Post by Archer on Jun 9, 2018 18:40:29 GMT -6
I am sorry that I have not had the time to retype many old Halle Berry stories from my paper files. Alas, I have lost touch with my former source FightFan and with my own story writing I have not had the time. Nevertheless I do want to share 3 of Halle's fights that I was able to prepare. Thank you for your interest and my apologies for the wait.
Archer
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21 DECEMBER 2001 HALLE BERRY VS JAMIE LUNER
Posted by Simguy on 12/21/2001, 11:05 pm
Before: Berry almost perfect in her last fight—she’s HBO girl, she’s the promoter’s girl—Jamie getting a Bernard Hopkins sized helping of disrespect coming into this contest
.
“Nobody wants me to win this fight,” Luner declares, “they’ve got Theron/Berry all but signed, and they just need Berry to beat someone legitimate, but they’ve made a terrible, terrible. That pageant crap ain’t gonna cut it against me. Halle’s going to have to fight, and I don’t think she’s got it in her.” Berry in yellow bikini, white triangle print—Jamie in black push up and panties.
During R1: Berry jabbing the belly, stepping around Luner, nice and easy, then suddenly clapping a bang-bang left right off either side of Luner’s jaw to leave the red head swooning midring. Berry bouncing away with hands at her sides, cooing as Jamie struggles to get her bearings. And then—nothing from Halle on follow up. Berry clowning, running the ring—Luner shakes the cobwebs, starts walking Halle down, gloves nice and high, chopping out the jab, batting the right side with hooks and setting down on hand right hands that come up just short as Berry leans and dances away. Halle’s sizzle takes the round, but Luner gets her touches in,
R2: Berry showing blazing speed and cocksure footwork—getting off tic-tac-toe as Luner covers up to block high. Halle’s ratatat combo’s pretty, but Jamie doing a good job of picking them up on her guard and once again it’s Jamie making the fight, walking Halle down, steadily beating away at the ribcage and arms of her foe as Berry’s wheels and glides in retreat, offering nothing back.
R3: Another breathtaking first minute for Berry, but Luner rock-steady, covering up, blocking, rolling—Halle arm punching and slapping in order to maximize her speed. Midway through, Luner cutting crisp across the ribs and breasts of her foe, has Berry grimacing, backing straight up and a blasting right hand clocks chin to send the brunette wobbly butt to the ropes. Berry’s turn to cover up and take—Luner much more effective with her follow-up as she PUNISHES the glistening flanks and biceps of her opponent slicing off the body with hamhanded uppercuts that leave a boozy look of hurt on Halle’s spanked face. Berry makes it out of the round, but she’s stagger en route to her corner.
R4: Jamie bringing it to Halle—as promised, she’s making the pageant girl fight. Berry stooped forward, head down behind her gloves, getting battered backwards step by step as Luner advances, lashing rights and lefts to the chocolate body on her foe. All Jamie to the final minute when Berry stands her ground and starts to counter. Luner gets off wide to the body and immediately pays as Halle clips the right uppercut short left hook on the chin. Back and forth like this, Berry just bouncing her fists off Jamie’s face in tight patterns and LUNER GETS HURT! Jamie suddenly wobbly butt has to fall in to clinch—Halle snarling, jamming her right hand into her girl’s body as Luner struggles to keep close.
R5: Role reversal—Luner shaken last round, turns boxer—Halle emboldened, comes forward, eyes glittering mean as she hunts her girls down. Luner brilliant with the stick—polishing Berry up, pivoting to either side. Berry doubling up on her limber left hook, curling it to Jamie’s breadbasket then jaw—some nice exchanges whenever Luner’s back gets close to the ropes.
R6: Jamie continues to work well in retreat, pumping out straight right, hard jabs to the breasts and eyes of her eager opponent. Berry paying the price for being the aggressor—she’s getting chewed up for the privilege of snapping a couple of hooks against Luner’s rigid ribcage. Jamie managing well, comfortably in control after 6.
