23 April 2005 (Title) Ch Britney Spears vs Jennifer Connelly

Before: Connelly the best, most consistent bantam over the last year or so, but coming up short in title fights - is she the Buffalo Bills of the FCBA? "I think that's a good assessment," Britney says simply. "Jennifer is an excellent fighter, but she's mentally weak. Jen Connelly's a choker: there, I said it. When the spotlight gets hot, some of us thrive, some of us wilt - Jennifer can't handle the pressure of a title fight, and this time will be no different."

Connelly boiling at Britney's enunciation of what everyone's been whispering behind Jennifer's back - she's sick of it. "I'm guaranteeing a win over Britney, and I'm taking her titles," Jen states flatly. "No excuses. Spears will quit before I choke - that's a promise!"

Spears in lime green bikini, Jen in hot pink push up and panties worn by Raquel Welch in 1967's 'Bedazzled'.

During R1: MONSTER HOOK PUTS BRITNEY DOWN! Spears in second gear, reaching to touch gloves at the open - Connelly steps into Spears' chin instead with a vicious biting rip - Britney sprawled on her back and staring as crowd roars to it's feet. Brit stiffly up, drowsily taking 8 at the ropes and ON COMES JEN! Connelly right at her jaw, jabbing to stabilize, dropping the hard right cross, back underneath the hook. Jen tapping the left uptop against Brit's guard, then whistling the hook in under Brit's elbow - mopping up thick right hands in over Britney's left hip. Blonde windblown, face in gloves and sponging - she mopes off the ropes, staggering to her right - Connelly stepping-with, pounding away muscular. Midway through, Jenny taps the left up top, digs the hook firm behind elbow - Britney cringes, backs up, face distraught as her gloves come down and SPEARS TAKES A KNEE! Brit breathless, sobbing for breath - Jennifer striding past, looking down with steaming satisfaction. Rest of the way - Jennifer on Britney at the ropes - Connelly mixing it up head and body to complete a thudding pound-down first.

R2: Bad as the first round was for Brit - second might be worse. Spears doesn't go down, but she takes a merciless, relentless shelling along the ropes. Connelly releasing lusty - great bashing lefts and rights from her hips, feet spread wide, weight shifting foot to foot as brunette pulls harm onto blonde. Spears face-in-gloves, trying to ride it out, but crippling body shots bunch her up, drop her gloves and expose her jaw to clout. Jennifer's mitts loud on Spears' meaty midriff, flanks as brunette commits to breaking blonde down to body to open up the head. Bell: Britney lumping up, stunned, wobbly butt back to her corner - could be the worst opening 6 minutes of her career.

R3: Jennifer on with a waving left jab setting up blazing right hands - Spears retreating, reading and reacting - she slips the cross, counters underneath Charisma Carpenter style to Jen's fat-free ribs. Britney flat footed, supple-waisted, stepping back and to either side - she's walking Jen into firm shellack, getting quality touches as Connelly presses to end this thing. Midway through, Britney crouching low slips a Jen right hand - Spears puts the left in Jennifer's belly, doubles the left hook to chin and JENNIFER SPUTTERS AWAY HURT! Connelly with a dazed expression - knees locking up as she stomps down all buzzed - challenger staggers to ropes to collect herself. Deep breath Britney, shoulders up, then she wades in, pushing herself oily onto Jen's torso to spread her out. Jen and Britney, muscling and digging at close quarters - strands of Jen's hair in Britney's mouth - arms writhing, bodies struggling to make the other bear weight. Squirming, clipping shots - Connelly reviving enough to compete, battling Spears even at the bell.

R4: Britney finding a rhythm: flat footed stepping, low, supple crouches, looking to edge in and get off with twisting power at close range. Mostly power shots from Spears, standing up out of her crouch with whistling little hooks or thrusting right uppercuts, all leg. Jennifer hooking back, missing over top, retreating now, trying to buy time and space with her jab. Spears regaining composure, control - threatens Jennifer bell to bell - Connelly sound defensively, avoids major hurt in dropping the heat.

