Posted by simguy on 1/11/2008
BEFORE: "We've got healthy respect for Jolene's right hand," a serious JLH admits at the podium. "She may not be the same girl she was before those Cuthbert losses, but we all remember the hellacious knockout she scored over Neve Campbell. Honestly, I didn't think we'd ever see Neve in a boxing ring again after that whack: a person who has that kind of striking whip just cannot be taken for granted." Blalock a bashful type with press - not all that lively in prefight - but her open-workouts are impressive: all sleek lines, narrowed eyes, pursed lips, glistening limbs and SLAMMING pad work. Jolene with long blonde hair in low ponytail, bangs framing face; white gloves; yellow bikini with ring connections hip and jug. Jen in infamous black bandeau bikini; black gloves, hair wet, off her face.
During R1: Blalock ranging in with a pinging left, then swinging righty with aggressive torso-turn into the shots. Hewitt clouted to jaw in early action - baby stepping to her right with shocked expression. Rangy JB stepping with, snarling as she tick-tocks batting left/right against sturdy Hewitt torso, then misses a rigid left uppercut as Hewitt's scampering back. Jen wide-eyed, facing into missiles - Hewitt staying low, pivoting and circling away. Bit of a mistake: Blalock most comfy when she can extend on punches - she's blasting connects off Hewitt's hasty defences, shelling Jen all around the ring. Late the round - JLH dipping at the waist, laying over on her right side: mistake. Blalock able to lean in a shafting right down and across, crashing it upside Jen's head and nearly driving shorter beauty to her knees. Hewitt's leg strength on show as knees, bend, then firm - she earmuffs up, hurt and wobbly butt as she circles right away from the Blalock howitzer.
R2: Jen touched up, but serviceable - she survived the patented Blalock First - looks encouraged. Hewitt jabbing out of her crouch - just messing with Blalock's timing and disrupting Jolene's jab. Hard, rifling straight rights delivered to Blalock's jugs and midsection - beefy spank off these as Hewitt commits and ducks down on follow through. Hewitt coming forward now - good policy as she weaves in close, cramps Jolene's style. Blalock scowling, elbows in close to her bod as she palms up and tries to push Jennifer off: Hewitt's center of gravity and sturdy legs make her very tough to dislodge in close. Blalock backing straight up to disengage - getting caught fat whacking hooks upside the head as Hewitt steps-with and scores. Slender beauty wobbly butt at the bell: Hewitt rights the ship, starts checking Jolene's fragile chin in the second.
R3: Blalock turns boxer - greatly problematizing the fight for Hewitt. Jen bending low, swivel pivoting - but Blalock safe when she's loping around, flicking out the long, backhand jab from afar. Hewitt gambling to get inside - frequently paving the way with that pounding straight right to Blalock's middle. Midway through, Jolene's vicious counter-right uppercut off the right foot catches Jen ducking in: Hewitt rocked, staggers about wobbly butt - but does good job to earmuff up, weave the lanky follow-ups. Jen hurt, elects to play it safe - scooting the perimeter, shooting in to clinch up around Blalock's hips to bell.
R4: Jen settling on a range of tactics that seem to be giving her the edge. 1.) Jabbing-with the taller beauty - taking the punch away from Blalock. 2.) Staying low, always crouching. 3.) Collapsing distance - weaving inside to brawl snug off Jolene's chest and catch her hefty when she backs out. 4.) Right hands to the body and chest - pulverizing blows, with Jen's full weight behind them. 5.) Clinching after landing, smothering Jolene, walking her to ropes for the breaks. Blalock reacting - seemingly without scheme - she's trying to walk Jen onto the right uppercut, or else looking to take her head off with the sloping right cross - Hewitt defending both punches well.
R5: Jen continues to execute - adding one other wrinkle to the already effective mix. Up to now, Jen's been taking height away from Blalock by coming in on Jolene: now, occasionally - Hewitt's crouching, backing out low, luring Jolene forward to make her GIVE UP her height. Jolene getting caught cutey-pie hooks to chin on the way in, then quickly gobbled up as Hewitt snuggles in her clinches. Tempers flare during one Hewitt clinch - Jen getting underneath Blalock's weight, lifting her off her feet, and toppling her awkwardly into ropes on her left side. Ref barking - Jolene pointing and objecting: Hewitt scowling, pacing side to side under the reprimand.
