Retro Bout:  Ca. 1971

Posted by Simguy on Friday, 12-May-2000 19:19:49

Before: With the release of "Diamonds Are Forever",  Jill St John would make her mark as one of the decade's premier brawlers in promotional fights for the film, and it wouldn't be long until the tempestuous redhead's success caught the attention of Ms. Welch.1970-1974 is considered the peak of Raquel Welch's storied career--the time when her physical gifts matured, her reputation preceded her into every bout, and her fighting attainted a kind of mythical beauty that is still unrivaled today. For all that, St. John was one of the few opponents who came into her  Welch fight believing in her heart that she was the better woman. Purple bikini from "Diamonds Are Forever" for  St. John, dark wine bikini from "Lady in Cement" for Raquel.

During R1-2: Raquel would play matador for Jill St john;s bull in these rounds, constantly side stepping one wild rush after another from Jill as the redhead seemed intent on stampeding thebrunette into punishment by the most reckless means. Welch's balance and footwork were superb in these rounds, allowing her to tag the oncoming St. John with whipping lefts or short right hands, then slip to the side, potshotting the redhead for long stretches of each round without receipt of any kind. As one-sided as the scoring was however, Jill remained unrepentant, and committed to running the buxom champion out of the ring.

R3:  Bit by bit, Jill St John had narrowed the distance getting her gloves onto Raquel's ribs and chest and by the third the two women were exchanging blistering shots to one another's torso's and chins. Midway through the round, Jill came forward behind a torrid barrage of lefts and rights to Raquel's waist, sending the brunette to the canvas with a grian as St. John bellowed in triumph. At the ropes, Raquel got gingerly to her feet, and thre final minute was abrutal Gene Fulmeresque-type bludgeoning from Jill: She leaned in on Raquel with her weight on her toes, clubbing her left onto Welch's jaw and sinking the right hand sidearm into Raquel's stomach. Smeared along the ropes, the champ could only grit her teeth and take, ducking under her foe after the bell, prompting referee intervention, and to the delight of the crowd, had succeeded in dazing a bewildered Raquel Welch with sheer ferocity.

R4: Raquel knew she was in for a legimate test and dhow St John the stick this round, slapping the left against Jill's jaw and moving clockwise to turn the redhead at midring. St. John fought with bared-teeth intensity, often grabbing for Raquel and holding and hitting until the ref could break. Welch managed to keep her distance and win the round, but St. John looked the aggressor, once again bundled off by the ref at the bell while she poured a stream oif taunts at the surprised brunette.

R5: Raquel came out to get her challenger's respect this round, proving once again why she was the favourite. Stepping to the left, swaying in and out, Raquel beat a tune on Jill's face, slapping lefts and rights against the cheeks and mouth of her foe, then leaning back as St. John missed. By the midway point, Raquel was putting together precise 3 punch combinations, ending the bursts with hard left hooks on the teeth, or straight right hands to the forehead that left St John staring. by the final minute, Jill's courage had had gotten the best of her: she bent forward, hands low, fielding Raquel's cruel salvoes against her exposed face, and Welch indulged, pounding her foe groggy with whip action double lefts and that straight driving right. By the bell, St. John appeared to be out on her feet, and this time it was Raquel pushed back by thre ref, leaving a shiny-faced St. Jiohn to wander helplessly mid ring until her corner could collect her.

R6: Jill St. john responded like a wounded animal, allowing Raquel to come to her and walk onto the fight's hardest punch: a crushing short right hand to the ribcage delivered as St John ducked under a looping raquel right. Stunned, Raquel would stagger in pain to the ropes, and an agonized war of attrition broke out both girls fighting hurtl, mouths lolling on shoulders as punches lifted up and into bellies and breasts. Raquel was adept fighting off the ropes as any girl in the game, and chewed Jill up with swatting lefts and rights inside, but St. John's hammer fisted power carried the round. Both girls staggered to their corners in punch drunk shock after six.

R7: Once again, Jill St. John bore a ragged Raquel Welch to the ropes hammered her way into the brunette's torso with crude but heavy lefts and rights, and Raquel faded under the onslaught. Protecting her head, Raquel soaked up a vicious cudgelling to her hips and ribs, turning her body as Jill banged away, then leaned in with her head and lead shoulder to push Welch back. Welch with only the occasional short right uppercut inside, simply crumpled as St.. John got off with banging one-twos in and around the brunette's elbows.

R8: Raquel got her second wind and git off the ropes this round, circling Jill, flicking that artful left jab into the redhead's face, then slasing doiwn with short right hands which pounded hard against Jill's forehead and eyebrows. St. john broke down almost immediately, reaching pathetically for Raquel and walking into disasterous punches. Stepping backward. Welch slapped a wide left, shirt right hand onto Jill's teeth and the redhead tumbled to all fours all but finished. Raquel was shocked to see St. John clamber the ropes, and even more surprised to see the ref let the action continue, but she did not shirk her task. Raquel Welch's fists beat open a gash over Jill St. John's left eye as she licked straight lefts and rights against the redhead's face, calmly circling to the left as Jill stumbled after her.

R9: Welch's legs finally showed signs of fatigue as she stood flat footed in front of Jill, both girls with their gloves at their stomaches, reaching and pushing punches into one another's jaws and jugs in tortured late action. Welch got the better of it, but St. John could not be discouraged, once again warned for hitting after the bell as an exhausted Raquel Welch covered up against bthe ropes, waiting for the ref to act.

R10: All Jill St., John as she remained stubborn to the last, totally convinced that she could take Raquel Welch out. Putting her head on Welch's chest, Jill began a thumping assault, driving simple test of wills--Jill pushing Raquel back with a left on the shouoder and clouting in the right--Welch desperate to clinch or slip as St. John could not be fought off. The redhead stayed on the brunette, keeping her shoulder or hands on Raquel, clubbing short right hands to the chin, stomach and jugs, driving Welch along the ropes from one corner to the next. In the last minute, Welch began to flutter in and out, lolling sleepily against St, john then getting shoved back, and taking another right hand and finally, Welch slid down the redhead's hip to lie on her side in what looked for all the world like a miracle late round KO. Somehow, a dazed and battered Raquel Welch would come to, climb the ropes, and beat the count as the bell sounded, leaving oth women shellshocked and ruined in the aftermath. The decision came back a heart rending squeaker in favour of Raquel Welch, who let the ref hold her hand limply in the air as a stunned Jill St. John wanderd drunkenly to her coner, eyes swollen shut. and mouth open in hsock at the announcement.

After: How Raquel ever climbed off the canvas to survive this bout was the stuff of legend and certainly enchanced her reputation when stories of this epic war began to circulate. St. John was traumatized by the decision and humbled by the ounishment she herself had sustained. and would embark on a rollercoaster career that would forever be haunted by the memory of how close she had come. Although now thought of as inconsistent, and a but of an underachiever--for one night at east. Jill St. John stood and fought the best there was toe to toe and took Raquel the distance in a classic test of wills.

Reposted by Archer 7/15/11.