BEFORE: "It's no secret I've patterned my game after Jen's," Champ Ali admits in prefight. "We're not the fastest girls, not the slickest, but we're smarter than the rest of these bimbos - and tougher. So yes, I respect Jennifer, but I think everyone knows the game has passed her by at this point. Everyone took the Jen Garner blueprint and improved on it in the last couple of years: every top girl is well conditioned now; strong; fights on the inside; works every minute of every round. Jen was great - she was the prototype for me and Jess, Erica and Kaley and so on - but we're "next-Jen" if you will. She's gonna step in that ring and know what it's like to be obsolete, and that's not going to be a good feeling for her."

Garner expressionless: still a woman on a mission after battering Bad Robot's fighting forces. "I know the game has changed," Garner admits on the podium. "I know fighters evolve and that the top girls right now are exceptional athletes as well as fighters, but I'm here to tell you that I still belong in that category. Ali's as good a fighter as I've ever been in with, and I WILL defeat her. That's no boast, it's just me stating the fact that my will still prevails in that boxing ring. As good as Ali Larter truly is, I won't be denied by her. I'm going into that ring to take a belt from her waist, and strap it around mine - end of story."

Ali in black bikini, loose tangly blonde locks; black gloves. Jennifer in dark green bikini; black gloves; hair in slick battle bun. Larter coming to ring with a pair of menacing German Shepherds without leashes: they obey her vocal and hand signals, staying close to her legs throughout.

During R1: Ali into Jennifer's body via tightly turned left/right roundhouses: Garner grimacing, tested at the open. Jen receipting Ali via left uppercuts to sternum, then hooks, then jabs as Garner pivots left: Garner looking to spread Ali out, fight at medium distance. 2nd, 3rd minutes testament to Garner's ring generalship: stiff jab knocks at Ali's skull, keeping her at arm's length: women trade stiff, ringing combinations outside - both employing effective blocking guards on defence. Set piece boxing favours Jen as she steers Ali, initiates on her, dictates terms in a classy first.

R2: Ali pressing up the middle, eats a jagged, counter-right uppercut from a well-prepared Jen G: Larter put wobbly butt, suddenly dismayed and shaky as Jennifer surges over to offence. Garner banging her way forward - rich, clapping lefts and rights clobbering at Ali's full biceps, strong ribcage: Larter beaten length o' the ring, hitting ropes in disarray. Ali's toughness on show: she's momentarily battered as Jen stands off blonde bow and hammers her...Larter's curvy legs hold firm. By the midway point, Ali's rallying - trading stubby right hands off the ropes, then hooking-with. Determined Larter slugging pays off: Jennifer forced to abandon good position at the ropes - legging back to midring to reset behind her jab. Larter stalking, unable to close as Jennifer hops, shuffles, steps about, keeping Ali at bay to bell.

R3: Ali again strong up the middle...rejected as Jen fits her for a well-scouted right uppercut counter. Larter blinking in shock: Jen forward with hooks and short, jarring right hand, pounding at Larter's skull, driving her ropeside. Thumping beatdown administered to blonde biceps, pecs and ribs: Jen conscientiously working one of the sturdiest torsos in boxing, breaking Ali down. Larter suffers a bad first minute, but again rallies: by the midway point, she's trading stiff, short right hands and tight-circumference hooks, slugging murderously off the ropes. Garner backs away, using legs and jab to minimize Larter's opportunities. Ali coming forward by the bell, stalking, but unable to sustain slugging offensive.

R4: Jen punishing Ali via the jab: Garner pounding it to face and chest, pivoting 'round it, hooking off it. Larter weaving her way forward, shipping poke: sheer force of will sees her make it to Jen's chest, engaging Garner shoulder to shoulder. Brutal inside exchanges - brawny babes bumping and slugging - heads in close together as shoulders rotate and rub. Splendid clapping blows back and forth - beefy licks spanking out loud from opposing bodies; ringing off sturdy chins - this is crowd-pleasing stuff. Down the stretch, Jen swats a thick right hand to Ali's waist; throws a short left forearm to Ali's chest; chops a tidy right hand to Ali's cheek; turns over the clipping hook as Larter's back pedaling and ALI GOES DOWN! Larter scooting to her rump - eyes glassy. Jennifer batting mitts together, giving Larter a steely-eyed once-over before strutting away all "take-that-blondie" 'tude.

