Posted by simguy on 5/6/2006, 12:33 am

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Before: "Tricia, let me tell you something," Cat smiles at the podium, "there IS no 'next level' after me. Baby, I'm as good as it gets for you, which is your bad luck. You've got a bad case of blonditis - probably caught it from Theron, but whatever - I've got the cure right here (holds up clenched right fist)." TE taking errant HMK comments concerning Cat/Helfer out of context and running with them - Helfer tries a little spin-control at the dais. "I don't think there was ever any serious intention to suggest that Cat Bell is a stepping stone," Helfer says. "If that impression was made, then I am truly sorry, because fighter-to-fighter - I consider Cat to be one of the best, classiest, boxing celebrities working today. That said, Bell HAS obviously slowed down a smidge - especially in her defensive reactions - and I plan to take advantage of that. She represents a tremendous challenge, but she's a hurdle I'm well prepared to leap. And I'm sorry, but she ISN'T the end of the road for me. I'll take what I need from her and move on - and I don't think I need to apologize for that." Tricia in metallic baby blue bikini, white gloves. Cat in white FHM bikini, long black extensions in for the 'wild Cat' look - white gloves. Frosty stare-down between the two - Bell clearly challenged on all fronts by the woman in front of her, taking this fight personally - she touches gloves with an indifferent swipe as she's turning away, leaving Helfer non-plussed.

During R1: Tricia face calm, poised - she prowls to her right all supple, hands out to either side in a gentle gull-wing, elbows in. Helfer's arms very relaxed, hands tracing little circles - when she punches, it's hips-torso-shoulder THEN fist slung around - lashing, licking delivery, silky smooth moves. Jab typically backhanded, sometimes just prod-pushed into Cat - Tricia a master at mixing up speeds, utilizing nuisance brushes to set up the one shot in any sequence she really wants. Bell sussing out the puzzle: chin tucked, elbows in, dukes up - she's stalking, trying to time her jab into Helfer's chest to locate willowy blonde. Cat immediately assessing Helfer's chin as unnattainable: Bell going to slender blonde ribs with heavy right hands off a long-step in. Tricia scoring several caressing hooks alongside Cat's jaw, some penetrating right crosses; Cat welting the Helfer leftside ribs some thumping rights. Helfer with command of the ring, ekes out narrow first round points. Hard eye contact after the bell: grudging respect from both ladies.

R2: Tricia supple, sinewy as she sleeks and prowls her way around the ring. Helfer with a way of just folding forward head-in-gloves, swaying on her hips and riding out Cat's punches - Bell able to bat the shoulders and flanks, but missing her uppercuts and hooks up top against the undulating torso movement. Bell more available for Tricia's punching: Helfer shifting weight to right (back) foot to pull slicing hooks across Cat's chin; shifting to left (front) foot to slosh slinging rights upside the head; getting right-hands-to-belly, strapping-left-hooks-to-cheek type combinations. Tricia's hands generally low, but her movement and unorthodox keeping Cat from taking advantage. Helfer feinting, landing hesitation-punches - Bell frequently bewildered when she's struck - staring, blinking in confusion from blows she's not able to read coming in. Down the stretch, Helfer leaning forward at the waist, slipping Cat's one-two, then answering an oily, slashing hook along the jaw: Bell put wobbly butt, stumbling wide-eyed into ropes - she stoops forward earmuff, momentarily dazzled. Helfer sliding forward, dragging her right hand flat into Cat's tummy; tilting a little to her left, then bending right to clap a lashing hook against Cat's ear; tilting left again and lifting Cat's drowsy face up pretty with a curling, tidy little left uppercut at the bell. Catherine staggering off the ropes, wobbling badly - she felt Tricia's sinuous power this round and both girls know it. 

R3: Tricia continuing to outclass Cat - Bell being beaten to position, then beaten to the punch as blonde finds angles, punches that will work on her foe. Helfer's eyes never leaving the target - torso constantly tilting, leaning, swaying; arms loose; fists brushing and prodding at Cat, setting up hard, slinging slash from waist-level. Bell taking a great punch tonight - several times brought up short by hard chin-stroke, but able to guzzle it - she's inching forward, patiently cutting off the ring. Bell landing that right hand in Tricia's flank pretty consistently - it's a toe-hold in the blonde's defenses, something to build on. Midway through, Cat cleans up left flank with a spank right hand, ducks in and down defensively, but oh-by-the-way managing to head butt Tricia on her cheek: Helfer stunned, available for a GUTTING little left uppercut - so short and cruel - flat to solar plexus and TRICIA TAKES A KNEE! Helfer suddenly crippled - lower lip quivering as she pants for breath - perfectly placed body shot has blonde in dire straits: she BARELY beats the count. ON COMES CAT! Bell seizing opportunity, attacks Tricia at the ropes - jabbing in over the blonde's right shoulder, then casually pulling down on Tricia's head with the left hand. Brutal right hands plug into taut Helfer tummy and yummy Helfer ribs - a sumptuous, cudgelling beatdown - Bell hardhearted as she crowds in close, pulls Helfer's head down and works her over stem to stern. Ref barking warnings, slapping at Cat's restraining mitt and finally pushing her back: Bell's chest heaving as she surges back in, eyes ablaze. Poor Tricia! Eyelashes fluttering, lips parted: she's bad hurt, broken to the midsection, stooping forward behind her mitts as Cat gets back to work. Classic no-frills Cat Bell Beat Down: Bell just riding one hand or the other on convenient blonde shoulder, digging amidships with the free mitt - Helfer doubled up, shipping the thumping of a lifetime from her coldblooded tormentress. AND THE REF STEPS IN! Bell a little surprised, then turning away delighted: she's just stopped Tricia Helfer TKO3!

After: Helfer blinking back disappointed tears, protesting the stoppage vigourously as ref tries to soothe her with parental concern - blonde obviously feels she could have continued. "She caught me with a very good body shot," Tricia tells BLONDE! Magazine reps, "Probaby the best single shot I've ever absorbed - but I felt I took it well, got my head together and organized myself at the ropes. She was fouling me and working me over, but I was in control - she wasn't hurting me - I was slipping most of her stuff - and then the guy stops it! I definitely want a rematch - the sooner the better. This was a bogus stoppage and Cat Bell knows it!" Bell serene in victory, vindicated after a tough last few weeks in the media - she's still got the ability to turn back lovely blondes in their primes, and that's all that matters. "Tricia's a wonderful defensive fighter and a sneaky-strong puncher," Cat allows, "but I knew looking at her body that I could get to her downstairs. She doesn't give you much chin, but she likes to torso-weave on flat feet - that means the body will be there, and that's what I focused on. She can call it a lucky shot if she likes, but I caught her exactly the lick I had trained 6 weeks to deliver. We dance again, I'll get it again: I don't see what's going to be different next time, except maybe I'll get her to lie down rather than be rescued by the ref."

Sim Guy
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