Posted by simguy on 10/30/2008

Before: Holmes rebooting, returning to the ring for the first time since the BSE bust-up. "It's time," Katie tells a packed press conference. "I've been working on my conditioning as you know, but I need to get back in the ring to sharpen up my tool-set. I know Winstead, Strahovski and girls like them are positioning to start moving on me: I have to be sharp for that. Mol's here to give me rounds, and I know she'll knock the rust off me before I take control of her in this fight." Gretchen an interesting story - once touted as the "next Theron" in fight-hype supporting "Rounders" (Mol's film debut). She never delivered on that promise, but DID become a competent enough fighter to be chosen to portray legendary catfighter Bettie Paige in the BP bio-pic. "I can shock Katie here," Mol says sincerely. "I beat a lot of girls to get 'Bettie Paige' - those were fighting auditions, and I came out on top. True, we weren't boxing - but I've got good dukes, and a stronger body than Katie. I sparred with Gwyneth Paltrow to get her ready for Iron Man, and I worked with Maggie Gyllenhaal for Batman - so I know my way around the ring. I truly believe this is going to be my moment to shine - not hers." Katie in midnight blue satin bra and panties; short, dark locks; small black work out mitts. Gretch in jaunty twist-tie bikini top with bright blue/white horizontal stripes; bright solid blue boy cut bottoms with white belt; sassy short blonde bob; small white work out gloves.

During R1: Both girls thoughtful types - closing cautiously, setting up orthodox, dukes up, elbows in. Eyes intense - they jab for one another's faces - each hissing out exhalations as they get off. Slow-steppin' clockwise rotation - each girl keeping right hands tight against chins while pumping left hand stick. Is Katie rusty? Yep: Gretchen getting the better of what should be Holmes' forte - outfencing the brunette at range. By the end, Gretchen emboldened - doubling up her jab to Katie's mouth, backing a discouraged brunette up through 1.

R2: Katie gets the jab on track, finally spanking it to Mol's pretty face. Gretch continues to compete with poke - responding energetically to Katie's cuteness. Middle minute - Mol jabbing-with, breaks rhythm to drop a right hand down the pike, catching Holmes clean to chin. Katie stutter-stepping, dukes flying to temples as she wobbles on the spot: Gretchen dips in close, trying the midsection with a tart right/left. Katie groaning, tilting forward behind her mitts: Gretchen dips left shoulder, pops hips-right, licks Katie a vicious hook to sternum, bringing the mitt back quick. Holmes grimacing, backing off: no prettier sight in boxing that a tall girl trying to rally on long, rickety legs. Gretchen methodical, maybe a bit too cautious on follow up. Nevertheless, she catches Katie some palm-down hooks that leave Holmes staring, swaying slightly in her stance.

R3: Gretchen locates Katie with face-jabs - punching brunette head back with authority, loosening brunette knees. Holmes looking rattled, stepping away from poke on shaky stems: Gretchen walking her down, staying in touch with stick. Mol graduating to body work - hooking off the jab to dig at Katie's tanned ribcage and sternum: Gretch with a pleasing way of tilting over her front (left) foot, lifting the punches PIK! PAK! into offending torso. Katie grimacing, shying away: she's looking for distance, but not drawing a line in the canvas with her jab - allowing Gretchen to walk her down. Mol driving in right hands off the jab, punching through to Katie's jaw: brunette head starting to snap about as blonde steps forward. Middle minute evolves from solid blonde pursuit to full rout: Katie stumbling, teeth bared, dukes at temples as she backs into ropes shabby. Gretchen steps-with jabs up top, works the waistline right/left: Holmes stooping forward, legs locking up - she's digging in to sponge a beating here. Gretch squares away, eyes narrowed in a pretty scowl: digging hooks work at Katie's liver/waist; tidy right/lefts rake at Katie's guard up top; short-jerk right uppercuts split the mitts, scraping Katie's face. Workmanlike, no-nonsense combos from Mol really pepper Katie: Holmes listless, sagging against ropes, just resigning herself to a bad round. RIGHT UPPERCUT, GRETCHEN MOL! Katie's face picked up drowsy off her gloves: eyes closed, eyebrows high, lips in a woozy 'O'. Katie slumps awkwardly into ropes, hands dropping, torso lolling forward. Raggedly, Holmes firms, raising dukes chest-high, eyelashes fluttering. Mol's eyes hard, alert - she dips as though to jab Katie's tummy - then straightens, steps in with a short, palm-down hook, catching Katie's chin a booming, sudden blast. DOWN GOES KATIE! Holmes crashing to her back - head under bottom rope, right knee up as she relaxes into stupor. Holmes managing to struggle up after the 10 count - she's out on her feet, drooping in the official's arms as she's cradled to safety. KO3 in upset fashion - Gretchen Mol.

After: Katie swaying in ref's arms, blinking long-lashes, lips parted in swoon - she's picked apart and stopped by a very focused, determined Gretchen Mol tonight. Party in Mol's corner: blonde smiling, getting well-deserved hugs - welcome-back fight for Katie turns into bleak nightmare as Mol proves a grinch. "I knew I could hurt Katie and get her into trouble," Gretchen tells BLONDE! Mag guys via in-ring post-fight. "She was looking for cheap rounds - a chance to show off her lean physique and get noticed again, and I made her pay for that." Mol a bit of a surprise - didn't show blazing speed, power or anything else, but she's got discipline and an earnest, well-schooled style that could expose unwary lightweights. See Katie Holmes for example.