Jennifer Lopez's racy boxing themed V Magazine photo shoot

Jennifer Lopez is ready to fight.

The "American Idol" judge poses in boxing gear for the new issue of V Magazine in a series of racy images shot by famed photographer Mario Testino and styled by former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld.

In the magazine's cover shot, Lopez wears a cropped top and diaper-like groin protector, with a bedazzled jacket slung around her shoulders a la "Rocky." The "I'm Into You" singer has her hands wrapped, and appears ready to throw a right hook.

JENNIFER LOPEZ MAY HAVE HAD WARDROBE MALFUNCTION AT OSCARS

CASPER SMART SAID HE'S 'OVER' OSCAR PARTIES

V magazine/ Mario Testino

Jennifer Lopez poses in boxing gear in V Magazine.

V magazine/ Mario Testino

In one of the images in the magazine, the singer is nude.

In another image, Lopez poses nude, covering herself with her knee and a pair of boxing gloves.

Lopez said that the shoot was highly symbolic for her.

"I've always felt like a tough girl from the Bronx. But I have a soft core," she explained. "I can take a lot of punches and still keep going. Ive been trained like a boxer to go 15 rounds."

The punches Lopez refers to are projects that didn't reach the heights she hoped for -- for example the tepid response to her movie, "The Backup Plan."

"Youre not going to hit the target or the bulls-eye every time. Thats part of it," Lopez says. "At the end of the day, I ! made tho se choices. Ive been in the business now, I dont want to say how many years. You have amazing moments of recognition and success. But at this point in my life, I try to take it all with a grain of salt."

Lopez's tough appearance in V is in high contrast to the star's showing at the Oscars Sunday night, where she stunned in two showstopping dresses, both with deep-plunging necks that showed off her ample curves.