Before: Don't let the ice queen fool you - Sophie Marceau doesn't like the fact that Casta's the most popular french woman since Bardot. "It is a matter of no consequence to me," insists the self proclaimed 'Most Dangerous Woman in Europe, "I do not fight for the love of the people. What I object to is Laetitia's blandness, utter lack of talent, and lack of elan. A French champion has to have style and I do not see that in Casta." Southpaw Sophie a difficult challenge for orthodox Casta, though pundits agree the lead right can be a useful weapon against Marceau and Laetitia's got it.

Casta in white tankini, hair back, Sophie in pale pink bikini, black shoes and gloves. Parisian crowd wildly pro-Casta - Sophie growing frosty during pre-fight chants of CA-STA! CA-STA!

During R1: Shutout Marceau. Sophie takes the crowd out of the fight with typical precision. Rotating counterclockwise around Laetitia, keeping her right foot outside Laetitia's left, Sophie slides smoothly about the ring, no wasted foot work. Angle for the right hook over Casta's shoulder is there and Marceau's placing a slinging left in Laetitia's chest and mouth for clean points. Casta out of position and missing as Marceau bends at the waist to slip right hands, or calmly slide-steps out of range, using the ring.

R2: Casta on the board. Lats with a basic attack, hands up, jabbing at Marceau's right shoulder to occupy her, then poking in straight right hands up the middle - Sophie getting popped on the chin and forced to regroup. Tactical round as girls try to set up one or two clean punches rather than flurrying in combination - Casta a little better with her footwork, not allowing Marceau's flanking maneuver this round.

R3: Casta diligently plugging home that right hand - just making contact with it, but establishing it nonetheless. Second minute, Marceau times Laetitia's right, stepping in under it and countering with a whip-crack left on the lips - Casta's head snaps back and she's wobbled. Marceau squaring away, elbows bowed out to either side as she lashes her follow up punches - right hook, drawing the right elbow back to set up wide left across the face, drawing the left elbow back for another right. Casta battered ropeside, staring as punches bounce off her skull.

R4: Sophie patient, see Casta's recovered, goes back to whittling down Laetitia's nerves with that angular southpaw attack. Sophie taking what's offered, a little belly, that sneaky right hook on the cheek, gliding around Laetitia's left shoulder behind a pesky slapping jab. Casta not shutout, but never able to land with her weight behind blows - she's having problems with Marceau's style, but bearing up well under the punishment.

R5: Shutout Casta. Lapse in concentration sees Sophie cover up on the ropes - Marceau crafty with upperbody moves, gloves up around her head - Sophie blocking and slipping well, but Casta's in charge. Laetitia having her best round, working hard to keep Sophie pinned down, beating the flank with sturdy hooks, trying to pick Sophie up with short, bashing right hands but having no luck. Marceau makes Casta miss a lot, but doesn't make her pay: Sophie can be outworked.

R6: Back to the middle of the ring, back to Sophie in charge. Marceau leading Laetitia around in circles, always one step ahead, batting Casta down with the right jab, clipping her the right hook, melting off to the side. Laetitia fighting will o' the wisp and swinging at smoke - she's still in pretty good shape, lumpy around the left side of her face but sturdy, she just can't get on track.

R7: Shutout Marceau. Sophie starting to impose her will. Marceau nice and easy to her right, pestering Casta with the jab, raking her with right hooks to the ribs and temple. Whenever Laetitia opens up to fire right - Sophie anticipates, fits her cute left hand inside to the mouth, following through into a crouch as Casta misses over the top. Marceau on wide spread legs as she steps - she'll sway in close, lean out, changing distance on Casta, mesmerizing her. Classy, classy exhibition - Casta scuffed up, almost toyed with this round. Marceau insufferable as she sashays back to her corner.

R8: More Marceau craftsmanship. Casta just following, not cutting off the ring, discouraged by her low connect percentage, she's barely throwing at all. Sophie unhurried, circling - she's getting her right hook and stamping straight lefts - when she wants to step out and walk around, she can do that, when she wants to fight, she does. Casta missing or grazing her punches as Sophie seems to catch everything on a shoulder or glove - meanwhile, Laetitia's getting spanked.

R9: Sophie luring Laetitia forward, Marceau leaning her left side into the ropes, right hand down - Casta sees an opportunity to punish her foe on the ropes, walks in and takes the fight's hardest blow on the mouth! Sophie bending in with a slinging left counter, following through low to her right as Laetitia's knees unhinge - Casta's hurt, wobbly butt to the ropes as Sophie reverses their positions. Beat down Marceau - Sophie with her elbows bowed, stroked Laetitia punches. Face and body badly battered as Marceau lathers away, and she's catching Casta nipping elbow tips as she draws her arms back. Ref lets it go - Marceau's been doing that for so many years in France, it's accepted practice. At the bell, Marceau surveys the damage like a fine work of art - Casta reeling, busted up through 9.

R10: Marceau putting the finishing touches on Casta. Sophie dropping her jab down with a hammer delivery, trying to pull Laetitia's left mitt away from her face, then fitting the left hand onto Casta's jaw. Laetitia stumbling forward, trying to maintain defensive integrity, getting cuffed and buffetted. Marceau with a right hook in the ribs, little right uppercut, right hook on the eye has Casta stumbling, Sophie marauding, pressing to finish and CASTA DRILLS HER A CLEAN RIGHT HAND! Tomohawk blast on the chin, Laetitia's right shearing just inside Marceau's left and SOPHIE GOES DOWN! Marceau reclining her back OUT COLD! It's KO10 Laetitia Casta!

After: Casta conquers Europe with her most dramatic performance ever, finally solving the puzzle of Sophie Marceau with a single blockbuster right. "It's been a while since I've had to rely on my power," says a badly worn but happy Casta in postfight, "but I had no choice. I could not find her and I was so far behind, my corner just said 'move your hands, hope for the best' and the best happened!" Crushing loss for Sophie the most heartbreaking of her career. Laetitia's success internationally and now a triumph over Sophie at home - it's too much for the proud Marceau to take.