Before: Boxer/banger match up? Not so long ago, this would have been a banger/banger tussle, but Connelly's maturing skills have pundits taking serious notice for the first time. "Hey, she's always been a draw," says one HBO matchmaker, "but Connelly's really sharpened up her game. She's using her height more, she's moving better. Offensively, she's showing the right hand more consistently, defensively she's harder to hit on the button these days - we're impressed." Rodriguez not so much - she produces a ratty old stick figure twined together ala Blaire Witch Project, walking it on the dais, going, "Wuh! Wuh! Wuh! I'm Jennifer Connelly. Wuh! Wuh! I'm so skinny! Wuh! Wuh! Wuh!" Rodriguez abruptly snaps the figure in two and continues, "One hit," Michelle estimates. "One good shot - she'll go. I'll beat her body if I have to, but honestly, I look at Jen and I know I'm too much for her. No way she goes rounds with me." Michelle in wet black leather sports bra; wet black leather mini-trunks with wet black leather mini-skirt and gold tassle fringe; wet black leather boxing boots. Connelly in white push up, red bikini bottoms.

During R1: Mrod a prophet? Connelly sharp outside, leaning forward, jabbing brisk, keeping Rodriguez turning midring most of the round. Down the stretch, Rodriguez with a little dip right, dip left MONSTER left hook - Latina weaves the jab and clocks jaw with blockbuster force. Head torque Connelly - Jenny off her feet, scooting to her butt - she's in wide eyed shock as Rodriguez steals the round with a single blast.

R2: Good recovery round for Jen - she doesn't lose her composure, sticks to good fundamental boxing midring. Connelly stepping left, pounding stick to the face and chest of her foe - Rodriguez turning, raising her hands to fend off the stabbing attack, Jen able to thread right hands through the openings to firm Latina jaw. Shutout Connelly, gets her legs back under her.

R3: Jenny spackling Mrod an opening series of jabs, fading to the right as Rodriguez struggles forward. Sharp right hand on the mouth, ANOTHER and Connelly puts the hook up top - RODRIGUEZ GOES DOWN! Michelle on her butt, shaking her head - sizzling combo has her flabbergasted. Shellshocked 8, Connelly striding back in - lead right hand, hook, hook, HOOK underneath - Rodriguez bunching up, getting her gut punched and she doesn't like it. Jenny stepping right, picking Latina chin up the outside-in right uppercut, giving her the left shoulder-bump, hooking her teeth - mouthpiece flies off Mrod's teeth as Latina crosses her arms in shock. Connelly stepping out, baiting Rodriguez forward, measuring an extended right and CLIPPING chin that hook as Michelle walks into a terrific clout. RODRIGUEZ GOES DOWN - spilling to all fours - Connelly staring down as she struts to the neutral corner. Proud Latina beats the count, but she's swooning, leaning against the ropes for support - on comes Connelly. Jenny professional rest of the way - jabbing mercilessly at a hurting opponent, jimmying open the defence and placing harsh right hands, withering hooks body and head. Mrod riding it out, bending at the waist, head jamming back on her neck as Jenny tracks her to the bell.

R4: Wow - great comeback round for Rodriguez - both women showing great mental and physical resilience tonight. Mrod crouching low, jabbing up at Connelly and getting to her chest for the first time - Latina keeping her hands free, rotating her shoulders on the inside, beating the bodkin. Jenny in retreat, back to the ropes consistently for the first time, does a nice job controlling Rodriguez' head, blocking or blunting shots up top while sacrificing her fat-free tummy.

R5: More Mrod - tearing up the Connelly ribcage and gut. Whole key is distance - Jen not jabbing at the right times, not drawing that line in the canvas - Rodriguez able to scoot in low, then set up on the inside and she is getting it DONE on Jen's wiry body. Mrod rough with her head, banging it back and forth, using her forearms and elbows to push up on Jen's chest, get her moving backward. Thumping, non-stop assault on the abs and ribs has Connelly wincing, puts her butt in the ropes. Jen minimizing the damage with smart tactical clinches and defending her chin very well on the inside - Rodriguez trying the uppercut, or wide hooks up top to little effect.

R6,7,8,9: Fireworks over - Connelly makes a veteran decision to box for the decision and executes like a pro, taking all four rounds with the same methodical precision. Not the most crowd-pleasing Jennifer Connelly we've ever seen as she circles, uses the ring - it's mostly take-away stuff as opposed to putting something on Mrod and Connelly earns some scattered boos for it. Jen weight forward, drilling the lead right hand, hooking off it, stepping out behind a flicking jab - Mrod bobbing, weaving, but held at bay - Latina unhurt, but under control as Connelly routinely turns her at the ropes. Rodriguez held to single digit connects all 4 rounds - Connelly tieing up, holding for breaks, just making it her fight through 9.

R10: Mrod walking in, hands at her chest, rolls right with that pesky Connelly lead right, comes back with a shunting right blunt on the jaw and JENNIFER'S HURT! Connelly put wobbly butt - staggering away to her right - Rodriguez scuttling forward, staying low, coming in off JC's left shoulder to hook her sidearm in the stomach. Connelly banged to the ropes, covering up shabby - she's lolling forward behind her gloves, not answering back as Mrod loads up and REEFS at the right side! Oh those glorious Latina hooks - Rodriguez just belting away at Connelly's weeping ribs - crowd jumping to it's feet as Rodriguez wails away. Gut check time for Jen - she's wounded, badly stunned, but it's the 10th and final - she digs in, slides to her left under fire as Rodriguez steps-with and dishes out the beat down. Connelly able to reach under Michelle's arms, using clinches to break up the assault, just doing enough to survive and Jen makes it to the bell. UD10 Jennifer Connelly, leaves a bad taste in Mrod's mouth.

After: Comfortable margin on the cards for Jen, but disasterous 10th has her looking shopworn, frazzled as Rodriguez climbs the ring ropes and exhorts the crowd to support her. Still, this was the smartest Jen Connelly performance we've seen - she unleashed hell in the third, didn't get the stop, backed off and boxed for an easy duke, really outclassing a stubborn Latina in the process. Michelle refusing to accept the verdict - she's old school - all she remembers is taking Connelly's best shots, then spending the rest of the night chasing her down. "I heard Jennifer Connelly was a warrior," says Rodriguez. "Guess I was wrong." Connelly updated on Rodriguez' assessment, says, "Maybe I'm not a warrior anymore, but I'm something Michelle will never be: a winner. She had one good round on me - one. I'll take my 9 every time."