R7: Halle rediscovers her jab, hounding Jamie to the ropes, then getting after the redhead with sizzling combinations, Rolling lefts and rights to the belly, capped off with cranking hooks across the teeth have Jamie leaning forward to hang on, but Berry won’t have it. Halle fighting through the clinches, body and head—Luner stupefied, reaching for Berry’s shoulders and getting ripped as Halle gets off in bursts. Better, more consistent offense from Berry as Luner suffers, but by the final minute, it’s Jamie brawling her way off the ropes, Jamie backing Halle up. Jamie beating in the brunette’s right side with double and triple hooks.
R8: Jamie has Berry slugging and the crowd is loving it. Brisk toe to toe trading—Hale shredding her prima-donna image to stand in the trenches and work—the girls taking turns splattering one another with harsh 2 and 3 punch combinations. Down the stretch, Luner’s backing Halle up—Jamie’s heavy batting hook to the side really we4aring Berry out as Haller grimaces, looks to hold on at the bell.
R9: Halle back on her toes, circling, using the ring—Luner stalking her as roles reverse yet again. Jamie not using her jab as well as she had been, starts getting picked up by a cuffing Berry hooks as Halle nimbly gives ground, and midway through, a shooting to the chin beats Jamie to the punch—nearly bringing the redhead to one knee. Berry stepping to the right reefs at gut from the side with her stroking left hands, but once again. Jamie takes a hell of lick, gathers herself and fights back. Final minute, Berry’s back is to the ropes—she’s rolling and leaning away, as Jamie pounds out the final seconds to the body.
R10: Halle mouthbreathing—eyes hollow—Luner’s getting to her. Jamie stepping forward behind that thudding stick, deeply discouraging Halle as she pokes the brunette into the ropes, then gets after her with numbing body shots. Slashing, vicious blows—Luner wailing away sidearm, biting into Halle beneath the brunette’s elbows as the brunette starts sobbing aloud on impact, Berry bent forward at the waist, buckling—Jamie hammers away at the shiny lower back and steps away as Berry collapses to all fours. Halle shuddering in pain, can’t get off her haunches—it’s KO109 Jamie Luner!
After: Berry broken by one of boxing’s true hard women—Jamie Liner executing a fine game plan to dismantle a very classy opponent. Ley was Luner’s ability to recover from Halle’s sharp punching, and Berry’s lack of follow up at crucial points in the fight—Halle often more concerned with enjoying the view rather thab piling on for a finish. “I want Charlize, definitely,: says Luner in post fight. “Im not atr aklk certain she can beat Estella Warren, but whoever wins that fight needs to deal with me for the championship. I’m tired of Theron’s little games. I’m tired of the network wanting ;one more tune-up’ out of me—let’s get this done.”
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12 JANUARY 2002 HALLE BERRY VS PAM ANDERSON
Posted by Simguy on 1/1/2003, 10:54 am.
Before: Halle clawing her way up the blonde brawler food chain—Pam’s had a lot of good fighters in trouble with her all out free swinging style—she’s slender, but hits had early and goes for broke. Fought outdoors, beach n’ bleachers setting noon day, Southern Cali beach—heavily pro-Anderson crowd getting on Halle with boos and catcalls as fighters are introduced. Halle in black push bra, yellow bikini bottoms, Pam in fuchsia string bikini.
During R1: Pam edging forward, body broadcasting her intention to wing right hands—Halle nimbled-up. Gives the blonde no chance to get off. Classy Berry at her best, couple steps right, then dancing primarily left, jabbing to establish range, ripping off 3 punch combinations to get Pam’s jugs a-jumping, then bouncing out an angle. Shutout Berry, Pam sneering, taunting Halle to “Bring it on
!"
R2: Berry stands her ground top hook at Pam’s inviting breasts, Anderson accepts the jug mugging and wails back with wild swinging lefts and rights—it’s a car wreck midring. Berry clapped to and fro, knocked off stride tries to regroup, but Pam is on her, pinwheeling in with savage fury, chasing Berry to the ropes. Halle closing up her stance, bobbing to slip punches, seems to have the jail break contained, but a looping overhand right smashes passed the guard and Halle’s face goes blank as she sits drowsily into the ropes. On comes Pam—big, sweeping right hands bash face on Halle, clubbing the mouthpiece off Berry’s teeth and dropping her awkwardly tp her hip at the ropes. Pammie’s not done—she kneels down in front of Berry and proceeds to wail away at the stunned brunette with swabbing arm punches—ref finally moving in from behind to hoist Pam up from under the arms. Crazy 8 count issued to Halle who’s clearly dazed, bewildered by the proceedings. Berry digging in at the ropes, shows fortitude by hunkering down to trade toe to toe—Berry very compact, punching with a sexy shoulder shrug as she hammers away to the chest and ribcage of the much wider-swinging blonde to the bell.
