Posted by Simguy on 1/7/2005, 7:15 am.

Before: Jenny O’Dell opening her comeback against Katie Holmes—would’ve been a laugher at Jen’s peak, but Holmes very active in JOD’s lengthy absence: rust will be a factor. “I’ve been running and working out to get my weight down,” says O’Dell, ”but obviously I don’t have a lot of hard rounds since going on hiatus. Katie’s not even the same fighter who got cleaned up by the Wolf Pack—I’m taking her very seriously.” Skeptical pundits cutting through the hype:  “Katie’s improved, but she’s not a KO threat,” explains one Tractorpull correspondent. “It’s pretty clear O’Dell’s people don’t want her in with somebody who can make her pay for mistakes. If Jenny gets out of the blocks quick, Holmes won’t make it pass the first few rounds, but if Katie’s sharp and Jenny struggles early—Holmes can extend this thing.” Katie in lemon bikini, dark tan, punching ponytail—Jenny in pink running bikini, messy battle-bun.

During R1L Look at Katie throwing lead right hands! Jen startled—Holmes leaning in, pinging the lead rights, stepping to the side, stepping in the jab to body and head—she’s got Jenny backing up early, Holmes brisk, extending ion punches, being first and moving after scoring—Jenny turning, not getting off as she gets acclimated.

R2: Jenny keeping the right at her temple, jabbing with Katie and stamping young brunette hard to the upperchest. Holmes backing up, eyes wide—obviously very keyed up. Jenny hooking ribs patiently consistently, landing then dipping, ducking under retaliatory one-twos off the ropes. Busy back and forth—Jenny pressing her attack to Holmes’ ribs, landing both hands behind brunette arms. Katie’s legs shivering at one point, teeth bared in a hurting grimace, but standing brave—answering back with pushy one-twos to keep Jenny honest.

R3,4,5: Round after round, it’s Katie, Holmes the sharper, more intense beauty—featuring the jab to Jenny’s mouth, stepping to either side, Holmes not shy about releasing the right hand, especially when O’Dell hounds her to the ropes—Katie scrubbing away rigid left/rights and spinning out of trouble, stepping to midring and drawing Jenny forward. Rust apparent on O’Dell—she’s late on receipts, not moving her head, having trouble choosing punches and meanwhile—Katie’s ringing her up. Power deficit clear as Holmes able to grease blonde chin clean right hands without noticeable effect—but it’s enough to sweep Jenny all three rounds on the cards.

R6: One thing Jenny’s been able to do is press the pace with her legs—Katie’s had to be razor sharp, keep in constant movement along the perimeter: energy expenditure starting to catch up with Holmes.. Jenny able to step in her jab to the chest, right hand at her cheek, get Katie ropeside and work her over this round. Hooks in the shoulder, flank, hip and ear have Holmes bending, covering, shying away to her left along the strands. Jenny stepping with, shadowing Katie—fitting the odd sidearm right thudding-thick amidships—telltale cringe and groan from Katie as she folds up hurt. Jenny romping, but Holmes showing her maturity—clinching smart, tying up for breaks—Jenny’s not getting long, uninterrupted windows to pound away on her foe. Holmes ragged and wobbly butt by the bell, but surviving—frustrating Jenny’s attempt to close Katie out at the ropes.

R7: Last-ditch Katie. Holmes doubling up the jab, stepping right—she leans in a CLANGING right on the chin and FINALLY rings up Jenny’s backside! O’Dell momentarily stunned, leaning forward in a groggy earmuff—Holmes eases forward to touch up her guard on Jenny’s then licks hook to waist with a firm “PAK!” “PAK!” Jenny clinches—reaching around Holmes’ back, cheek resting moist on Katie’s shoulder—ref’s break. Katie trying to press her advantage—forward with rangy one-twos—Jenny reading it well, rolling under it, bringing right hands flat to Katie’s tanned, toned gut, backing the brunette up. Middle minute—Holmes pressed hard at the ropes—Jenny smothering her, bodying up, then swinging away to the ribs both hands. Katie visibly wearing down, mouth open—she’s clinching, doing what she can but the pounding adds up, forcing Holmes to take a knee end of minute 2. Down the stretch, Jenny walking Katie down, punching overhand rights to the chest, hooking the ribs, hooking the waist, shouldering Holmes off against the ropes. Brunette trembling, glassy-eyed at the bell, well-beaten this round.\

R8,9: Jenny the boss, but it’s surprisingly rugged. Katie proving stubborn forcing blonde to wade in and root brunette out of one defensive stand after another. Jenny leaning in touch her raised guard against Katie’s then working underneath with digging hooks, right hands to ribs, taking the same in return. Holmes systematically battered in these rounds, but not running, keeping her defence together and punching back when it’s her turn, O’Dell the boss, backing Holmes up and punishing her, but not breaking brunette spirit through 9.

R10: Anyone who thought Jenny’s affinity for Holmes would take the edge off this fight doesn’t know O’Dell: JOD comes out flinty-eyed to stop Katie cold this round. Holmes eyes misting over with punishment, legs and arms feeble—she’s a shambling, reeling ruin this round. Katie getting hammered, reaching for Jenny, getting pushed off  by blonde—awkward, sloppy stuff as O’Dell struggles to vent her fury efficiently. Down the stretch, Katie finally stacked up in a corner and beaten into stupor—Jenny baring her teeth, shellacking away side to side lefts and rights—Holmes wilting forward, out on her feet, numb as punches bash and bounce off head, shoulders and flanks, Bell: Jenny lost in sluglust keeps pounding away until ref bodies her off—Katie battered senseless but goes the route. UD10 Jenny O’Dell.

After: Katie takes 4 rounds including 3 straight to put Jenny in a hole after 5, but relentless blonde pressure paid the expected dividend down the stretch. “Katie’s tougher all around, smarter—she made me work every minute of this fight tonight,” Jenny allows, “She’s got a little bit of power from the outside so I just tried to crowd her, stay on those ribs and break her down. I feel great--maybe 80% or so and I can’t wait to get back to work!” Tractorpull freelancer reserving judgement. “For a puncher like Jenny O’Dell to go the distance with Katie Holmes--I don’t know if that’s anything to be proud of. The Jenny O’Dell we saw tonight would have struggled, maybe even gotten stopped against a Charisma Carpenter.”

Reposted by Archer 2/9/10