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Before: Cat Bell magnanimous, scoffing at the notion that a Casta title defence can't be sold in the US, "That's a crummy reason to shut Laetitia out of the title picture," says the champ. "With a percentage of the world-wide rights, we'll do good numbers with Casta - this ain't pro bono work by a long shot. Laetitia's the most improved fighter in our division - I thought she won the Theron fight and I'd love to test my skills against her." When asked about what it'll take to best Casta, Cat doesn't mince words: "It's my job to victimize Laetitia with the jab. I may hurt her with power shots, even take her out, but it won't happen unless I'm beating her to death with the stick first. From what I've seen, you absolutely have to box Laetitia."
Laetitia ecstatic at the unlooked for opportunity: "It is a dream situation for me," says the French beauty. "Not only am I fighting for the title, but I'm fighting the best American fighter in the sport - I wouldn't want to win a belt any other way. I know with Cat Bell, the fight will be judged fairly and I do not necessarily have to knock her out to win, but I must be dominant if I wish to take a decision from her."
Cat in electric blue bikini - Laetitia in two toned bikini lingerie - black in the back, leopard print in the front, slick, high ponytail. Girls touching gloves like pros - no cheap theatrics here.
During R1: As promised, Cat sporting a classy stick early. Bell working out of a high guard, banging the stick to Laetitia's forehead, stepping left. Casta bobbing, stalking, but not really getting off in the first two minutes - it's a Cat Bell clinic. Final minute - Laetitia's timed Cat's jab - French woman crouching and countering UNDERNEATH as Bell brings the mitt back to her temple expecting the cross. BOOMING right hand heart punch draws a gasp of shock from the champ - Cat staggering backwards with a hurting 'O' on her lips and Casta's crouching forward. Rifle-shot right hands from the shoulder to Cat's chest, rigid hooks in Cat's sternum - champ shabby against the ropes, she's forced to clinch as Casta scores with vicious stamping blows. Laetitia steals a Bell round and leaves the American wobbly butt in the first.
R2: Bell's the champ and shows why with a boxing shutout. Cat staying composed, spearing the jab, marking up Laetitia's pretty face, pivoting crisp to the left and turning the French woman. Casta looking for more right hand counters, but Bell's crossing her up, sometimes leading with straight rights on the mouth, coming back with a cracking hook on the jaw - Casta taking a good shot as she continues to stalk forward, making the fight.
R3: Cat to midring first again, setting the pace with the stick - it's really humming now, spanking sharp off Casta's face before she can weave it. Bell noticing Casta scuffing up, getting a little woozy - champ starts dropping sudden, sizzling rights on the chin - Casta soaking up bombs, legs quivering as she covers up hurt, moving too late. Bell patient, circling, putting withering right hands on target but down the stretch - Casta slips the quick Cat cross, swivels into a smooth left hook counter and BELL'S legs give a shake. Cat looks to clinch - Casta stepping back in good order bounces her fists off Bell's flat tummy - Cat's hips recoil, face blank and boozy, arms outstretched. Laetitia lathering away with hooks to Cat's shoulder, beating champ in a semi circle to the ropes then squaring up. Casta pretty as she works Cat over, touching up with either elbow extended, then cuffing or swatting short lefts and rights body and head.
R4: Laetitia shiny from Cat's persistent jab, Bell wincing and looking a little haggard - Casta's gotten through with a lot of lumber early. Crisp professional action for two minutes, both women working behind smart, cruel jabs, both hooking jug and chin, looking to mop up with short right hands. Down the stretch - Casta beats Bell to a firm hook on the chops - Champ on her heels looks to get her balance back with her jab, but Laetitia anticipates. Casta weaving low and POUNDING in underneath with that ramrod right counter heart punch - Bell's legs giving at the knee - she barely rights herself, but she's sobbing-hurt, hands at her temples. Casta smart on follow up, going right at Bell's immobilized body - thumping punches bounce loud off Cat's waistline as the brunette stoops forward stunned, unable to answer back.
R5: Smart, hard nosed boxing - girls jabbing, stepping around each other, but nobody's looking to be cute: both are committed to hard punching off the stick. Chins proving sturdy as right hand blasts pile up, bodies proving stubborn as hooks bite into ribs and bellies without buckling legs. Bashing two way exchanges in sharp sequences - who wants it more? It's Laetitia Casta working harder in the final minute, surprising Cat with the hook off a feint right hand and backing the champ to the ropes at the bell.
Cat Bell vs Laetitia Casta conc.
