Before: Story is the light weight title itself - belts proving exceptionally fickle as girls are dethroned almost as fast as they are annointed. "The lightweight title has always been bitterly contested," notes one FCBA historian, "but now we're in a period were everyone believes it's 'their time'. Nobody's getting beat at the weigh-in: every challenger seems to be bringing her A game to the dance and unseating a former challenger who had previously done the same thing to someone else."

Casta in position to break the trend - she enters a slight favourite based solely on quality of recent comp and a solid overall game that's finally gaining some recognition. "I have respect for Halle from the neck down," breezes the champ. "From the neck up - it's another story. One has only to tap that fragile chin of hers to produce devastating results. I shall be stalking her to conclusion."

Halle in tangerine 007 bikini, Laetitia in royal blue bra style bikini, white fleur de lis print.

During R1: Tactical first decided by Berry's busy, pre-emptive combinations. Halle not standing in front of Laetitia - brushing and batting down on her then scooting to the side. Casta blocking well upstairs as she crouches forward, patiently whittling down the ring, trying to get her jab onto Halle's chest to fix her in position.

R2: More chessmatch - girls trying to unhinge each other's comfort zone. Berry won't let Laetitia trap her ropeside, batting down palms-open and spinning into open space as Casta leans forward. Laetitia using her jab well to help cut off the ring, negotiating Halle to the corners. All goes tragically wrong late for Casta - she steps in, eats a chopping right counter on the cheek and while she's funky-stepping on the spot - Berry turns southpaw, lights her up the lead right uppercut while falling off to the right side. CASTA GOES DOWN! Laetitia sputtering to all fours, face-first in a corner - she climbs the ropes to get up, but seems baffled. Halle steps in and lets those bantam-quick hands go: shredding flurry to the bell has Laetitia numb, covered up and taking at the bell.

R3,4: Disciplined, classy Halle Berry shutouts - despite some success to Laetitia's chin, challenger doesn't go crazy. She's still using her legs, sliding around either Casta flank, letting her hands go in slashing combinations. Laetitia can front-up on her girl, but she can't get off - French woman forced to cover up and take a pelting to her head and shoulders. Most of it's arm-punching shoe-shines, but Berry's occasionally moving to a spot and walking Laetitia into firm right hands, targetting those big French baguettes and the chin with icy determination.

R5: Halle pretties Laetitia up. Berry with her hands low, legs in command of the fight at this ring - she'll step to a spot, pointing either shoulder at Casta, give a feint, get a reaction, then leap in a popping lead left uppercut/swinging right hand to get Casta stomping back on her heels. Laetitia shellshocked - she's biting on feints, thinks she's covered up well, but Berry's finding the openings and landing ruinous leather. All around the ring, Halle loosening Laetitia up with bone-jarring power shots, nimbly walking the champ into destruction. Incredibly, Casta starts punching back in the final minute, refusing the shutout and showing Berry's punch may be more sizzle than steak. Still, that's Halle's round big.

R6: Berry still TEARING it up - Casta starting to wear down under savage, pinpoint power potshots. Berry hands low, trusting her legs and upperbody movement to keep her out of trouble while she circles, edges in, gets off hard. Berry lighting it up all across the board, rolling away from Casta right hands, coming back batBAM the left hand, right cross. Stepping left, clipping the little come-along hook under Casta's chin, stopping and drifting the right hand across Laetitia's drowsy face. Casta covers up, bends forward at the waist - Berry leans in and helps herself with a thumping two-gun burst to the belly. Berry stepping out, flicks and insolent backhand jab across Laetitia's breasts, just to get 'em swinging. Flashy, effective shutout swells up Laetitia's eyes, bloodies her nose, loosens her knees and gets scored 10-8 without the knockdown.

R7: Casta trudging forward, now banking exclusively on right hands, but Berry's defensive anticipation is maddening. Halle always able to step out and lean back in time, turning certain destruction into grazing leather. Berry taking a little off the fastball offensively - happy to shine away on Leatitia's tummy or hook-and-pivot to the side. Touch and don't get touched: that's Halle's motto.

R8: Casta breaks up the no-hitter. Laetitia still has fight in her after 7 rounds of Berry whitewash. Casta getting back to basics, fixing Berry with the jab in the chest, throwing the right hand even if it misses and coming back with an honest hook to finally force Berry to the ropes. Laetitia doing good work, pressing up Berry, holding her stationary against the strands and clubbing away on the girl's shoulders and buxom chest.

R9: Casta trying to build some late momentum, but Berry grabs it all back. Outside, Berry untouchable as she dances left, spitting jabs, stopping and dropping big right hands onto Casta's banged-up face. At the ropes, Halle lures Casta in, points that left shoulder at Laetitia and proceeds to counter the crap out of her in a series of bracing exchanges. Casta wide to the arms and shoulders of her foe - Halle rolling expertly, picking Laetitia up tuff under the chin with either hand until French trunks start to wobble. Casta tasting blood as Berry's fists find chin again and again - this is dazzling counterpunching off the ropes. Berry lifting her mitts and letting a demoralized Laetitia hear it after the bell: Halle celebrating one round early.

R10: Casta coming out determined - she's been hit with Berry's biggest shots in this fight and still has enough to make a late charge. Fizzles after a minute - Berry's legs still bouncy, still in charge - Laetitia just hasn't done enough to take those babies out of the fight. Halle taking no chances, skirting the perimeter, flurrying lightly to dazzle the judges - she legs this thing out to the bell, dropping her mitts and slipping a series of poking Casta jabs at the end to make her point. Comes back UD10 wide for the winner and NEW lightweight champ - Halle Berry!

After: Casta all puffy and sore, disconsolate as her gloves are removed: she's not going to enjoy studying tape of this disasterous fight. Berry bouncy, alternately bawling, laughing, jumping in her corner - she totally dressed Laetitia Casta up tonight. Halle may not be the biggest hitter in the division, but when she's landing her power stroke so consistently, it's hard for a girl to make headway - Casta simply hammered into submission, unable to turn things around. Berry unapologetic in postfight.

"Hell yeah I ran up the score," says Halle. "Laetitia's a dangerous fighter - when I had her hurt, I heaped it on. I just told myself, 'she may not drop, but she's going to suffer', and that's what happened. I just kept her nice and numb all night long. Oh baby - LOOK at these belts! They're ALL mine!"