Photos by BI Photo Lab

FCBA NON-TITLE LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT

Round 3

Post by Simguy on 5/24/2003, 8:06 am.

Before: Throughout Berry’s boxing career, one woman has barred the way more than any other, and here she is again, arms crossed, blocking the road: Cat bell. “Cat a challenge for me, no doubt about it,” admits Halle in prefight. “Cat bell handles speed better than any bother fighter in boxing. She’s not fast herself, but she never panics, you can’t rush her in the ring. I have to be as patient as she is, have confidence in my skills and realize I am physically the boss in there. If I fight my fight--Cat cannot compete with me.”

Bell throwing her final 4 appearance in the face of critics who have criticized those old legs--but nobody test age like Halle Berry. “it’s important for me to handle Halle,” says Cat, “if I don’t--they’ll say my reflexes are shot--whatever. She’s not going to knock me out, but if anyone can make you look old, it’s Halle. She’s the champ and she’s proven it by coming this far in a tough tournament, but I do think she’s pampered. I’m going to be rough with her until she proves she can handle it.” Electric blue bikini Cat, hot pink cliff diving bikini from 007 Halle.

During R1: Cat sharpshooting jabs, really putting the bricks to Halle early. Berry trying to angle in, rejected over and over, stacked up and banged back by heavy Bell stick. Second minute--Bell dropping the blunt right hand behind it, shaking Berry, knocking her off stride and finally putting her wobbly butt. Halle staggering sideways to the ropes, eyes wide, gloves up at her temples--she hunches forward and Bell gets brawny. Cat using her shoulder on Halle, left hand on Berry’s smooth hip, pressing her into the ropes, working thick to the midriff, Heavy, methodical Cat bell punching--beating Halle’s flanks, beating Halle’s stomach, curling up into jug--classic Bell shutout.

R2: That slamming jab, quick move in to body up-=-Cat muscling Halle to the ropes and working her over. Cat pressing up on Halle, punching her in the body, clouting her across the face--Berry getting b###hslapped and HALLE’S DOWN! Halle on her knees, bewildered, all cuffed up--she takes 8 and ON COMES BELL! Crowd groaning as Cat steps into a shoving right to the pit of the stomach--Halle pitching forward,. Arms pathetic around Cat’s hips as the champ struggles to stay up. Bell swinging away7 heartless at the exposed back, then stacking Halle up against the ropes-=-Berry shaking, head drooping--she’s soaking up a dreadful beat down. Cat romping to the bell, mostly on the body, but clipping chin at will--she’s got Berry reeling. Halle queried on her stool by the ref--she refuses to quit, spitting blood.

R3: Berry meets Cat midring and SHOCKS HER LEAD RIGHT HAND! Bell on her heels--Berry reloads, lands another sharo right, piling into Cat on follow through to barrel Bell back. Cat in the ropes--burying her head in her gloves, folding forward--Halle unleashes all snarling teeth and pent up emotion. Slashing fists sample Cat’s flanks, then Halle hunkers in close, digging up underneath to get after Bell’s hulking jugs. Pain arousing Cat--she tries to get after Halle’s sacks, but Berry’s too quick-mitted, Halle just shoe shining Bell’s gorgeous melons, swabbing ‘em back and forth--Cat punching wide and wrapping harmlessly around Berry; shoulders. Scrounging bell to bell effort fro Halle--she’s banged up , but not done yet.

R4: Brace of banging jabs off the face, off the chest has Halle stunned--Cat drops a single crossing right to the chin and sits her girl down in the first minute! Halle slapping the canvas in disgust--she rolls painfully off her hip, takes a hurting 8. Cat bell jabbing her way in, then bodying up--she’s making Halle feel the weigh, now she’s working Berry out of the wrap, Cat trapping Halle’s right arm under the left, using the free right mitt to plunge to the chocolatey goodness of Halle’s belly and breasts, Halle trying to close up--Cat palming the left shoulder to open her up, then putting he right hand back to work downstairs. Halle complaining about the holding and hitting to the ref--man’s just shrugging--what can he do?

