Posted by Simgrrl on 1/6/2003, 5:49 pm/

Retro Bout: Ca, Mid-1960’s

Before: In the mid-1960’s Tina Turner was still pretty much obscured by the shadow of husband Ike, a notorious wife beater. With her musical career in the US faltering, Tina was becoming a star in Europe. Now Ike has Tina in Hollywood, putting his 24 y/o wife on the fight circuit to raise her US visibility. Although Ike’s enjoyment at watching women brutalize one another is well documented, Tina goes along--perhaps because she enjoys hitting another women?

Mitzi Gaynor’s film career was pretty much over by this point, the victim of Hollywood turning their back on the musicals nthat has been their cash cow for more than two decades. Now in her mid-30’s, Mitzi was trying to re-establish herself in Hollywood as an actress after becoming a legendary singer/dancer in her Las Vegas shows. Stepping into the ring and strapping on leather seemed to be the only way  Mitzi could show she still jhad the mental toughness to get film work.

Fight held on the MGM backlot on an outdoor sound stage under a  broiling Southern California summer sun before several dozen talent scouts, low-level movie execs, a few producers and three or four “B” movie directors.

Both women in two-piece outfits, Mitzi in glittery gold tap pants and halter top, Tina in stark white bikini with a red bow between her full breasts, bottom cut high at the hips to display her thick, powerful legs in all their glory.

Round 1: Mitzi out of her corner confident, but she’s quickly rocked back on her heels by two sharp Tina jabs, then two more and Mitzi suddenly finds her gorgeous butt pinned on the ropes! Mitzi lowers her shoulder and pushes the shorter black woman back to get some room, then punches her way off the ropes! Still, Tina continues to snap the blonde’s head back with a surprisingly effective jab, As the round winds down, Tina gets her jab established, setting Gaynor up for one thumping right hand and then another, Tina seems unawed by the surroundings while Mitzi can’t seem to get untracked; she’s showing a good, stiff jab but no right hand to speak of. Mitzi battered along the ropes at the bell. Slow start for both, but Gaynor surprisingly ineffective in the early going as Tina pockets the early points.

Round 2: Mitzi and Tina meet `enter ring for the second; both seemingly determined to establish her dominance, They go at it with a crowd-pleasing, toe-to-toe beating. Tina  lands to the blonde’s gut while Mitzi swings upstairs and catches the black girl with some good shots. Tina takes the blows well but she’s getting beaten back while still landing some solid punches of her own. Mkitzi scores well towards the end of the4 round as her experience seems to be paying off. She really hurt Tina this round with her fast fists.

Round 3: Gaynor smiling at the start of the third, having gotten herself together in the 2nd and now starts to show her classic footwork as she dances left, snapping her left jab as she loads up the right at her cheek. Tina ducking, bobbing and trying to get inside where her shorter stature may work to her advantage. Midway, Tina slips a Mitzi jab and CRANKS a hard right to the ribs that buckles Gaynor’s strong legs, Mitzi with a deep knee  bend almost goes down, then as she rights herself, Turner lands a whistling keft hook to the side of Mitzi’s face. GAYNOR GOES DOWN! Gaynor, dropped on that sweet can once, then leans back on her gloves looking up at Tina in shock! Mitzi up at six, looking composed. She weathers a storm of leather as both women trade at mid-ring to the bell. Big knockdown in the second minute gives the round to Turner!

Round 4: Tina out fast for the fourth. She knows Mitzi’s hurt and wants to end it sooner rather than later. Mitzi looks like she’s still not recovered--but using her great dancer’s legs to keep backing away. Now that Tina’s shown she;’ got speed AND power, she ducks under a “don’t hurt me” jab from the blonde and hammers her midsection with both hands; stuffing blonde butt back into the corner, When her rump hit’s the turnbuckle, it’s Mitzi’s cue to fight back and she really does! She hit’s a surprised Tina with a huge uppercut, coming up with all the power of her legs behind it. Tina is rocked back and Mitzi keeps it going, firing away with both hands. The blonde has Tina taking and in pain but just when it looks like Mitzi has things under control, Tina duck back inside and sends ripples through blonde body with a big right to the chin that has Mitzi stepping stupid. Gathering herself, Mitzi rights the ship and comes back with some hard punches of her own, but Tina nails her again just before the bell sounds and keeps going; hammering away at Mitzi’s belly and bust ‘til the ref pulls her off the slumping and dazed blonde. Mitzi ambles to her corner, looking disheveled, discouraged and dismayed.

Round 5: Mitzi still not right as she comes out for the fifth but Tina slapping her gloves eager to get some more blonde body. Mitzi tentative, pushing her jab out, weight on her back foot looking to bail at the first sign of trouble, Tina stalking, dips low and RIPS a hard right to the soft solar plexus of the Vegas veteran. Mitzi’s mouth opens in a little pouting “o” as she spits out her mouthpiece and clutches her belly. Tina pushes Mitzi’s shoulder up, half turning her into a sweet right cross. Mitzi cascades to the canvas, first on her pelvis, then belly, raising her butt in the air, The referee waves off the count as it’s obvious she’s not getting up! Shocking KO5 of a tough Euro-vet Tina Turner!

After: As the on-lookers crowd around the ring apron, Tina winks at Ike, Since there’s no security and few executives who care about Mitzi anyway, Tina’s gonna make a statement! She wiggles her toes under Mitzi’s shoulder and rolls her onto her back. The tough black girl swings a leg over Mitzi’s bare belly and sits down on her hips, pulling Mitzi’s arms under her knees to pin them. Tina slaps Mitzi awake, then poses prettily straddling her with one hand on her hip, bosom thrust out brazenly while her other hand is busily “primping” her tousled hair, Then , Tina leans down on Mitzi’s chest, flattening her firm breasats under hands as she bends down and roughly kisses Mitzi==hard, gronding on her lips on the still-dazed blonjde’s. Sitting back up, Tina proudly announces to one and all, “That was Miss Gaynor’s good-bye to Hollywood kiss!”

Analysis: Mitzi hit Tina with all she had and it didn’t really seem to faze her, but Tina was really hurting the veteran blonde with her big shots…some at ringside said later they could hear Mitzi groan whenever Tina nailed her body. Clearly, it’s a lot harder fighting than performing in Vegas stage shows and Mitzi’s lush body just wasn’t shape to take the pounding and once she put on a few pounds it looked a bit softer still. Apparently, Mitzi got discouraged when her best shots couldn’t keep tough in a off her body and when she started pawing instead of snapping her jab, Tina knew she had her.

Mitzi never appeared in another Hollywood movie after this, but surprisingly, Tina’s career in film never really took off either. Both women still perform today and are both revered icons; Mitzi of a by-gone movie era, Tina a Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer whose musical career is winding down slowly!

Reposted by Archer 12/1/11.