6 Oct 2006 Jennifer Connelly vs Debrah Farentino


Jennifer Connelly 12.jpgDebrah Farentino.jpg

 

Posted by simguy on 10/6/2006, 7:03 am

 

Before: Debrah hits paydirt early in comeback: former champ Jen Connelly hears her name spoken by way of comparison with Ms. Farentino, doesn't hesitate to make the fight. "I've never heard of her, but I guess I should be flattered," Connelly smiles in prefight. "I'll probably take a round or two to suss her out, but with a woman her age - usually an anaconda strategy is best: work her body, make her feel the years, gradually pick her apart as she breaks down. I see some bo-tox work - that means deb's facial tissue is weakened: she'll probably cut at some point if I'm diligent with my jab. And I'm always diligent."

 

Farentino drawing reporters from film-buff/sci-fi mags in addition to the usual array of fight-scribes: Deb's got a small, cult following after a long career on U.S. television. "Obviously, this is the biggest fight - the biggest opportunity - I've ever had," admits Debrah at the podium - showing veteran calm and poise. "Jen's at the top of her game and really - my team hadn't foreseen a fight of this magnitude emerging for me - but how could I say no? Some of you may feel I'm outgunned - that I'm too old, too shopworn, or that even in my prime I was never in the class of a Jen Connelly - but I'll tell you what: this is for Paula Trickey. For Brandy Ledford. For Deborah Unger. Virginia Madsen. Salli Richardson. Lisa Rinna. And a host of other girls who could fight just as well as the big-name women but never got their due. I'm going to fight Jen with everything I've got, and if she only brings a portion of what she's got - we could see history made in this fight!"

 

Jen sporting more designer looks from Liz Hurley's Swimfight line: a tight, white, clingy cotton dancer's shrug (scoop front, cropped snug beneath the jugs, sleeves to the elbow) over a white bra (straps visible in the scoop-reveal); white tie-side bikini bottoms; white fur-lined boxing mukluks with fur pom-poms; white gloves; slick battle braid. Farentino in baby blue lace push up, navy panties, tan UGG boxing boots, tan gloves.

 

During R1: Jen relaxed, dukes up, keeping right hand high as she probes her jab; Debrah pushing off ball of right toe, thrusting her jab and doubling it, scores to Connelly's face, pivoting left as Jen steps out, assesses. Jen repelled once, twice more trying to edge her way inside - Farentino scowling, pumping professional stick, sidestepping clockwise, maintaining distance. Midway through, Connelly gradually influences Deb to a corner: Farentino dukes up, swishes away a rapid shoe-shining flurry up top, baring her teeth as she scrubs side to side - Jen ducks and covers, allowing Deb to escape. Down the stretch, Jen frowning - getting outjabbed by her elegant foe - Farentino able to drop a nice right cross to chin - neatly turning Connelly's head to the right, overtop Jen's chest-high hands. Good tapping contact, straight punches on the outside for the most part - Farentino boxes Jen for a shutout.

 

R2: Connelly unconvinced - doubling her jab up top (blocked) to close: she's aggressively pursuing body. Farentino jabbing back, lips curling off her teeth as she pumps - HER stick finding Jen's face as Connelly's committing downstairs, allowing Deb to sidestep right or left away from pressure. Farentino scowling with concentration - equally nimble as she walks to her right, pivots to her left - keeping that jab on Jen and scoring firm touches. Farentino choosy with her right hand - mostly keeping it cheek-high on defence - but her judgement's good: she'll drop it in off jabs or feints, throwing only when she knows she'll score. Final minute sees Jen finally penetrate inside - both girls immediately toss it hot amidships, slender arms lashing back and forth, propelling thudding mitts against pale tummies. Creeping barrage up both torsos - girls trade hooks to chins and JEN GETS CLIPPED! Delayed effect as Connelly gets clocked - she hovers over her feet for a moment, blinking and hurt as Farentino chooses to disengage. Jen gathers herself, covering up earmuff, lips parted, walking on her heels. Debrah's eyes narrow in suspicion, unable to tell if Jen's feigning hurt - Farentino steps inside to hook Jen's waist a pair of stout licks, then jumps back, circles right as Connelly turns on shaky stems. Shutout Debrah Farentino: whether she believes it or not, she had Jen hurt.

 

R3: Jen lumping up nicely, brow furrowed - Debrah's height, timing and stiff jab proving difficult puzzles to solve. Connelly a little too fixated on body - constantly trying to work her way in there - Farentino able to hang back, pump her stick, walk Jen into right hands or scrubbing flurries, then step to the side. Farentino's punching crisp, tart - she's jabbing at the right times, bouncing her fist off Jen's brows and disrupting Connelly's approach. Midway through, Connelly raises her guard to walk through Debbie's one-two: Farentino weight on front foot places a withering hook directly to sternum, buckling Jen's knees with a breathy grunt. Deb tries a follow up flurry of lefts and rights to the ears - blocked and rolled by Jen - but once again, Farentino's gotten to Connelly with vigour. Down the stretch, Jen following, getting her face punched back courtesy Debbie's classy poke: blood from Connelly's nostril drips onto her clean white top at the bell. Third straight boxing shutout, Debrah Farentino.

 

R4: Jen bats mitts together up off her stool, eyes blazing: she's had enough of this. Connelly hopping aggressively to midring - takes a jab, takes a jab - Farentino effortlessly poking as she pivots left, stepping into her punch, then dragging the left foot as she slides away. Jen turns slugger - winging a looping right hand over top as she crouches - she misses, but Deb leans away, concerned at the sudden violence. Jen crouching lower than she has been, right at her chin, left across her gut - looking to come up underneath Debbie's straight shots. Midway through, Farentino pumping a furious stick - missing over top - Jen steps in low and close, pulling a crashing right hand over top and GONGING Debbie to jaw! Farentino staggered onto her heels, hands at her chest, eyes blinking - she pushes out a panicky right, but her feet are parallel - nothing's on the shot. Jen hops a smidge closer, shooting a grazing right at Debbie's mouth - startling her; Connelly weaves to her right, shifting weight to right foot and SMITING Debrah a flush left hand clapping-loud to jaw. DOWN GOES DEBRAH! Farentino switched off on her feet - eyes closed, body relaxed as she stumbles back into ropes, then collapses to her right side, knees drawn up. Jennifer chest heaving, glaring down: that's KO4 Jen Connelly.

 

After: Farentino proving her class - she was able to box with Connelly, but couldn't fight with her once Jen committed.

 

"Well, I had to switch to plan B," says a scuffed, but upbeat Jen in postfight, hands on hips. "I wanted to break her down to the body, but she was denying me pretty effectively, and my trainer just said 'forget it - take her out'. I knew from the way she was standing and getting off that she was a brittle fighter - her only hope was to box things to a decision - so I totally changed the rules on her. She's pretty and she's good, but she needs to stick to her own kind: she's not built for the A list. Probably why she's not on it."

 

Ouch. Farentino coming around in her corner, bowing her head, elbows on her knees as she stares at the floor: she's absolutely devastated - only thing she remembers is jabbing Jennifer's face - can't quite believe it's all over.