R3: Halle’s last stand seems to have taken something out of Pam--blonde comes out with hands low, looking to heave punches, but she’s breathing hard. Berry stepping left, snik-snakking her jab into Anderson’s face, gets the blonde turning and taking. Berry making a nice rea, uses Pam’s forward motion against her—stepping back, walking Pammie into the clipping counter hook—Anderson taking clean punches on chin and not getting off now, starts to break down. Midway through, Berry helping herself with crisp, clean counters and combinations, steps right, steps in with as chopping right on the eye, hooks belly once, twice, then shifts her weight to the back foot to pull a perfect lean-away hook across Pam’s hurting face, Head snap Anderson, P{am sinking boozily to her hands and knees as Halle struts away with hands held high. Blonde can’t get off her palms—KO3 Halle Berry.
After: Nasty, brutish and short—Halle getting dusted early the way so many quality girls have against Pam, and like so many, Berry roars back to victory as the blonde’s slim legs can’t hold up under pressure. Character building bout for Berry—expected to win, but not expected to show heart in the process. Theron’s management actively seeking to pull strings on a Tracy Scoggins/Halle Berry qualifying bout. :The winner there would be a prime candidate for a regal beating from Charlize,” says the cocksure rep, “we’ll even pay her for the privilege.”
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15 MARCH 2002 PORTIA DEROSSI VS HALLE BERRY
Posted by Simguy on 3/15/2002, 9:51 pm
Before: Confidence builder for Halle after several tough losses have Berry teetering on the verge of termination by BSE. “The thing that makes this interesting,” notes one pundit, “is that Berry can’t afford a flat night. She doesn’t have to put on a show—she needs to bang out a W here. There’s a lot of pressure on Halle than there should be in a Portia DeRossi fight—funny things happen under pressure.” DeRossi rejecting the “punchless stringbean” moniker she’s been given and give the blonde credit—she’s lean and hard for this one, in the best shape of her career. Berry in yellow retro style bikini, DeRossi in red string bikini.
During R1: Halle with the right under her chin, left across her belly—she’s brazen, stepping in on Portia aand doubling up to the gut with snappy hooks. Portia doesn’t like the body digs, but she scrubs away on Halle’s available face with pushy left/rights, holding her own in surprisingly straight forward fashion trading. Berry landing more effectively, but comes away with a bleeding nostril courtesy of Portia’s determined face-shining.
R2: Portia chopping her jab into Halle’s face—brunette not moving her head or giving blonde any angles—DeRossi actually sets the agenda this round. Berry trying to pressure Portia into mistakes, but blonde keeps her composure, brushing her fists furiously back and forth across Halle’s face whenever Berry gets close. By middle minute—Portia’s shoeshining Halle ragged. Walking the brunette into brisk lefts and rights and BERRY GOES DOWN! Halle stumbling to all fours as DeRossi skips away—Hale shaking her head, surprised at the damage done. Berry takes her 8 and stomps forward determined to get it all back, but Portia continuing to fight well in retreat, picking Berry up with scrubbing one-twos, turning Halle at the ropes and hurting her late with swabbing accumulation at the bell. Berry busted up, wide eyed and shaken, gets read the riot act during the break.
R3: Berry finally using her legs, stepping to the right, being first with her jab to the blonde’s spare chest. Halle staying safety first—looking to bring Portia’s connect percentage way down before mounting any more offense. DeRossi falling off the pace—When Halle sticks and moves she’s too classy for this fight.
R4: Berry back in control—circling counterclockwise, darting in and out with the jab to the belly or chest, hooking off the jab-It’s pretty stuff when it works. Portia getting progressively more beat0up—midway through she crumples as Berry doubles up with a tight hook to breadbasket, punching hard and crisp off that front foot, Portia’s hurt, baring her teeth—she can’t pull the trigger and finds her back against the ropes down the stretch as Berry delivers the shutout.
