Before: Durance the most polished, strongest-bodied of the HMK ingenues, announcing herself with a thudding beat down of well-regarded Liz Rohm and talking big in the aftermath of that fight.

"It ain't bragging if you back it up," Erica grins. "I meant what I said about Laetitia, and I'm not saying anything other people haven't said. Casta's been damaged goods for a long time now - she's there to be taken. The last thing she needs is a fight with a young, strong, future champion, but she's stepping up. We could be seeing the end of an era in this fight. Hopefully!"

Casta stewing - sheer insolence of Erica galling to the internationally reknowned beauty. Laetitia confident as always, but she's had some housecleaning to do - dismissing members of her entourage who openly expressed doubts about this fight.

"They were defeatist," 'Tish says of the former friends and confidantes, "they were expelled. Ms. Durance is not in my class and I shall prove it."

La-Tish in red bikini, Erica in red jockey cotton top, royal blue bottoms, punching ponytail.

During R1: Tish lands a jamming right over Erica's left shoulder first minute - Durance rocked, knees buckling: welcome to the FCBA. Casta bending her knees, snap-snatching tight lefts and rights off Durance's firm frame - Laetitia bringing her hands back quick, keeping her hands free, methodically putting mileage on brunette legs. Erica's back to the ropes all three minutes - she covers up well, turning to take blows on her obliques, but unable to mount any offence as Casta sends a message via bell to bell shutout.

R2: Good hammer and tongs back and forth - both beauties mixing it up midring in power-punching distance. Slight counterclockwise rotation as both girls look to get right hands. Good body work back and forth - both girls snatching up chunks of belly with robust hooks and wide rights. Good blocking defence - neither girl wants to leg out and look a runner - they're standing in the pocket, covering up, keeping chins tucked and looking to answer strong everything the opponent offers.

R3: Erica's turn: SHE lands that short, jamming right hand over the shoulder, carrying her weight into LaTeesh - Casta staggering to her right. Durance jabbing like she's stamping Casta with a brick - pounding pokes drive LC ropeside - Durance squares away to work. Casta hands at the temples, rotating her torso, trying to blunt the incoming: Erica working hard but professionally, paying 'Tish back for every body shot. Durance nice and tight, keeping the right hand at her chest or cheek when she hooks, twisting her hips, good strong balance. Punishing beatdown avenges the first round - Casta all touched up: girls chest up at the bell and get into it as ref takes a hand.

R4: Laetitia bosses Erica around every second of this heat: masterful display of boxing/punching. 'Tish stepping to either side in the first minute, piecing out her jab, sliding back and luring Durance forward. Second minute - Casta starts getting that blunt right hand on Erica's chin - french girl leaning in with her shoulder behind it, sending a spray of sweat from Durance's skull with each jarring impact. Blasting potshots coming one at a time - but you can see it adding up in Durance's backside and legs - she's starting to look weak-kneed. More pounding rights and a clawing, meanspirited hook in the flank hound Durance at the ropes down the stretch. New girl's got a chin and a heart to go with it - she doesn't go down, but Casta pounds away to a 10-8, pushing up off Erica at the bell and favouring her with a steamy glare of satisfaction.

R5: Gut check for Erica during the break - left eye swelling shut, she's hurt, corner settling her down, asking her to box for a round, get her legs back. Durance showing that fine, thudding stick, pre-empting early Casta rushes - enough so Lateesh becomes more thoughtful, patient in her stalking. Girls touching each other up and down with exploratory jabs, circling, menacing one another. Down the stretch, girls fall in and it's Laetitia getting that stubby right hand on the jaw - Durance nearly taking a knee as she folds into Casta's arms, gets wrestled to the ropes at the bell.

R6: Casta heaping on another shutout - accumulative effect starting to dismantle plucky Durance. Tasty, tangy body shots - Casta licking away both hands, bringing her mitts back quick, going at her girl all along the ropes. Casta slamming away those short right hands - hard punch to see for the crowd - Casta getting her body in behind it and immediately smothering Durance' receipt. Down the stretch it all adds up - another of those crunching rights lands upside Erica's head, unhinging her legs - crowd squeals as Smallville beauty skids helpless along the ropes, hitting corner before she can go down. Time runs out on Casta as she's walking in to clean up - she blows Erica a saucy air-kiss as Durance reels on the turnbuckle.