R5: Competitive stuff through 2 minutes: Connelly looking to bounce it outside and work behind a stiff jab. Spears stalking, constantly rotating torso-on-hips - very sleek, lethal looking. Britney will hook Jen in the flank, then bend low - rip the right uppercut, put the hook on top, then bend low again - dramatic head movement making her a difficult target while her legs provide impetus for shocking power in close. Late the round, Britney from a low crouch bumps Jen in the body a tapping right, then doubles the right uppercut to chin - PUTTING CONNELLY WOBBLY BUTT! Jen covering up, stumbling forward hurt - Britney adroit, stepping back and painting Jen's ribcage slicing rights and lefts at the bell. Moist look of resentment from Connelly meets harsh frown of determination from Britney as girls pass en route to corners.

R6: It's all slipping away from Jen Connelly. Britney showing some hopping nimble footwork to the right, then going flat footed to work her torso-weaving, power-punching assault again - she nails Connelly another big time hook on the jaw to stagger challenger in the first minute. On the verge of mental collapse - Jennifer sucks it up, executes like a pro the rest of the way - really finding an extra gear. Connelly pumping the jab, fading back and to her right - she's tracking Brit stick, forcing blonde to make the fight, take the risks. Judges like that gaudy early Spears power - but Jennifer's recovery shows some backbone.

R7: Jennifer halts the Britney rally, and halts it, with vigor. Boxing Britney to a standstill in the first two minutes, Jen goes over to offence late, running a long right cross onto Spears' chin, ripping her a hook to breadbasket to cramp Britney up. More hooks - Jen tearing away with weight on her front foot - poor Britney cringing, buckling forward. Right hands - Jen twisting her shoulders to the left to haul savage righty power into Britney's weeping midriff, then back to the hooks. BRITNEY SINKS TO ONE KNEE! Gasping, choking back tears - Britney takes a breather, right mitt on the canvas as she kneels, sucks it up. Spears beats count at bell - looking parched, gutshot through 7.

R8: Britney battles back! Connelly trying to close the show again - Spears walks her into body shots, squirms mouth-on-shoulder and out-hustles taller girl inside. Britney pulling out all the stops, tugging Jen's head down with the left while tapping right uppercuts to chin and jug; doubling up hooks to liver, doubling up right hands to lungs. Jennifer dukes at cheeks as she edges forward - she goes to Britney's breasts with rip-roaring left and right uppercuts, only to be savaged back in kind as Spears won't back off. Scrappy 8th the best two way action of the fight - both women left ragged, open-mouthed, chests heaving with exertion at the bell.

R9: Jennifer's jab starting to tame Britney, wearing her down, frustrating her spirit. Spears dramatic head movement slower now, easier to track - Connelly just a-steppin' and a-pokin', pounding diligently away on Britney's tender brows. Midway through, Connelly sets down on her underated right cross while Britney's set to receive the hook - shearing blow across the chin swivel Spears' head, wobbles her backside as challenger is hard-pressed to keep her feet. Down the stretch, Connelly has Brit stunned - brunette goes to the body with that withering hook, really beating tummy on Britney tonight, sending her to her stool hurting.

R10: Shutout Jennifer Connelly - almost breezy as she circles, works the jab, fights outside on a waning Britney Spears. Britney grim, determined, but badly broken down at this point - ramshackle pursuit can't cut off the ring as brunette taps jabs, steps to the right, drops right hands with rifling accuracy. Connelly content to keep it midring, turning Britney, touching her up - brunette occasionally edges in off the right cross to mop up one of those thick, shivering hooks in Britney's breadbasket: blonde crumpling forward behind her guard, accepting the bodyshots with sullen resignation. Bell: Jennifer's dancing eyes seek out Britney's tired, lidded ones - non-verbal taunt evident as challenger knows she's just usurped the throne. Comes back UD10 for the winner and NEW bantamweight champ - Jennifer Connelly.

After: Side by side contrast: Jen thrusting her hands high, jumping into the arms of her trainer for a swinging hug - drought broken at long last as Connelly reclaims the crown. Blank expression from dethroned champ - Britney wandering away in a haze, badly treated tonight - stirring rally over the midrounds all for naught as Connelly makes good on her pre-fight boasts. "I've said all along I'm the best," trumpets Jennifer in post-fight, body festooned with heavy golden belts, "and tonight I proved it! I gave Britney the beating of a lifetime tonight - I mean - right from the opening round I could see in her eyes she was quitting, starting to shrivel. I punked this kid to the body like no one has in years, I busted her up, I outslugged her, outboxed her. I don't care who they line up against me now: I'm going to rule with an iron fist. Anyone who faces me at 120 is getting her ass KICKED!"