R6: Same again - Blalock visibly frustrated. She's not getting the stationary target she prefers, she can't find a rhythm - Hewitt doing a wonderful job dictating terms to rangy Jolene. Jen's best punch that slamming right into torso - but she's mixing it up well, clobbering hooks upside the head; hooking Jolene in her waist; buffeting those jugs in close with swabbing shoe-shine; even turning southpaw on one occasion to put a carving left cross on Jolene's open mouth. Hewitt driving her girl strong to ropes, piling in, holding Blalock down: Jolene just not getting a high number of quality of opportunities.
R7: Same again - Jennifer minimizing Blalock's chances, taking away Jolene's height, working the body, cleaning up the head. Blalock whining about Jen's holding and buxom pin-down sessions at the ropes - blonde doing more pushing and straining against Hewitt than rangy punching. JB starting to find a limber hook low to Jen's right side late: useful punch lands with spank, prompting defensive Hewitt clinches.
R8: Blalock dipping her left shoulder, CRANKING that hook to body: pair of rangy lefts splash against Hewitt's tummy and ribs, punching a gasp from her lips. Body work slowing Jen's pursuit - Jolene able to widen stance, load up the back (right) leg, then push into serious right hands down and in. Jen ducking the incoming crosses, getting under 'em - but she's giving up rangy whack to the body courtesy Jolene's slinging left. Midway through, pair of clouting, heavy left hand cuffs takes Jennifer in her breasts: she straightens aghast and SHIPS THAT RIGHT HAND FLUSH! Hewitt on her back in a thunderclap - eyes frowned shut, lips parted - knees up as she tries to fight off the darkness. Blalock strutting sinewy to neutral corner, resting her arms out on the adjacent top ropes, smiling at the side of creaky Hewitt ascent to beat the count. JB wades in lanky - setting up wide: leaning onto left (front) foot, dipping left shoulder to CRANK the hooks in underneath; right hand cocked at chest, ready to deliver the hammer as Hewitt tires under the body barrage.
R9: Jennifer's eyes bleak - she's mouthbreathing, still badly shaken. Jolene stalking - hopping forward in a wide stance, dipping the shoulder to work Jen's midsection, then looking to clean up as Jennifer loosens. Jen trying to shoot-in and hug up: Blalock doing a much better jab getting her hands out, palming up Jen's shoulders and steering her on past with rangy pushing. Midway through, Jolene strafing Hewitt vicious downward rights/licking rising lefts: Jennifer's heavy legs keep her up as she takes a terrible pasting tummy, tits and skull. Bell: Blalock scowling, a little gassed; Hewitt cut at the hairline and badly shopworn, but she's still standing.
R10: Hewitt able to shoot-in, hug up, get underneath and drive Jolene to ropes: Blalock too arm weary to prevent the rush. Sloppy mugging at ropes - Jen squirming to stay on top - clobbering away wide to head; plowing jugs and tummy; clinching and stacking to reset. Jennifer's buttocks a-jostling, sturdy legs a stamping as she struggles to maintain position, denying Jolene center ring. Blalcok sliding along ropes, pushing against Jen, tying her up around the head and arm: once again, JB has a tough time getting Hewitt off her once Jen establishes position. Goes to cards - comes back a one point duke - Jennifer Love Hewitt.
After: Exhausted Jen raises right mitt - she's puffy and busted up, but relieved after a very muscular, heady performance. Blalock blinking back tears: she knows she had Jen on the verge - just couldn't find the off switch. "I forgot about her left hand," Hewitt says ruefully in postfight. "We were doing a good job slipping her right, but those whippy hooks of hers almost had me out to the body. You look at the scoring, and you'll realize that me NOT taking a knee in the 9th won this fight for me. Most bantams would have gone down, but I was able to rally, keep it close, then pull away in the 10th. Like a champion should."