(RETRO BOUT 1970)

Posted by Simguy on Friday, 21-May-1999, 23:17:36

They had been calling Claudia the “Raquel Welch of Italy” for years, and magazine covers hooted “Move Over Raquel” when Claudia burst upon the scene in the late 1960s. Their inevitable collision was foreshadowed by several very public rows, and although their rivalry predated the formal press conference, it was not difficult to see that some inkling of the heat had trickled down to the mainstream press.

Cardinale gave nothing away to Raquel in 1970. Both were exotic, breathtaking creatures, very strong of limb, broadbacked, deep chested, and willful, Both had battere most of the Jet Set into submission by the time of this bout, and neither could bear the thought of defeat at the hands of the other. Raquel wore a dark burgundy bikini with wooden loops at the hips, and came into the fight freshly showered, hair still soaked. Claudia wore a black push up bikini with white frilly lace at the chest, and her cahir up in French curls. Winston Pen would remark in his memoirs that, “two more beautiful women had never stood nose to nose with such intense dislike for one another in their hearts.” The fight took place in a make shift bring on the yacht of Cubby Broccoli, famed producer of the James Bond film franchise.

R1: It became immediately apparent that Raquel had cruel intentions for her foe on this night. Wading into Cardinale, accepting the Italian’s lethal hook on the chin as a rite of passage, Raquel Welch proceeded to batter Claudia Cardinale’s spectacular breasts with no other puroise than to break the young girl’s spirit. Claudia recoiled from Raquel’s fury, and the fight immediately became a series of chases as Raquel put together her famous lanky combinations, stunning Claudia with whipping double left, step-in, and a chopping right to one full cheek, and Cardinale dropped to her panties. Seated with her back to the ropes, Claudia was stunned as Raquel punched her in the forehead, driving down with lefts and rights until a baffled spectator pushed her back. Cardinale rose, staggering, and seemed in a state of disbelief as Raquel pinwheeled in, bashing Claudia’s beautiful face back and forth to the bell, Welch naturally paid no heed, and continued savaging Claudia with wild looping blows until physically restrained.

R2: It was a shellshocked and rubbery legged Claudia Cardinale who came out for the second round. Raquel, having completely stolen the initiative, came out a composed boxer,, and on wide legs, leaned in to hard overhand rights, leaned back with whipping left hooks, and dismantled Claudia in front of the exclusive crows. Claudia seemed windblown, pummeled  from one foot to the other as she tried to cover up, but a double left hook to the jaw busted her out of her guard, and she started dreamily at Raquel in response. Welch took hold of the burnished shoulder of the Italian with her left, and short-slugged her right into the willing mouth of the brunette until once again a “ref” broke the action, Claudia was helpless and dazed, and was not allowed to continue. Raquel Welch never celebrated as crassly, or in as much poor taste in the ring as she did on this night.

Claudia soaked up a vicious beating on this occasion, but would come back strong, handing out losses to many well respected celebs before retiring. This was an anticlimactic fight as Raquel had Claudia beat inside her head before the first round had concluded, As would so often happen in her career, Raquel would raise the level of her game whenever a woman threatened her I n the level of sheer pulchritude, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind who the “real” thing was in the aftermath.

Reposted by Archer 2.25/10