21 Apr 2001 (Title) Ch Carrie Ann Moss vs Charlize Theron

Before: Carrie Ann unhappy with the Bell comparisons in the media: "We've both held Charlize Theron's broken body in our arms - that's about the end of the similarities," Moss quips. "Cat's a cutey, but anyone who's seen us both fight knows that I hit much, much harder. When I sparred with Theron in the past, I'd have her hurt and on the way out, but her trainers always called time to let her recover. I'm not predicting a knockout - but to stretch Charlize, defend my title by leaving her helpless on the canvas? Sure, I want that." Theron non-plussed by Carrie's new 'tude: "The belt's gone to her head - people who aren't used to titles can get like that. Look, Carrie's a hard puncher, and she can box a little bit, but all this stuff about her beating on me in the gym is crap. The truth is, she's a brunette's brunette: sturdy, durable, there to take punches and give the fans a few rounds - that's it. She caught me flat last time out - I'm 100% better this time and it'll be a completely different experience." Theron in white bikini, Moss in navy bikini, singlet halter style top to a high neck.

R1: Action! Moss charges the mound, pounds straight right hands to the body, come-back left hooks on the chin and backs a stunned Charlize Theron into the ropes in wild opening seconds. Theron staring in disbelief as Carrie Ann clips her once, twice, three times with hooks on the chin and CHARLIZE IS HURT! Moss bodying Charlize into the ropes, butting Theron hard in the mouth, then going to the body with murderous lefts and rights - Charlize cringing, trying to clinch - it's like Moss is beating away on a sack filled with fine China: crunch, crunch, crunch. Midway through, Theron gets her arms in under Moss's and levers the brunette off balance, spinning off the ropes, then luring Carrie across the ring. Charlize sliding back, picking Carrie up with swatting left hooks across the face, then Moss tackling Theron into the far ropes. Charlize tieing up brilliantly, spinning her foe, then opening up the canvas, slowly establishes order by fighting in reverse. Moss walking straight in, anxious to finish her hurt opponent, but Theron nickling and diming, leading Carrie back and forth across the ring, biting at her face and eye with hooks. Down the stretch, Charlize touching Carrie with lefts at will, has her girl measured, and catches Moss walking in with a pounding straight right between the eyes. Moss goes wobbly butt, stooping forward and Theron slaps her face to the side with a short hook, drops in another HARD right hand on the eyebrow and MOSS GOES DOWN! Carrie Ann up at the bell as the crowd goes wild - Moss back to her corner wobbly butt - Theron back to her corner wincing and getting ice on her ribs - THAT'S entertainment!

R2: Moss busting up around the eyes, but she barrels straight in once again, leading with the spearing right to the ribs, and Theron fades hurt to the ropes. Charlize flat footed, still hasn't shaken off the punishment from the first and Carrie HEAPS it on. This is great work to the sides and belly of Charlize - blonde covering up, stooping forward in shock as Moss reloads and cranks with her whole body behind the shots. Midway through, Theron simply takes over head to head. Brutal toe to toe exchanges - Charlize' corner screaming at her to box - Theron intent on backing her girl up and landing 2 for every 1. Round finishes up on the opposite ropes - Carrie Ann's back hard against the strands as Theron chugs away with lanky lefts and rights to the midriff as the ref jumps in after the bell.

R3: Moss loves the flat footed pace, finding Theron early with a clubbing overhand right on the eye that has the blonde dazed. Charlize with pouty lips, puffy eyes, just lays in - Moss's blistering hook in behind the blonde's protective elbow is buckling Charlize' knees, and Moss adds the right hand chop onto the face as Theron starts to wander. Charlize hunching forward, arms in tight - she occasionally dips to the side and welts a punch up into Carrie's body, but the brunette is inside the jab, working Theron over in the trenches.

R4: Charlize catches a second wind, gets onto her toes and starts to make Moss miss. Theron well outside, using her legs nice - Carrie turning, not punching, just trying to cut off the ring. Charlize banks a good breather round - finally getting out of a stanza without getting banged up.

R5: Theron slowly imposing her will, her style. She's dancing more, dictating to Carrie, making Moss move her feet and chase. Carrie outside has her moments, but she can't put punches together and she can't jab with Charlize. Another tactical round to the challenger.

R6: Shutout Charlize Theron. Pretty stuff from the blonde - she's clouting, poking, slapping with a variety of jab looks - Carrie straightening up as Theron touches her face at will. Charlize dancing left, will stop, step to her right, then drop right hands over Carrie's left shoulder - not the A fastball, but these are clean, crisp connects for which champ has no answer. At the bell, Charlize cuffs Carrie Ann's sullen butt cheek, sending her to her room without dinner.

R7: BANG! Charlize goes down! Girls just walking towards each other, Theron starting to bounce, and Moss gets over with a gambling right hand from Nebraska that sweeps the challenger to her butt. Charlize up quickly, more surprised than hurt, and puts on a boxing clinic to win the rest of the round clean. Moss' left eye pounded shut this round as Theron cruelly goes to work on it with the stick - Carrie grimly walking into punishment as the follows Charlize around.

R8: Again, early desperate fireworks from Carrie as she launches rockets from her hips - Charlize legging out of range, shamefacedly running to frustrate Moss, then going back to work on the eye with that pool cue jab. Down the stretch, a series of straight one-twos on the eye proves Carrie can't see the incoming - her legs buckle at the bell - ref takes a long hard look at that eye during the break.

R9: Charlize reads the weakness and bounces a cruel lead right off the left side of Carrie's head to open the round. Moving to her right, scorching one-twos into Carrie's face, Theron is at her cruel best. Moss undone - staggering forward, just can't see the punches, can't get off, doesn't know what to do. Punches add up as Charlize starts to set down on the right hands, step right, one-two, step right, one-two - Moss unravelling. End of the first minute - a hard right hand caroms off Carrie's temple, finally unhinging her knees and the brunette flounders helplessly against the ropes. Theron surging in, letting her hands go - swiping across Carrie's sweaty gut with set-up hooks, clouting across the chin with savage right hands AND THE REF STEPS IN! It's over! A sobbing, wobbly butt ex-champ goes out on her feet as Charlize Theron bounds around the ring in triumph - TKO9 Charlize Theron.

After: Moss heartbroken on her stool, can't stop the tears - surprise visit from Charlize, concerned hug and words of encouragement from the blonde, it's unexpected respect and tenderness given the harshness of the hype coming in. "Look, I beat her up and stopped her," explains Charlize in the ring afterwards, "but she gave me a true, hard fight - there's no hard feelings here. Yes, she had to pay for lip, but she paid in full and it's over. I think she knows who's the boss now."