R5: Ali forward, but hesitant - hands're up as she steps-and-weaves, no longer pushing the pace. Garner in forward aspect: right heel up off canvas; weight on strong left leg - she's pumping jabs to Ali; pivoting left. Classic, patient, devastating Jen Garner - lumping Larter up jabs, turning her midring, fitting her for blunt right hands and hooks in spots. Ali crossing her arms, trying to keep it together: she's taking a classy shelling. Whenever Ali dips forward behind her mitts - Jen crouches-with, works short, fish-hook left uppercuts between blonde mitts, stepping in to hook Ali's waist as soon as she straightens up. No one punch does it, but sustained, accurate, hard punching has Ali wobbly butt by the bell...she's busting up, looking ramshackle through 5.

R6: Again, Jen hurts Ali early: left uppercut, swift left hook punching the mouthpiece off Ali's teeth, putting her wobbly butt. Again, Larter suffers a punishing follow up - survives it, fights her way off ropes to become the aggressor late...but Jennifer's able to keep her distance/manage the clock. Larter's eyes swelling, reactions slowing: strong-bodied blonde really proving up her conditioning credibility, withstanding tremendous punishment through 6 sharp Jen Garner heats.

R7,8: Jen's got air-supremacy...she's planting on that left leg, pivoting left around stiff, pounding left jabs: Ali's just out on the end of it, breaking down. Hard-hearted step and poke...Jen frowning in concentration, doling out systematic, relentless punishment, turning Ali midring. Garner edging in to work combos in spots: short right hands blunt up top; vicious, clapping hooks taking Ali in her flank and waist. Cap it all off: Jen's palming up and shoving Larter off: blonde girl badly loosened by punishment, no longer holding canvas as we're used to seeing. Shutout rounds, patient rounds - rounds in which Jen walks Ali down and picks her apart. Deep gut check for Larter as Jennifer extends her lead.

R9: Larter digging down to compete: Jen patient behind the jab, sliding back in her stance, walking Larter into harm. Ali bouncing strong punches off Jen's head and shoulders in spots, but it's expensive: Garner better organized - Luring Ali forward, picking her up left or right uppercuts, hooking her jaw in close, bumping her off. Larter stumbling when pushed, but righting herself, then pushing forward: blonde girl stubborn as hell despite sustaining tremendous punishment tonight. Garner so methodical - jab-jabbing Larter on approach; sliding back to make Ali take the extra step; walking Ali into combinations before Larter's turn begins.

R10: Jen's left uppercut digs to Ali's chest; Larter's left hook swings through Jen's chin. Jen hooks Ali's chin; Ali's right hand chops to jaw and GARNER TAKES A KNEE! Ali panting, eyes showing signs of life as Jennifer's momentarily reeling. Blinking 8 Jen G, she nods to ref: Larter wades in to lay siege at apron. Ali pushing her head in between Jen's gloves - hands pawing at Jen's wrists to pull apart the guard: Larter sets up her vaunted shove-and-slug attack at ropes. Garner grimacing, pushing and bumping, but unable to dislodge her blonde: Ali still strong despite suffering at Jen's hands much of the night. Short, cuffing work to Jen's paunch, then vicious, clipping uppercuts: Ali works her brunette downstairs and up, keeping Jen pinned down. Garner's turn to prove herself a warrior: she slumps in ropes, soaking up a thumping, but hanging in there, refusing to give Ali satisfaction. Larter bangs out a determined 10-8 tenth, but can't find the off-switch...comes back UD10 for the winner and NEW one-belt champion - Jennifer Garner.

After: Garner baring those dimples: she's all the way back after a long, often heartbreaking series of false starts and bitter setbacks. "First off, I need to congratulate Ali Larter," always gracious Jen says in postfight. "She's got to be one of the toughest fighters I've ever faced, and her heart is amazing. You know, I had a great fight plan tonight - thanks to Virginia Madsen for helping me break Ali's game down and mapping out what we'd need to do. I countered her early, but we didn't want to be fighting off the back foot all night: as soon as I got her respect, I took the fight to her, punished her, always made her feel my authority. She never quit, but I did break her body down a bit - she just wasn't able to fight her fight the way she wanted to. Great fight, great opponent and guess what guys? Looks like I'm back after all!"