Before: "This is the fight I wanted," Gena beams in prefight. "This is the fight I deserved: the chance to hammer Cindy back into retirement where she belongs. To me, this is the championship right here - Nadia whatsername doesn't even rate!" Crawford equally spirited - buoyed by her vintage performance against upstart Mandy Moore coming in. "Gena's much improved from the awkward, sloppy brawler I remember," Cindy allows. "Still more a sow's ear than a silk purse - but Gena's definitely come into her own and I won't take her lightly. She's the toughest hurdle in the tournament - and that's as it should be. Wilson/Keibler's a sideshow, and Bjorlin's a pretender: once I put Gena out, there will be no doubt that the queen has returned." Gena in scarlet bikini with gold link connections - white mitts. Cindy in leopard print bikini - black mitts.

During R1: Surprisingly classy. Girls aren't fleet - but they're smooth, making good decisions. Cindy feeling heat, backs away while prodding out a stiff double jab, preventing Gena from stepping-with and clobbering her for free. Crawford looking to lope-right, lean in with a slanting right to Gena's sternum, hook Gena's paunch, then ease back outside behind the frisky jab. Nolin cagey - lifting a heavy jab off her hip to thwart Cindy's overall plans, spooking brunette with a few booming right hands that just barely miss the mark. Nolin the aggressor, turning into her punches with real venom, bending supple at the waist on follow through to either side: Crawford showing leg, staying out of range, being a little too choosy for judges' liking.

R2: Cindy stepping in the jab - punching back Gena's face with authority: blonde startled, backing up for the first time. Crawford stalking - right cocked at her chest: she's leaning in mean right hands, slanting 'em to torso or kissing 'em to chin as Gena's leaning back. Minute mark - Nolin put wobbly butt by a firm clouting right to mouth: she covers up dukes at temples, grunting as Cindy cranks a thick double left hook to tummy. Crawford stepping right, spitting her jab to foil Gena's pursuit: Nolin grimacing, stepping forward cautiously - stooping to paw her a measuring jab in return. 2 minute mark - girls rotating counterclockwise, punching stout jabs into offending breasts - each well balanced in wide stance, judging distance. RIGHT HAND CINDY C! Crawford fades a Nolin left jab, leans in a glorious right cross to chin: GENA LEE IS HURT! Nolin baby-stepping forwards, dukes at temples: Crawford bares teeth, looping a sidearm right to ear, looping it again, clubbing Gena upside the head and guiding her past Cindy's left flank. Nolin stumbling face-first to ropes, sputtering: Crawford stepping with, drifting a terrible right hand to Gena's exposed kidney. Poor Gena! Nolin groaning, slumping into ropes as she slowly rights herself - she's butt-in-ropes, stooped forward behind her mitts and CINDY'S UNLEASHING! Crawford hoists a thick left uppercut to Gena's overhanging jugs; doubles the left hand to dig at Gena's liver; pushes into Gena while shifting-left, then hooking Gena behind her right elbow. Nolin in shock, knees buckling: Cindy stoops, bodies up, then digs another merciless left hook to Nolin's trunks. Crawford shifts-right, weight on right foot - outside-in right uppercut picks up Gena's drowsy face; whippy left hook punches it back tic-toc. AND THE REF STEPS IN! Nolin in stupor - breaking down into blubbering tears even as she's reeling on the spot. TKO2 Cindy Crawford.

After: Crawford regal - smiling for the masses - helping Gena up off her stool with a strong right arm round the lower back to guide her around the ring for a glorious walk of shame. Nolin bawling - utterly heartbroken: dreams of retiring Cindy, flattening the division and harvesting more welterweight gold all put on the shelf for the nonce. Cindy waving, stopping for cameras to display Gena: it's a grim reminder of Crawford's past tyranny and a wake up call to those women who continue to oppose her.