R5,6,7: Halle imposing her will in this fight. Hook starting to tear up Portia’s belly—she’s cringing and buckling as Berry dips and digs when biting doubled up delivery. Halle also able to step right then dart in with the sudden slinging right on the ear, cuffing Portia sideways with startling pop. DeRossi on shaky legs, has her moments, but she’s arm punching, not committing on the punches—Halle’s able to walk through blonde offerings and break her girl down in these rounds.
R8: Portias sharpens up, executed beautifully to halt the rout with crisp shutout this round. DeRossi beating Berry to the jab, pounding away on the brunette’s left eye, stepping back to lure Halle into those nuisance scrubbing left/rights on the face—Hale stumbling slightly as the punches add up. Portia showing a nice step to the right herself, keeping her jab on Halle with a stiff, chiseling motion—brunette not moving her head and taking too many shots. At the break a sullen Halle Berry gets her hair blown back by an irate trainer—no exceuses for Berry to get touched like this by a Portia DeRossi.
R9: Halle responds to the tongue lashing—getting on top with her jab, stepping right, landing the overhand lead right on the jumo in, jumping out with the calling card hook on Portia’s teeth. DeRossi turning, getting rocked—she can’t compete when Haslle doesn’t let her.
R10; PORTIA KEEPS MOVING HER HANDS, POKIKNG OUT WORKMANLIKE LEFT/RIGHTS AND FINDING Halle’s face with some consistency. Berry cranking those hooks across the midsection, intent on sucking the fight out of Portia, and the final minute it’s mission accomplished. DeRossi can’t take any more body shots—she sags into the ropes and gives it up late, sobbing aloud as Berry beats in her flanks with bullying wide rights and lefts. Portia staggering, but upright at the bell, Halle disappointed with herself, nevertheless walks away with a landslide UD10.
After: “She surprised me early,” says a scuffed up Halle in post fight. “She;s not a hard puncher., but she’s accurate and she doesn’t let up. I wasn’t hurt when I went down, but I was dazed. I just took a knee to clear my head, I think I worked out a lot of kinks in this fight—she was suffering badly at the end when I hit my stride and I think that could carry over into my next fight. Kim Basinger, Kelly Hu—whomever my manager puts in front of me, I’m only going to better from now on.”
Archer
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21 DECEMBER 2001 HALLE BERRY VS JAMIE LUNER
Posted by Simguy on 12/21/2001, 11:05 pm
Before: Berry almost perfect in her last fight—she’s HBO girl, she’s the promoter’s girl—Jamie getting a Bernard Hopkins sized helping of disrespect coming into this contest
.
“Nobody wants me to win this fight,” Luner declares, “they’ve got Theron/Berry all but signed, and they just need Berry to beat someone legitimate, but they’ve made a terrible, terrible. That pageant crap ain’t gonna cut it against me. Halle’s going to have to fight, and I don’t think she’s got it in her.” Berry in yellow bikini, white triangle print—Jamie in black push up and panties.
During R1: Berry jabbing the belly, stepping around Luner, nice and easy, then suddenly clapping a bang-bang left right off either side of Luner’s jaw to leave the red head swooning midring. Berry bouncing away with hands at her sides, cooing as Jamie struggles to get her bearings. And then—nothing from Halle on follow up. Berry clowning, running the ring—Luner shakes the cobwebs, starts walking Halle down, gloves nice and high, chopping out the jab, batting the right side with hooks and setting down on hand right hands that come up just short as Berry leans and dances away. Halle’s sizzle takes the round, but Luner gets her touches in,
R2: Berry showing blazing speed and cocksure footwork—getting off tic-tac-toe as Luner covers up to block high. Halle’s ratatat combo’s pretty, but Jamie doing a good job of picking them up on her guard and once again it’s Jamie making the fight, walking Halle down, steadily beating away at the ribcage and arms of her foe as Berry’s wheels and glides in retreat, offering nothing back.
