Before: Rimes proving her alpha-cred outside the ring by successfully competing for - and stealing - husbands: now she's looking to expand dominion to the ring proper. "It's been a long journey for me," says the fit-and-strong CW singer. "After TE mismanaged me and drove me out of the sport, I had to regroup and do everything myself. When you ask me about my style, I say I've got a "whup the other girl" style - whatever it takes. Jewel thinks she's tuff: we'll see. i guarantee she ain't ever seen the likes of Leann Rimes in the ring!"

Kilcher rolling eyes throughout: she's heard boasting before. "Rimes blames everyone but herself for failing to make it in the FCBA," Jewel says at podium. "I had just as much reason to quit...there were times when I wasn't exactly lighting up the league, but I hung in there. I convinced people that I'd be worth it in the long run, so they continued to support me: obviously Leann wasn't able to inspire that kind of committment. She thinks she's a rough ol' honky-tonker, but there's no bar-stools in the ring. We get down to tummies and fists, she's gonna find out all about 'tuff'!"

Jewel in lavender bikini; black gloves. Leann in red magazine cover bikini, black gloves.

During R1: Frame-front for Jewel: right hand cupping temple; left hand at mouth; elbows in tight, shoulders bunched. Leann in slugger's crouch - arms loosely crossed against body...she's look to step a wide right hand into Jewel's ribs and take it from there. Strapping, clobbering attack - Rimes on Kilcher: Jewel hunkering down, taking wallop on shoulders/gloves/arms as Rimes slops away robusto. Minute mark, Jewel biding her time...she finds Leann's mouth via stubby, shocking jab; Jewel resets, bobbing as Rimes hurls in receipts, then Kilcher neatly steps to Leann, hooking her chin tidy. DOWN GOES RIMES! Jewel stepping in close, helping Rimes to her buttocks with a left shoulder bump on follow through - but that compact hook did more than enough. Rimes sitting in a puddle, blinking, panting, eyes astonished. Leann beats the count, digs in: defiant, bitter resistance off the apron leads to crowd-pleasing hammer and tongs as Jewel squares up to work hooks: Rimes chops back desperation right/lefts. Kilcher pounding the rightside ribs with her heavy, dutiful left hand - popping hips-right, really slamming mitt against meat. Rimes gasping, but slugging hard - she's pulverizing Jewel's rack in exchange; bouncing rowdy hooks off Jewel's blocking right mitt. Down the stretch, methodical Kilcher comes off body, fitting hook after hook to Leann's chin: Rimes' knees give way, sitting her in ropes, forcing her to cover up as Jewel imposes will like a blacksmith on a horseshoe. Bell: Jewel pushing up off smoldering blonde wreckage; Rimes glaring defiant, but cringing...she's been sorely punished through 1.

R2: Rimes takes the initiative again - storming Jewel's frame defence with a variety of strong, clobbering lefts and rights. Kilcher calm in the storm - staying covered up, getting buffetted about, then finding Leann with stubby answer-jabs up the middle, scoring against Rimes' mouth. Leann sputtering at minute mark - poked out of rhythm: Jewel bobbing on the spot, then stepping in after a brace of Rimes punches, neatly turning that compact hook onto Leann's chin. DOWN GOES RIMES! Leann blown to her back this time...picking her head up groggy off canvas, looking shabby and forlorn as she gets to knees. ON COMES KILCHER! Jewel reaching under Rimes' arms, chesting her deep to ropes, then squaring away to punish her: Jewel popping hips-right, REEFING in hooks to Leann's rightside lats/ribs - occasionally sinking in deep to paunch and snapping the fist back quick on follow through. THE REF STEPS IN! Leann unresponsive, sitting in ropes, sponging horrifying licks - TKO2 Jewel sees Kilcher turn away all business, without so much as a glance back at her foe.

After: Rimes making woozy protest, berating Ref for "quick stoppage", shouting for a rematch with Jewel, shouting for Neve...bitterly disappointed singer looking distraught as the stoppage dawns on her. "Look - Rimes' body is solid," Jewel admits in postfight, "but you don't take punches with your body, you take 'em with your mind. Leann's still the same old girl she used to be - and the same old girl TE discarded years ago. Million dollar body; five cent head. She's just lucky the ref stopped it, 'cause I was just getting warmed up!"