Before: Laetitia treating Parisians to more big fight action, facing hated Monica Bellucci in a classic continental pairing. Bellucci a long time nemesis of french girls, best known for monumental apartment wrestling brawls with Sophie Marceau - pundits assume that Bellucci's raw aggression will still be at some disadvantage against Casta's finer boxing skills. "You can see how fighting in the States, against the best American girls has benefited Laetitia, even though she's caught some beatings herself," Notes one commentator for La Monde Sauvage. "Bellucci's one of the best combative celebrities in Europe, but she doesn't have half Casta's experience with gloves. If Laetitia fights smart, she can make this an easy night." Not only that, Bellucci being asked to shed 10 pounds and make weight day of the fight - Tech taking no chances with this heavy handed bruiser.

Casta with hair tied back, white cami-strap tankini - Monica in black leather bandeau bikini, hair wild.

During R1-4: Every round the same, Laetitia safety first, boxing brilliantly, containing and channelling Monica's kamikaze attacks. Bellucci snarling, eyes flashing, mounts one frontal assault after another and she IS scoring, but it's predictable stuff - all fastballs down the middle. Casta flat footed, but nimble, smooth to one side or the other, blunting Monica's thrusts with indirect flanking maneuvers. Casta keeping her hands up, dropping a sharp jab onto Monica, steering the Italian on the outside. Bellucci without a jab, elects to force the fight - she's running the gauntlet of Laetitia's right hand every time Monica gets past the stick. Italian able to bang the ribcage inside, but she's routinely stifled - French girl learning from past mistakes, clinching up head and arm on her girl, allowing Bellucci to bull her into the ropes, waiting calmly for the break while Monica struggles in protest. Bellucci constantly frustrated, bogged down - she's unhurt, but she drops all four rounds to a very professional Laetitia Casta.

R5: Bellucci finally fighting through the clinch - she's still getting touched up on the way in, but she's getting her way on the inside. Monica putting punches together, rattling Casta. Thumping blows in the waist set up whalloping clouts upside the head - Laetitia leaning back, hands down, gets herself into trouble as Bellucci presses forward, keeps belting. Monica very destructive with her punching - Laetitia with her hands up around Bellucci's head and back - Monica crouched low, swinging away left and right to the battered ribcage - Casta's a crippled beauty for much of the round. Monica landing the hardest punches off the fight, brawling Laetitia effectively at the ropes - Casta taking a tremendous punch, soaking up brutal shots in her body, weathering clean clocks on her jaw, but this isn't in the French woman's best interest.

R6: Corner wants Casta to take a little out of Monica's body - Italian girl's still punching harder than French side would like. Casta responding well, circling to the right, reaching with her left hand to stabilize then burying single shot rights with plowing force to the dusky rib cage and sweet belly. Bellucci turning, not getting off - she's taking the punches very well, but she's stiffening up, reacting late. Laetitia re-asserts control, circling and breaking her girl down with well placed bodyshots through 6.

R7: Casta starts to mix it all up. She's still getting the swinging right to the midriff, but she can also feint that punch, bring Monica's hands down and catch her the hook instead. Casta stepping out behind her jab, marking Bellucci up - Italian still marching straight into right hands down the pike and Casta's setting down better on the shots, stopping Bellucci, backing her up. Midway through, Casta with a beautiful sequence: flicking jabs as she circles to her right, then a searing overhand right on the ear to buckle her opponent forward. On cue, Casta curls the right hand underneath, catching Bellucci a perfect bolo uppercut, puts the hook on top and a shocked Italian brawler scoots to her buttocks. Bellucci takes an achy 8, but hate's still flashing in those dark eyes - Casta closes in to finish and Monica gets her chance. Laetitia in tight, slugging furiously with Bellucci and getting beaten to short, ripping blows - Italian jerking side to side, bouncing her fists off Casta's face and breasts and backing the French girl up in stages. CASTA'S HURT! Laetitia fielding gorgeous bombs, goes drowsy and it's MONICA pressing to finish. Casta limp and hurting at the ropes, tilting forward, just trying to smother up on Bellucci. Monica REEFING up underneath with murderous digs in the ribcage, beating Casta into open mouthed stupor at the bell.

R8,9: Once again, Casta adjusts to her foe's power, boxing smart, getting her legs back in the game, content to control rather than challenge Monica head on. Bellucci snorting forward, eager to get more French ribcage, but she's constantly pre-empted or spun around. Casta on the outside, working her jab, keeping her guard up, stepping around her girl's shoulders. As soon as Bellucci beats the jab, she eats a short right hand, then gets wrapped up tight as Laetitia wants no part of the Italian on the inside. Both rounds workmanlike for Casta.

R10: Monica desperate, knows she's behind on the cards, comes out roaring. Wild early pressure misses as Casta circles away, calmly spitting out the jab, putting out the fire when a sizzling Bellucci right rockets over the stick, clocks Laetitia's face to the side and DROPS CASTA TO ALL FOURS! Laetitia dazzled on hands and knees - she's rocky getting up and barely beats the count. Casta dazed, staring as she leans into the ropes for support - ON COMES BELLUCCI! Monica storming the French girl's defenses, crashing wide lefts and rights, feet constantly changed from orthodox to southpaw as she bangs home left or right crosses over top. Bludgeoning whirlwind pays off at the half way point - Casta starting to tilt sideways, concussed - she melts to her knees once again as Bellucci bellows taunts - Italian girl strutting with hands held high. Casta guts it out - Laetitia refusing to give in, beats the count, nods aggressively in response to the ref's query. Rest of the way is heartless give and take - a ravaged, shaky Laetitia Casta digging in and slugging hard, snapping her punches out of a tight guard as she stays compact. Bellucci trying to close her girl out, welting Casta in either flank, then trying to come up the middle with blistering uppercuts. Both chins are clipped, neither girl moving - it's just slam bang trading up to and after the bell. Bellucci having to be forceably removed as she writhes to get at Casta - Laetitia weaving slightly, but unbroken - what a finish. Comes back UD10 Laetitia Casta.

After: Casta holding off the late Bellucci surge - Italian just giving away too many rounds, needed the KO to win and almost got it. Casta's most professional outing, clearly outclassing her foe, largely negating Bellucci's power, hurting her selectively and showing the kind of grit you like to see in surviving a catastrophic tenth. Bellucci pounding the ringropes in disgust - in her mind, 2 knockdowns beats 1 knockdown - she's vocal in Italian press about the biased French scoring of the fight.