Before: "Ironically enough," Jeri tells reporters in prefight, "I got the idea I could move up against Taylor even as she was beating down Jenny O'Dell. It was the best night of Cole's life, and I saw holes in her game. I said to myself, 'this kid's never going to be any better than she is now,' and I knew right then her best wouldn't compete with mine. The only reason I never invaded welterweight before was because of Ali Landry's politicking and you better believe she's not happy to see me get this fight. Ali's belts are going to be around my waist: it doesn't get any sweeter than that." Cole anxious to dispel some blonde illusions. "First - I beat down Jenny O'Dell - if Jeri thinks that's a good thing for her, she's crazier than she looks. Second - Jeri's getting a little long in the tooth to be playing the bully. I'm going to be on this old woman all night - making her take deep breaths. She's going to be my second trophy-blonde in a row!" Jeri in crimson bikini, Taylor in royal blue - frosty glares during intense staredown.

During R1: Welcome to Jeri Ryan punching, Taylor Cole: Ryan stepping in with a faux-hook, leans into a kissing right off Cole's chin, putting the kid wobbly butt. Ryan torquing on her hips, licks the left thick to breadbasket - shifts to her left to hoist the right up and in as well. Gorgeous, shellacking body work being done - older challenger looking to wear out the much younger champion's tummy. Taylor gasping, but proving her mettle - slugging hard out of a crossed arm to ring Jeri up about the ears. Final minute a long-limbed, power-punching melee - Jeri bending in with shearing rights, leaning back out with sinewy, licking hooks: Cole crouching to her left, crouching to her left, then ripping hooks from the crossed arm, banging away bicep and breast to brawny effect. Bell - both girls jazzed with punishment - Ryan cutting her eyes sideways, surveying the damage as she stalks past en route to her corner.

R2: Girls pick up where they left off: rangy, raunchy power punching. Jeri very body-conscious tonight, banging Cole's midsection some curling, licking shots that draw winces from ringsiders: explosive punches detonating off Taylor's tummy and ribcage. Cole rugged, suffering, but holding her ground - she's banging back to jug and arms. Taylor likes to get a body on and work a little closer - Jeri doing a nice job of spreading the kid out, making her fight across a gap - crafty blonde sitting on right hands, trying to time Taylor's chin for devastation. Sensational body-swapping give and take at the bell - both girls visibly shaken by the concussive exchange.

R3: Jeri lands an early right hand, jabs Taylor to consolidate, then gets that right hand again, jerking Cole's head aside. Gasps from the crowd - Taylor giving Jeri way too much chin early - nobody wants to get routinely belted those Ryan right crosses. Ryan lavishing Cole some of the best body shots of the blonde's entire career - great slinging lefts and rights, often while stepping back to walk Cole in - brunette really cramping up under licking wallop. Down the stretch, Jeri walks Taylor into a clanging left uppercut on the chin - blonde feeling the goodness of the connect in her shoulder and back, grins broadly: Cole answers back a how-you-like-me-now hook which PUTS RYAN WOBBLY BUTT! Jeri stepping in fence post holes - superior grin punched right off her face - she stagger-stomps to ropes, setting up a shabby earmuff to receive Taylor's charge. Cole stepping-to, splattering hooks against Ryan's shoulder and flank, then stuffing home short rights from her shoulder against the Ryan breasts. Jeri slugged upright at the ropes, trying to keep her chin tucked, gloves up - but steady, rhythmic brunette pounding has blonde teetering on the verge at the bell. Ref pushes a seething Cole back - Jeri staring, wandering back to her corner in a fog, breasts PULSING from Cole's late savagery.

R4: Oh those gutting Jeri Ryan body shots - Taylor chomping down on screams, but she's bunching up, hobbled by shellacking blasts to her midsection. Ryan licking her arms up and in, stepping to the right, walking Taylor in - blonde not too proud to pull Taylor's head down with the left and treat her to some evil right hands as Cole is tugged forward into hurt. Ref's warnings for Jeri - no holding and hitting - Ryan typically indifferent. Taylor struggling with her form, looking a little ragged - she's anxious to close and mix it up, but she's hurt: a dangerous combination. Jeri comfortable near the ropes, intercepting Taylor with right hands, pulling brunette head down with the left and looking for cheap right uppercuts while Taylor's off balance - Ryan doing a splendid job of punch n' clutch to frustrate the young champ. Ref's break, Taylor relaxes, regroups and RYAN NAILS HER A SHRIEKING RIGHT CROSS! Jeri lunging in as Cole's taking a deep breath - shattering chin-check swivels Taylor's head, buckles her knees and SENDS COLE TO THE CANVAS! Taylor game - picking head and shoulders up off the mat with effort, legs rigid, sticking out straight - poor girl can't feel her limbs - she's still trying to roll over onto her right side when the count passes her by. KO4 for the winner and NEW welterweight champ - Jeri Ryan!

After: Ryan scorching a strapping young lass in Taylor's first defence - veteran blonde bringing in a sound gameplan, executing flawlessly tonight to separate an ingenue from her titles. Cole led gingerly to her stool, still bewildered by the sudden shock of Ryan's right hand and JERI WANTS MORE! HBO techs caught flatfooted, scrambling for that Swan Lake tape, but it's TOO LATE! Jeri pulling Taylor's long black hair from behind before the girl can sit down, reefing her backwards into the crook of Jeri's left arm where brunette is deftly bundled into a reverse sleeper. Jeri's left hand grips her right bicep; right hand cups atop Taylor's skull - blonde giving Taylor a tremendous shake to cinch her face up proper. Poor Taylor Cole - hands flailing helplessly, then settling on Jeri's hips, then reaching up to pull at Jeri's hair from behind. Ryan's upperlip curls in disdain for the effort; she wriggles, tightens up, letting her jugs do the hard work of putting Taylor Cole out. Brunette's legs finally give way - Jeri releasing with a flourish, allowing Taylor to sink to her haunches all shiny faced and incoherent. AND JERI'S NOT DONE! Ryan takes a knee in front of Taylor and scoops her up again, crushing her face flush to jug, left arm snug around back the head to secure the reverse sleeper. Jeri resting her cheek against Taylor's damp scalp, pushing in close on Cole; Taylor's palms on the canvas as she sits forward into the smother. FINALLY, Jeri pulls Taylor's face back with a fistfull of hair, gazing cruelly down into the slackened features: Cole's eyebrows high, eyes closed, lips parted. Ryan simply stands, discarding used brunette without a second thought: former champ allowed to slump over her knees to rest awkwardly, face-first against the mat.