R3: Another breathtaking first minute for Berry, but Luner rock-steady, covering up, blocking, rolling—Halle arm punching and slapping in order to maximize her speed. Midway through, Luner cutting crisp across the ribs and breasts of her foe, has Berry grimacing, backing straight up and a blasting right hand clocks chin to send the brunette wobbly butt to the ropes. Berry’s turn to cover up and take—Luner much more effective with her follow-up as she PUNISHES the glistening flanks and biceps of her opponent slicing off the body with hamhanded uppercuts that leave a boozy look of hurt on Halle’s spanked face. Berry makes it out of the round, but she’s stagger en route to her corner.
R4: Jamie bringing it to Halle—as promised, she’s making the pageant girl fight. Berry stooped forward, head down behind her gloves, getting battered backwards step by step as Luner advances, lashing rights and lefts to the chocolate body on her foe. All Jamie to the final minute when Berry stands her ground and starts to counter. Luner gets off wide to the body and immediately pays as Halle clips the right uppercut short left hook on the chin. Back and forth like this, Berry just bouncing her fists off Jamie’s face in tight patterns and LUNER GETS HURT! Jamie suddenly wobbly butt has to fall in to clinch—Halle snarling, jamming her right hand into her girl’s body as Luner struggles to keep close.
R5: Role reversal—Luner shaken last round, turns boxer—Halle emboldened, comes forward, eyes glittering mean as she hunts her girls down. Luner brilliant with the stick—polishing Berry up, pivoting to either side. Berry doubling up on her limber left hook, curling it to Jamie’s breadbasket then jaw—some nice exchanges whenever Luner’s back gets close to the ropes.
R6: Jamie continues to work well in retreat, pumping out straight right, hard jabs to the breasts and eyes of her eager opponent. Berry paying the price for being the aggressor—she’s getting chewed up for the privilege of snapping a couple of hooks against Luner’s rigid ribcage. Jamie managing well, comfortably in control after 6.
R7: Halle rediscovers her jab, hounding Jamie to the ropes, then getting after the redhead with sizzling combinations, Rolling lefts and rights to the belly, capped off with cranking hooks across the teeth have Jamie leaning forward to hang on, but Berry won’t have it. Halle fighting through the clinches, body and head—Luner stupefied, reaching for Berry’s shoulders and getting ripped as Halle gets off in bursts. Better, more consistent offense from Berry as Luner suffers, but by the final minute, it’s Jamie brawling her way off the ropes, Jamie backing Halle up. Jamie beating in the brunette’s right side with double and triple hooks.
R8: Jamie has Berry slugging and the crowd is loving it. Brisk toe to toe trading—Hale shredding her prima-donna image to stand in the trenches and work—the girls taking turns splattering one another with harsh 2 and 3 punch combinations. Down the stretch, Luner’s backing Halle up—Jamie’s heavy batting hook to the side really we4aring Berry out as Haller grimaces, looks to hold on at the bell.
R9: Halle back on her toes, circling, using the ring—Luner stalking her as roles reverse yet again. Jamie not using her jab as well as she had been, starts getting picked up by a cuffing Berry hooks as Halle nimbly gives ground, and midway through, a shooting to the chin beats Jamie to the punch—nearly bringing the redhead to one knee. Berry stepping to the right reefs at gut from the side with her stroking left hands, but once again. Jamie takes a hell of lick, gathers herself and fights back. Final minute, Berry’s back is to the ropes—she’s rolling and leaning away, as Jamie pounds out the final seconds to the body.
R10: Halle mouthbreathing—eyes hollow—Luner’s getting to her. Jamie stepping forward behind that thudding stick, deeply discouraging Halle as she pokes the brunette into the ropes, then gets after her with numbing body shots. Slashing, vicious blows—Luner wailing away sidearm, biting into Halle beneath the brunette’s elbows as the brunette starts sobbing aloud on impact, Berry bent forward at the waist, buckling—Jamie hammers away at the shiny lower back and steps away as Berry collapses to all fours. Halle shuddering in pain, can’t get off her haunches—it’s KO109 Jamie Luner!
After: Berry broken by one of boxing’s true hard women—Jamie Liner executing a fine game plan to dismantle a very classy opponent. Ley was Luner’s ability to recover from Halle’s sharp punching, and Berry’s lack of follow up at crucial points in the fight—Halle often more concerned with enjoying the view rather thab piling on for a finish. “I want Charlize, definitely,: says Luner in post fight. “Im not atr aklk certain she can beat Estella Warren, but whoever wins that fight needs to deal with me for the championship. I’m tired of Theron’s little games. I’m tired of the network wanting ;one more tune-up’ out of me—let’s get this done.”