R7: DURANCE BANGS BACK! Erica feeling like she's taken Laetitia's best punch - Durance wades in looking for similar short rights and it's brutal give n' go midring. CASTA'S SHOOK! La'Tish staggering away from a chopping clout on her jaw, recovering just in time to take another clubbing Durance right on her chin. Casta reeling into the ropes, eyelashes fluttering, head lolling, but she digs in. Second minute a vicious siege as Erica pins her ears back, Laetitia punching-with out of a tight guard: slugging stalemate. Down the stretch, Durance beats Casta to a right on the chin, beats Casta to the comeback left - LaTish starting to droop, momentarily out on her feet - Erica picks her up a GORGEOUS left uppercut. Casta brushed back upright against the ropes, hands limp at her chest - she's defenceless and DURANCE GOES ALL IN! It's Evander/Tyson - Durance banging away tight rights and lefts - Casta windblown, buffetted from one foot to the other, facing groggy into haymakers. Bell sounds - Durance lands an extra right hand - ref jumps in - it's chaos!

R8: Laetitia not all the way back - Durance gets back on and grinds the French girl along the perimeter. Casta shabby, walking to her right, hands up, shying away from hard contact - Durance hungry, right hand at her temple as she chops jabs to Casta's lead shoulder and face, then leans in to get those murderous short right hands on the chin. Casta fighting in spots, but she's hurt - veteran starting to clinch, buying time for weary legs to recover. Durance doing yeoman's work to the waist and chin, working Casta up, down and ALL over - she leaves Laetitia trembling at the bell.

R9: ERICA POURING IT ON LATE! Durance eating up the stagger, closing on Laetitia, outpunching her as the girls fall in, walking her down as Casta wanders away on stilt-stiff legs. Casta lumping up nicely, hands up around her tender face, lips set in a grim pout - cheeky newcomer putting her mitts all OVER Laetitia and loving it. Crowd on it's feet in the last minute - Casta stupid with punishment, bent forward, on the verge - Durance just ladling on the hurt - bashing away across the offered back, reefing up into the sides, bodying Casta upright to work her jugs. Durance breathing hard at the bell, shouting in Laetitia's face: blinking incomprehension from Casta as she sways on the spot.

R10: CASTA BRAWLS BACK! Girls committing to right hands all night long - Laetitia wins a series of come-together collisions to send Durance staggering away all wobbly butt. Erica grimacing, trying to clear her head - she covers up at the temples on the ropes, hunkering down as Casta gets another chance to finish. Beatdown: Casta grimly tugging at the waist with brawny lefts and rights, dipping her body side to side to pull in maximum leverage. Casta picking up Durance' proud tits, intentionally breaking the newcomer's will. Casta curling in tight right uppercuts, putting hooks on top - Erica crossing her arms, swaying back and forth with the abuse, just riding it out. 'Tish muscular late, driving up into Erica's throbbing lungs with short, thumping right hands - poor Durance stricken, helpless to prevent it. Casta rides Erica hard, putting crop to haunch feverishly to the bell, but she just can't get her out of there. Shriek of triumph from an emotional Laetitia as she chests up and blows back Durance' hair: Erica battered, stunned just stands there. Comes back UD10 narrow - Laetitia Casta.

After: Casta pumping her fist and stomping around, vindicated by the decision. Erica shaking her head, rolling her eyes - feeling clearly robbed. Both girls badly beat up, shiny with hurt - tough, tough brawl goes to the highly motivated french woman.

"Look at her," says Casta in postfight, "I beat her to a pulp, non? She will think again before mouthing stupidly for the press."

Durance hardly contrite in her comments. "I beat her in the ring," claims a scalded Erica, "she beat me under the table. I know a pay-off when I see it: this is bullshit. Anybody could see I shrugged off her biggest shots, then rolled her up HUGE over the last half. She was just hanging on at the end - you had to be blind not to see the devastating effect of my right hands on her."

Also had to be blind not to see Laetitia romping wild in the 10th, but who's got the guts to tell Erica that?