PHOTOS COURTESY BI PHOTO LAB 

PARAMOUNT LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT: RD 1

Originally posted by Simguy on 6/4/2006, 2:40 pm

Allen in crimson tie side bikini

Garner in teal surfer-bottom bikini, bra style top, battle braid

WHERE FOUGHT: Las Vegas

QUOTE: “The cut won’t be a problem.” Says Jen, addressing the damage she took fromTricia Helfer in the Reebok. “Krista’s handspeed is the problem.The body is the solution to so many of these girls, but with Allen, it’s absolutely crucial to go to her ribs with venom.”

SYNOPSIS: Pundits made Jennifer the favourite as expected, but factored in the potentially demoralizing effects of having been stopped by Tricia Helfer only a few weeks previously in the Reebok. The real questions were reserved for Krista Allen in the wake of her demolition at the hands of Jenny O’Dell. “I’m so sick of talking about this,” Krista would eventually sigh, tears standing in her eyes as her landslide loss to JOD was trotted out again and again in the prefight for this fight. The weight of expectation was heavy on Garner’s shoulders; the weight of history on Allen’s: both women fought this fight with the intensity of vixens with something to prove, and demons to slay.

The Jenny O’Dell fights for Krista would provide the tactical blueprint for this fight, Allen was reluctant to engage Garner toe-to-toe, preferring to use the ring, time JG coming in and look for scalding potshot counters to the chin of he rugged foe. Despite the risks, Garner mimicked O’Dell to the letter—walking her foe down, pressing Krista hard behind a rigid jab and seeking to rattle the seductive brunette with snapping combinations, head and body.

Allen scored knockdowns from sharp, intercepting punches in the second and sixth rounds, answering Jen’s consistency in the other rounds, but down the stretch, Garner’s strength began to decisively shape the action. No longer able to create distance. Allen suffered badly against the ropes, covering her face and dismally rotating her torso under the snatching rip f Garner’s ringing combos. A UD10 decision for Garner left Krista battered, disheveled and crying, but she won back some of the respect she had lost under the heartless shelling of O’Dell’s fists.

BEST MOMENT, ALLEN: 6^th round, final minute. Krista had already buzzed garner with counterpunching in the second, but with JG pot-committed to coming forward—Allen would get more opportunities to test her foe’s chin. In the sixth, Krissy hurt Jen very early with a sleek, pre-emptive right, but backed off, coaxing Garner into renewing her march. Down the stretch, Allen lured Jen to a neutral corner, leaned her right shoulder into one set of ropes to slip Garner’s jab; then leaned in with a short, chopping counter right hand FLUSH off the left side if Jen’s jaw,. The diamond cutting precision of the shot shocked Jennifer, dropping her heavily to her back as her support leg gave way beneath her, Allen strutted past, gazing down with smoldering satisfaction as Jen picked her head groggily up off the canvas in wonder.

BEST MOMENT, GARNER: The 9^th round was scored 10-8 without a knockdown for Jennifer due to bell-to-bell pressure which nearly crippled Allen, Keeping her right at her chin, Jen shock-jabbed Krista to the ropes, walking the sultry brunette down and going immediately to her ribs with ringadingdong rights and lefts. With Allen biting down on screams and covering up as best she could—Jennifer dipped in on front (left) feet to crank, one, two, three left uppercuts up in snug to Allen’s toned midriff. Garner pivoted on her hips to get these succulent digs, arching her back, lips set in a tight, determined line as she muscled home the leather. The ashen-faced pallor, parted lips and bleak expression on Allen’s stunned face told the story: Jennifer Garner had just beaten the fight out of her with crushing authority to the body.

Reposted by Archer 6/30/09.