Posted by simguy on 12/7/2002, 8:41 am
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R6: Bell jabbing to restore order, but Casta parrying well, using the right mitt to deflect, then countering almost immediately with swinging hooks to the midriff. Cat getting banged up and at the end of the first minute - Laetitia puts a hook in the sternum, right hand on the chin to send Bell wobbly butt to the ropes! Second minute a brutal pasting - Casta punching out of a square stance, using her shoulders and elbow to touch up and jostle, beating Cat about her hips, jugs and temples with clubbing, short strokes - Bell covering up in shock, taking the beating of a lifetime. Final minute one of the best of Laetitia Casta's career. She's on top, scrubbing, working, bullying and Cat starts to break down. Bell reaching to clinch - Casta stampedes to the jugs with both guns blazing, stacking Cat up straight at the ropes and bending into a GLORIOUS right hand on the mouth. BELL SWOONING, out on her feet, tying up high on Laetitia while giving away that statuesque body to a chugging two fisted assault. Laetitia piling on to the bell - Cat in stupor, sitting into the ropes, eyes blurry - she's helped to her stool. Bell getting worked on during the break, camera's on her when she tells Syren, "I thought I was out that round..." Scored 10-8 without a knockdown.
R7: Cat badly busted up, but still a grim warrior - she's getting off first, pounding the jab off Laetitia's guard and face - Bell making Casta pay for territory. But Laetitia's doing a lot of things well - she's slipping jabs, hammering right hand counters to the body and left hand counters to the chin. She's slipping right hands, coming back with hooks. Cat dominating for stretches, but she's flinching whenever Casta moves. Down the stretch, it happens: Bell working methodically, rolling up a shutout, when Casta slips the stick, smoothly counters over the top, swivels Cat's head to the side and drops the champ to her back in one fluid motion! Bell lifting her head off the mat, body stiff - she somehow beats the count, but she's reeling at the bell - Casta steals ANOTHER Cat Bell round with sudden power. Laetitia's expression intense, concentration marvellous - she's turning away from Cat at the conclusion of these rounds, stomping back all business to her corner and anxious for the next to begin.
R8: Bell wins that first minute as she has all night long, but Casta jabbing her girl to the body cuts off the ring and starts dropping crashing rights to the upperchest and mouth. Bell backpedalling now, unable to read Laetitia's right hand - is it going for the heart? The ribs? The chin? Laetitia banging away, reducing Cat's legs to rubble as the champ staggers and reels around, constantly hurt.
R9: Cat trading right hands, both girls shaken, but Bell winning the race to follow up with the hook, forcing a rare Casta retreat. Midway through, Laetitia's back to the ropes for the first time in the fight - Cat staying on her from outside, spotting the jab to the body and head, bending into short rights, mopping up with jagged hooks in the stomach. A sudden Cat change up catches Laetitia looking: right uppercut nails chin flush - Casta sits into the ropes stunned - gut check for the challenger as Cat opens up. Dreadful pounding on the ropes - Casta earmuffing and digging in, Cat heartless as she tries to make up the stagger, lathering away to the bell.
R10: Syren holding Cat's face in her hands, "You need this round big baby. Hurt this girl." Bell flat footed midring, spearing her stick into Laetitia, hurling the right hand to the chin. Casta showing unexpected defensive skill - fading the champ's right, rolling away with it, stepping out to walk around, forcing Cat to give chase. Laetitia safety first, walking Cat into the odd walk-away jab, or stop-and-drop right hand, but never allowing the champ to set up shop. Bell frustrated as she tries to walk her challenger down, but can't bring decisive battle. Comes back UD10 for the winner and NEW LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMP: LAETITIA CASTA!
After: She had to be dominant and she was: Casta dropped the exchamp, beat her up, busted her up and had her hurt in almost every round. Panning camera catches a livid Charlize Theron mouthing obscenities into a cell phone like a Roger Clemens imitation, right hand pulling at gold curls. Cat Bell got the lead pipe taken to her tonight - eyes swollen near shut, face puffy and sore, torso achy and stiff from Casta's surprising body work. A gracious champ hugs Laetitia mid ring, shaking hands with the French woman's corner despite the heartbreaking disappointment.
"Where to begin," says the deposed queen, "As much as I respected Laetitia coming in, I have to say I underestimated her. The heartpunch! We had not seen that in any Casta film - I mean, we trained to defend the right hand, but I was bringing my hands back high - I had no idea she would hurt me to the body. And she hooked my body well - those shots in the solar plexus were crippling and when I adjusted to them, she started getting through with the cross. It's not that she hits harder than some girls I've been in with, it's that she gets the right hand through, even when you're looking for it. I give her all the credit in the world - she's the better woman, tonight."
Casta smiling as she listens in - means a lot to her to hear this kind of thing from Bell. "Catherine is still a champion in my eyes. She took an unbelievable pounding from me tonight and still won the last round - there is no one like her. I am so glad she has given me this chance and I will continue to spread around the opportunities. To me, any top ten lightweight is deserving of a title shot and I will not be a stingy, fearful champion." In the following days, Charlize Theron is quoted in BLONDE! magazine: "I told Cat privately not to make the Casta fight, but she wouldn't listen. Laetitia fought me to a draw - ME. What did those TE clowns THINK was going to happen?"
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