Before: (PARIS) Intriguing return to action for both women after long rest periods. Two talented tall women - Sophie a sorceress southpaw, Crawford a fundamentally solid, very orthodox fighter - both have championship pedigrees, both recognize the prestige of this bout - maybe the classiest pairing that can be made at welter. Crawford coming down from middle probably the harder hitter - Sophie probably more creative, maybe a smidge better defensively - split the difference with a razor between these two. Crawford in messy ponytail, grey sports bra, royal blue stretch cotton shorts to mid thigh - Sophie in messy ponytail, black sports bra and stretch shorts to midthigh.

During R1: Sophie shows that slick portside advantage early, stepping outside Crawford's lead foot and jamming weird left hands in on the inside plane of Cindy's jaw - Crawford's butt shoots back as she is staggered early - first blood to Marceau. Long period of positioning - girls trying to feint and lure one another in, neither punching, but again, Sophie able to step over and jam one, two three left hands in from the oblique angle off Crawford's left shoulder, driving the supermodel awkwardly to the ropes. Marceau supple to the bell, writhing in close to Cindy, slapping at her belly with an open palm left, then sidestepping her with the right hand at Crawford's lower back. Shutout Marceau.

R2: Crawford makes her adjustment with her feet - taking away that sneaky angle from Marceau, keeping the French girl in front of her. Spare offence as the girls circle - but it's tense - wheels turning, girls intentionally leaving themselves open hoping to draw the other offside. Marceau a little busier, patting her jab against Cindy's tummy and forehead - takes the round by slender, home-town margin.

R3: Chessmatch continues, Crawford stepping up the pace just a little bit, doubling up on the jab, usually missing with the first, then touching up the second as she gets Sophie to commit on defence. Marceau snaking at the hips, suddenly closing her stance and wheeling to her right, giving Cindy nothing but that right shoulder to shoot at. Crawford pounding out hard rangefinders keeps Marceau honest - round to Cindy.

R4: Marceau gets Cindy turning more this round - Sophie able to use her supple little spin, ducking under CC's jab, guiding Crawford past her with a hand at Cindy's elbow or hip. One such pass puts Crawford on the ropes and Sophie lunges in with a wide left/right to the body as Cindy covers up, then clinches. It's enough to carry another tactical round as both girls stay safety first.

R5: Fight breaks out! Marceau lulling Cindy with slapping jabs from the hip, suddenly steps around the brunette's lead foot, comes in hard outside Crawford's left shoulder to ram a pair of short left hands square on the mouth - CRAWFORD TAKES A SEAT! Cindy up quick, but she's busted up in the mouth - obviously disappointed in herself for sleeping on Marceau, if only for a second. Action rejoined, Marceau seeing how hurt Cindy is with licking right hooks across the body, curling off the stomach to clip the chin with right uppercuts. Crawford standing in the pocket, tightens up her guard, arms in close, and she starts picking Sophie apart with short counters inside the French girl's whipaction blows. Crawford dipping, twisting her torso into short shots on the chin drives Marceau to the ropes - Sophie stunned, loses her cool slightly and comes brawling off the ropes - Cindy staying classy, retreats in good order, picking Sophie up with short lefts and rights as the brunette bobs side to side - sweet, sweet stuff. Marceau tires of the constant buffetting - takes it back outside and dances out the clock, satisfied with her knockdown. Round to Sophie - but scored 10-9 by the judges who liked Crawford's gutty comeback.

R6: Too close to call - action so selective neither girl can really impose her will. Crawford staying with the tight defense, jabbing and bringing the left back to her cheek to avoid counters - Sophie pointing her right shoulder at Cindy, bending at the waist, trying to find an opening for those slinging left hands.

R7: Crawford impenetrable upstairs - Sophie adjusts her sights accordingly. Marceau licking right/left to the waist of Crawford, then pivoting around the brunette - Crawford not paying Sophie back and Marceau's fluid slashing attacks start to look like a form of elegant domination.

R8: Cindy opens up - realizes she might have some ground to make up. Crawford dipping down to shoot hard right hands straight from her guard to Sophie's belly, then popping up into heavy left hooks that catch Marceau leaning backwards. Body and head work drives Marceau to the ropes - she slips and rolls as Crawford lets her hands go. It's good stuff from both women - Sophie making Cindy miss plenty, but Crawford not getting discouraged, landing the 4th or 5th shot as she takes something off the punches to stay quick. Whenever Marceau spins off the ropes - Cindy stays with her, pushing her backwards with a heavy jab, and driving home the beefy rights to the midriff. Shutout Cindy C.

R9: Crawford giving Marceau a dose of her own medicine, walks in slow, then touches a quick left, dropping the big right hand in behind it and Marceau's head jerks back in a shower of sweat. Sophie staggered, wide eyed and she drapes herself on Crawford for a referee's break. Marceau uses her legs to run the clock, and soon re-establishes order. Crawford in pursuit, but she can't cut the ring off - Marceau able to potshot with straight lefts or slapping right hooks on the ear, then pivot to the side as Crawford can't press her advantage. Cindy takes the round on power - but Marceau able to recover her faculties for the 10th.

R10: Crawford aggressive early, scoring again with the straight right hand up the middle, but Sophie takes it all away after the first minute. Marceau weaving in and out on Cindy, insolent with her belly on Cindy's hip as she bodies up to turn the brunette. Crawford unable to get position, can't pull the trigger - meanwhile Sophie's slapping at belly with slinging lefts, tapping right jabs and cuffing right hooks. Round ends with Marceau ducking Crawford's jab, neatly sliding in and behind the brunette to gather her up with a light hug at the bell. Picture says it all: Sophie in behind Crawford with a smirk, holding Cindy around the hips - Crawford red faced, eyes hollow with disappointment. Comes back UD10 Sophie Marceau.

After: Tactical chessmatch won by Marceau - perhaps more humiliating for Cindy to be beaten this way than via knockout. Crawford's dreams of FCBA domination melting away as she continues to meet her match every which way she turns. Cindy having more trouble with the crafty southpaw stance than she usually does - but Marceau not your usual lefty. Typical slick, bewildering performance from Sophie, punctuated with power from strange angles which tend to magnify the effect of her punching. Title shot logical for Marceau - Landry said to be wanting the lucrative payday against Tyler before granting a highly problematic rematch.