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12 JANUARY 2002 HALLE BERRY VS PAM ANDERSON
Posted by Simguy on 1/1/2003, 10:54 am.
Before: Halle clawing her way up the blonde brawler food chain—Pam’s had a lot of good fighters in trouble with her all out free swinging style—she’s slender, but hits had early and goes for broke. Fought outdoors, beach n’ bleachers setting noon day, Southern Cali beach—heavily pro-Anderson crowd getting on Halle with boos and catcalls as fighters are introduced. Halle in black push bra, yellow bikini bottoms, Pam in fuchsia string bikini.
During R1: Pam edging forward, body broadcasting her intention to wing right hands—Halle nimbled-up. Gives the blonde no chance to get off. Classy Berry at her best, couple steps right, then dancing primarily left, jabbing to establish range, ripping off 3 punch combinations to get Pam’s jugs a-jumping, then bouncing out an angle. Shutout Berry, Pam sneering, taunting Halle to “Bring it on
!"
R2: Berry stands her ground top hook at Pam’s inviting breasts, Anderson accepts the jug mugging and wails back with wild swinging lefts and rights—it’s a car wreck midring. Berry clapped to and fro, knocked off stride tries to regroup, but Pam is on her, pinwheeling in with savage fury, chasing Berry to the ropes. Halle closing up her stance, bobbing to slip punches, seems to have the jail break contained, but a looping overhand right smashes passed the guard and Halle’s face goes blank as she sits drowsily into the ropes. On comes Pam—big, sweeping right hands bash face on Halle, clubbing the mouthpiece off Berry’s teeth and dropping her awkwardly tp her hip at the ropes. Pammie’s not done—she kneels down in front of Berry and proceeds to wail away at the stunned brunette with swabbing arm punches—ref finally moving in from behind to hoist Pam up from under the arms. Crazy 8 count issued to Halle who’s clearly dazed, bewildered by the proceedings. Berry digging in at the ropes, shows fortitude by hunkering down to trade toe to toe—Berry very compact, punching with a sexy shoulder shrug as she hammers away to the chest and ribcage of the much wider-swinging blonde to the bell.
R3: Halle’s last stand seems to have taken something out of Pam--blonde comes out with hands low, looking to heave punches, but she’s breathing hard. Berry stepping left, snik-snakking her jab into Anderson’s face, gets the blonde turning and taking. Berry making a nice rea, uses Pam’s forward motion against her—stepping back, walking Pammie into the clipping counter hook—Anderson taking clean punches on chin and not getting off now, starts to break down. Midway through, Berry helping herself with crisp, clean counters and combinations, steps right, steps in with as chopping right on the eye, hooks belly once, twice, then shifts her weight to the back foot to pull a perfect lean-away hook across Pam’s hurting face, Head snap Anderson, P{am sinking boozily to her hands and knees as Halle struts away with hands held high. Blonde can’t get off her palms—KO3 Halle Berry.
After: Nasty, brutish and short—Halle getting dusted early the way so many quality girls have against Pam, and like so many, Berry roars back to victory as the blonde’s slim legs can’t hold up under pressure. Character building bout for Berry—expected to win, but not expected to show heart in the process. Theron’s management actively seeking to pull strings on a Tracy Scoggins/Halle Berry qualifying bout. :The winner there would be a prime candidate for a regal beating from Charlize,” says the cocksure rep, “we’ll even pay her for the privilege.”
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15 MARCH 2002 PORTIA DEROSSI VS HALLE BERRY
Posted by Simguy on 3/15/2002, 9:51 pm
Before: Confidence builder for Halle after several tough losses have Berry teetering on the verge of termination by BSE. “The thing that makes this interesting,” notes one pundit, “is that Berry can’t afford a flat night. She doesn’t have to put on a show—she needs to bang out a W here. There’s a lot of pressure on Halle than there should be in a Portia DeRossi fight—funny things happen under pressure.” DeRossi rejecting the “punchless stringbean” moniker she’s been given and give the blonde credit—she’s lean and hard for this one, in the best shape of her career. Berry in yellow retro style bikini, DeRossi in red string bikini.
