Before: Richards suddenly in demand as a result of her hubby-stealing, best-friend-backstabbing escapades: may not have been a cynical publicity ploy, but Denise able to translate the attention into a Casta fight as promoters jump on board. "I'm not going to talk about my personal life," Denise demures at the podium, "but I'm definitely looking forward to sequestering myself in camp and giving Laetitia the fight of her life. Training is a refuge for me now - the only problems I have are OUTSIDE of the ring." Casta asked to speculate on things that Denise won't - French vixen pulls no punches. "Denise is a whore," Casta shrugs. "A tramp - nothing more. I shall wring points from her when we fight - as though she were a dirty wash-rag. Then I shall toss her away and move on to finer rags." Denise in white bikini top, shades-of-blue splash print sportkini bottoms: Laetitia in elegant dark chocolate bikini, brass ring connections.

During R1: Casta defensive, hands up, palms out as she scoots along the perimeter: plenty of hustling pressure from Denise early. Richards crouching, working behind a range-finding jab and directing her attack to Laetitia's chest and ribs - American looking to break French vixen down to the body early. Laetitia showing leg, using the ring - not answering back much, but doing a nice job of stringing Richards out, not letting Denise square away and work in a sustained fashion. Casta complimenting her leg with tactical clinches - not too proud to fold Denise to her chest, sink into the ropes and await the ref's tugging break. Shutout Richards - Laetitia managing the fury early, obviously just drawing some vigour out of her foe in the first.

R2: Casta to work, settling down now, jabbing Richards hard up top to get a little respect. Laetitia flat footed, operating midring - she's following up her jab with swift right hands (blocked), then cashing in thick, spanking hooks firm to Richards' ribs. Body blows softening Richards a smidge, loosening her up - midway through, Casta breaks pattern, doubles up the hook into a short left uppercut mitt-splitter and DENISE TAKES A KNEE! Casta strutting away with a prim little smirk: Richards up quickly, but frazzled as she takes 8. Casta patient, sees Denise isn't terribly hurt - French beauty working behind her jab, methodically punching Richards' head back - just getting the American groggy, used to getting hit and cooperating to the bell.

R3: Casta in a nice calm, stepping rhythm - she'll step to either side in leisurely fashion, jab stiffly while keeping the right at her cheek - just sound technical fundamentals. Richards scuffing up under hard poke, but game - she's jabbing back in spots, ticketing hopeful right hands for Laetitia's proud chin. Casta with adroit management of her foe's body - beating Denise to right hands as girls close, then getting hands on Denise, clinching her firmly, controlling her for ref's breaks. Stop and go stuff, very deliberate, heavy handed action - Laetitia dictating to Denise, systematically breaking her down through 3.

R4: More Laetitia - cool execution, nothing rushed or hurried - she's jabbing Denise very well, closing with her, outpunching her on the approach, then clinching to smother the receipt. Denise too accepting of the clinches, just relaxing into Laetitia's arms and awaiting the break - Richards not working as hard as her corner would like as fight proceeds at a very pro-Laetitia tempo.

R5: Similar stuff - Richards not getting slaughtered exactly, but she's clearly being managed and systematically punished: a very thoughtful, professional outing from Casta so far. Laetitia always up early on the strength of her jab - Denise starting out the rounds a little punchy, a little defensive - Casta always retaining initiative and always doing the clinching after bagging additional points on the approach. D all lumped up, sullen: Casta refocuses on the body via a short, swiping hook to put effective miles on Richards' legs in the fifth.

R6: Casta continuing to execute: jabbing, circling, working the body, testing the chin, clinching to reset the counters. Richards moping, frowning - she's just walking into Laetitia, taking punches, then almost grateful for the warm clinch - Denise not her usual hard-working self tonight as Casta's class really apparent. Richards IS taking a good punch however - Laetitia able to score the odd right hand or firm left uppercut to chin, but not moving Denise - Casta smart to keep clinching after lighting her foe up.

R7: Richards' corner finally gets what they've been asking for: hard work from Denise. Denise jabbing-with Laetitia, disrupting Corsican rhythm a little - little more free-swinging lilt to the action sees Casta finally accept right hands on her chin. Unable to clinch, Laetitia takes her bicycle, stepping outside on Denise and circling, showing Richards an easy, loping gait. Once again, Denise unable to square up and lavish punishment on her foe - Richards wins the round on aggression, but she's not accumulating much in the way of quality hurt on her girl through 7.

R8: Did someone say 'quality hurt'? D takes advantage of a sloppy Casta clinch attempt - bumping 'Tish back with a left shoulder in the chest, hooking Casta's mouth tight, then POUNDING her a right hand on the mouth as Laetitia's backpedalling. CASTA'S HURT! Laetitia hits ropes wide-eyed, quickly covering up: first time tonight, Casta's butt-in-ropes; D able to square up and heave-ho. Richards lambasting the Casta flanks and back with rude, clubbing abuse - Denise really fitting in punches snug behind 'Tisha's elbows, bending French chassis around the blows. Casta groaning, reaching for Denise's hips to tie up, but Richards won't have it - reaching under Casta's questing arms to chest her into ropes, then getting back to work. Good bell to bell hound-and-pound, Denise on Laetitia - Casta covering up, soaking shellack rides out the best Richards round of the night thus far.

R9: Denise confident, on the attack - she's jabbing well while scooting forward, sticking Casta face and body both. Laetitia chased to ropes, hands up, blocking and rolling punches, then looking to ease Denise into warm clinches - Richards falling into these traps, but not before buffetting Casta about her head and shoulders. Pressure from Denise; good management from Casta - Laetitia hounded from corner to corner along the ropes, but Richards can't quite land as flush and beefy as she'd like. Down the stretch, Laetitia stepping right along the apron, pawing her jab at D, luring her in and BEATING HER TO A HUGE RIGHT HAND! Casta timing Denise, leaning in and down with a stupendous cross: Richards waves her right over the top, nearly sprawling, but staggering instead face-first into ropes as girls reverse positions. CASTA'S ALL IN! Laetitia finally lets her hair down, unleashes with passion - she's sloshing in lefts and rights in wide, lugging arcs, swaying her torso side to side to haul in the harm. Richards' turn to show some heart: she covers up face-in-gloves, cowering under the assault but refusing to give in to it. Bell: Laetitia's chest heaving, mouth open; Denise swooning, but defiant, trying to woozily chest up on her tormentress as ref moves in.

R10: Casta controls Denise - nothing flashy, nothing big - just the same sort of cool, professional, suffocating work that's had D under wraps from the second round on. Casta's jab a standing ovation tonight: taut, spanking, rigid - really banging back Denise's face and discouraging her. Casta taking advantage of D's defensive crouch to hook American ribs - nice splattering heft as Casta twists her hips, lays solid licks in over Richards' right hip. Casta timing D coming in with the short right hand, then tieing her up - Richards again relaxing in Casta's embrace, not fighting it, just waiting for the ref's break. 'Tish easy-breezy to the bell: she massages Denise for UD10 wide in a no-nonsense duke.

After: Casta showing Snow-Queen presence and poise tonight, just taking Denise apart brick by brick, dictating terms and dominating in comprehensive fashion. Tish rugged when she needed to be, weathering the one really threatening storm Richards was able to exert in the 8th - other than that, just another day in the office as Laetitia shows she can win somewhere other than the Ice Hotel.