and Tia bodies up, walking Ryan to the ropes for the inexorable shove and slug. Jeri looking sleepy at the bell as Tia pushes off the blonde’s trembling body, and struts back to her corner.

R5: Tia walks Jeri down and twists into a crashing right hand on the jaw as the girls trade punches center ring and Ryan is HURT! Tia clinching up under Ryan’s arms, bears the blonde to the ropes, pushing a forearm up under Jeri’s chin to luxuriously stretch her over the top rope for a break. Ryan fading to the ropes as Tia walks back in, gloves at her hips, when Carrere suddenly bends into a curling overhand right, catching Jeri perfectly over the top of her mitts. Ryan swoons back into ropes, then crashes face first to the desk as Tia steps back all smiles. Carrere rolls Jeri to her back to get a look at that numb, sleepy expression as the ref shoves her back. KO5 Tia.

After: Not so much rust. Tia slowing the bout down had Jeri fighting her fight most of the evening, while Ryan couldn’t get into her rhythm. Carrere with the impressive comeback announces her return to the ring with a vengeance while Ryan soaks up the lesson.