During R1: Halle with the right under her chin, left across her belly—she’s brazen, stepping in on Portia aand doubling up to the gut with snappy hooks. Portia doesn’t like the body digs, but she scrubs away on Halle’s available face with pushy left/rights, holding her own in surprisingly straight forward fashion trading. Berry landing more effectively, but comes away with a bleeding nostril courtesy of Portia’s determined face-shining.
R2: Portia chopping her jab into Halle’s face—brunette not moving her head or giving blonde any angles—DeRossi actually sets the agenda this round. Berry trying to pressure Portia into mistakes, but blonde keeps her composure, brushing her fists furiously back and forth across Halle’s face whenever Berry gets close. By middle minute—Portia’s shoeshining Halle ragged. Walking the brunette into brisk lefts and rights and BERRY GOES DOWN! Halle stumbling to all fours as DeRossi skips away—Hale shaking her head, surprised at the damage done. Berry takes her 8 and stomps forward determined to get it all back, but Portia continuing to fight well in retreat, picking Berry up with scrubbing one-twos, turning Halle at the ropes and hurting her late with swabbing accumulation at the bell. Berry busted up, wide eyed and shaken, gets read the riot act during the break.
R3: Berry finally using her legs, stepping to the right, being first with her jab to the blonde’s spare chest. Halle staying safety first—looking to bring Portia’s connect percentage way down before mounting any more offense. DeRossi falling off the pace—When Halle sticks and moves she’s too classy for this fight.
R4: Berry back in control—circling counterclockwise, darting in and out with the jab to the belly or chest, hooking off the jab-It’s pretty stuff when it works. Portia getting progressively more beat0up—midway through she crumples as Berry doubles up with a tight hook to breadbasket, punching hard and crisp off that front foot, Portia’s hurt, baring her teeth—she can’t pull the trigger and finds her back against the ropes down the stretch as Berry delivers the shutout.
R5,6,7: Halle imposing her will in this fight. Hook starting to tear up Portia’s belly—she’s cringing and buckling as Berry dips and digs when biting doubled up delivery. Halle also able to step right then dart in with the sudden slinging right on the ear, cuffing Portia sideways with startling pop. DeRossi on shaky legs, has her moments, but she’s arm punching, not committing on the punches—Halle’s able to walk through blonde offerings and break her girl down in these rounds.
R8: Portias sharpens up, executed beautifully to halt the rout with crisp shutout this round. DeRossi beating Berry to the jab, pounding away on the brunette’s left eye, stepping back to lure Halle into those nuisance scrubbing left/rights on the face—Hale stumbling slightly as the punches add up. Portia showing a nice step to the right herself, keeping her jab on Halle with a stiff, chiseling motion—brunette not moving her head and taking too many shots. At the break a sullen Halle Berry gets her hair blown back by an irate trainer—no exceuses for Berry to get touched like this by a Portia DeRossi.
R9: Halle responds to the tongue lashing—getting on top with her jab, stepping right, landing the overhand lead right on the jumo in, jumping out with the calling card hook on Portia’s teeth. DeRossi turning, getting rocked—she can’t compete when Haslle doesn’t let her.
R10; PORTIA KEEPS MOVING HER HANDS, POKIKNG OUT WORKMANLIKE LEFT/RIGHTS AND FINDING Halle’s face with some consistency. Berry cranking those hooks across the midsection, intent on sucking the fight out of Portia, and the final minute it’s mission accomplished. DeRossi can’t take any more body shots—she sags into the ropes and gives it up late, sobbing aloud as Berry beats in her flanks with bullying wide rights and lefts. Portia staggering, but upright at the bell, Halle disappointed with herself, nevertheless walks away with a landslide UD10.
After: “She surprised me early,” says a scuffed up Halle in post fight. “She;s not a hard puncher., but she’s accurate and she doesn’t let up. I wasn’t hurt when I went down, but I was dazed. I just took a knee to clear my head, I think I worked out a lot of kinks in this fight—she was suffering badly at the end when I hit my stride and I think that could carry over into my next fight. Kim Basinger, Kelly Hu—whomever my manager puts in front of me, I’m only going to better from now on.”