R5: Berry badly broken down, fkat footed--but she’s showing championship heart as she stands in with Cat and trades on the inside, Berry keeping her elbows in, head on Cat’s shoulders--Berry wary of getting wrapped, keeping her hands free and bust to Bell’s tummy and jugs. Cat constantly trying to ensnare one of Berry’s arms,. But getting outworked--smaller woman actually backing the bigger up this round with consistent, scrubbing combinations.

R6: Bell too strong--she’s jabbing Halle to ropes, then getting on top, pressing up with her guard, using her forearm against Halle’s throat and face, grinding her. Cat wrapping up, trapping Halle’s right arm, going to her body with free eight hands--arm pumping mechanically back and in, body pressing on o smother, Halle struggling, writhing, whining--she’s being crowded and battered by a bigger, stronger woman. Berry unleashing a scathing, hurt verbal torrent on the ref at the bell--pure frustration.

R7: Berry holding her own on the inside--getting off in 3s and 4s, scrubbing Cats tits and shoeshining her belly. Even rtrade till Cat steps back and walks Berry into a clipping little right uppercut late--Berry put wobbly butt. Bell sidestepping, right hand behind Berry’s head, to spin her face-first into the ropes an cat squares away, now opening up wide withy both hands to the flanks. Berry busted up has to cover--she’s soaking up a horrifying abuse at the bell as the crowd roars. Halle swaying, glassy-eyed at the bell--Cat eyeing her in awe: Berry’s never shown this kind of heart in a fight.

R8: Berry with that sneaky lead right hand, catching Cat on the mouth, shakes her up, Halle stepping right, landing the right again, piling into Cat to get her toppling backwards and ANOTHER right hand lands flush! Bell staggering back into the ropes, shocked that Halle’s got this much left and it’s WAR to the bell! Halle won’t be backed off--she gets to Cat’s chest and works, shoulders rotating, fists thumping off the body or clouting to the jaw with plenty of forearm on follow through, cat snatching back at the body, then looking for the uppercut--both girls soaking up shabby in the fight’s best two-way action. Punches fly after the bell--Halle landed cheap right hands--it’s Bell’s turns to chastise the ref.

R9: Cat’s not getting that jab out with the authority of earlier rounds--Halle able to get inside, palming Cat’s  biceps and open up that belly to abuse. Hardest fighting of Halle’s career--she’s hurt, ramshackle herself, but she’s standing in with a big woman and put punching her  with furious combinations inside, Bell’s butt finishes up in the ropes--more late punching has her looking weary,. Shopworn as Halle’s starting to land at will.

R10: Halle with all the late energy--tearing into Cat, shoe shining her waistline then going  to the face, turning her shoulders into clouting blows. Bell on the ropes, open-mouthed, worn out--she’s got her hands up around Berry’s ears, just trying to control the smaller woman. Berry can swing free to the body, working those ribs, but she’s having trouble trying to loop blows around Cat’s outstretched arms to the chin. Bell sounds--Berry still gnawing on Cat until she’s pulled off. Comes back UD10 Cat Bell.

After: berry stamping her foot in disappointment, beaten unrecognizable, bawling fresh tears--knockdowns and brutal punishment early holds up late to deliver Cat into the final. Bell all class in post fight, making a point of holding Berry’s hand up, pointing and nodding at the champ then giving her a big hug--Halle earning a lot of respect for maybe the guttiest performance of her career. “I told Syren after the second, ‘it’s over’,” says Cat in post fight, “and then she HURT me! I take back what I said about Halle being pampered--she fought like an alley cat tonight, She’s a legitimate champion and she has nothing to be ashamed of.” Mutual respect, Cat the total professional, but still: she’s always thwarting Berry, always there to spoil Halle’s plans.

Reposted by Archer 2/5/11