Amanda Righetti versus Laetitia Casta

(Results: Lookout!, Words: Bonzo)

Before: Laetitia Casta’s reputation as a fighter has remained quite intact despite a lack of activity post her days at the legendary Technetium stable, then at the Krushers. The 40-year old French beauty’s always been the most anti-American of fighters, especially against young and promising hard-bodies. At her best, Casta could be the cruelest woman in the FCBA. Her record against Bonzo girls is impressive: seven wins (Visser twice, Larter twice, pre-Bonzo Righetti twice, Bjorlin)…zero losses. Casta has been busy in international circuits in recent years, and returned for two fights against Kelly Brook this year, which she split. It’s now way in the past, but Casta had been a very vocal critic of TU’s attachment to Righetti back on from 2004, 2005…and she backed up her bullying in the ring, with two knockouts in 2004 and 2007, and a devastating post-fight humiliation of Righetti in the last bout.

If you ask Casta, Righetti’s last decade at welter doesn’t mean a thing. “Ah, it’s sweet Mandy. I remember ‘er”, Casta announces, her sly smile as French, as haughty as it’s always been. “She’s coming in nice and thiiicck now. I ‘ave special plans for ‘er, both in the ring and afterwards,” she says, deliciously licking her lips in provocation. Tonight’s fight sees Righetti’s first return to an actual beach fight since 2005 (a loss to Taylor Cole), at Amanda’s own wish. “I don’t want to overstate Laetitia’s importance”, Amanda says, not biting Tish’s bait. “She’s always been a nasty ol’ sorceress in the ring, and I fell victim to her twice, no doubt. But no, I don’t hold grudges. I think I’ve long eclipsed her, but I do believe in karma and something has just felt right about revisiting Laetitia, in 2018, on the beach, in a body-to-body beatdown. I’m excited.”

Fight takes place at a makeshift ring set up on Hawaii’s North Shore – four ring posts, ropes, sand instead of canvas. Girls fighting barefoot in bikinis (Righetti: white bottoms, red top – Casta: all-white with myriads of little French flags printed on it).







R1: Girls getting acquainted with the sand, beach settings…they’re stepping around, shelling each other’s guard via set-piece jabs from regular, mid-ring positions. Laetitia exhibits looser, more supple stances, looks, dipping her torso from side to side as she negotiates ‘Manda’s incoming lefts, stepping to her right while keeping her left pawing toward Righetti’s head. Casta’s plan emerges, as she’s obviously coaxing redhead forward into stalking motions: abrupt right hands, clipped off the shoulder out of a backward shift, shimmyin’ onto Righetti’s guard/arms/jawline in short, strong, succinct fashion. Righetti planted broad in the sand, pumping stick, but not yet getting into good range, her legs still a little stiff early despite her coming forward in spots. Rushing right hand attacks blitzing ‘Manda’s guard…one shot particularly sweet: Righetti loping forward in pursuit of French, weight on left foot, mirroring Casta’s turns – La-Tish lunges forward across Righetti’s left via sudden righty, picking up redhead to the jaw in good, clouting fashion. Righetti’s buzz-legged! ‘Manda moves onto back foot, leaning her head back more and more from Laetitia’s brusque power shots…Casta’s right hand timing proves key here, making ‘Manda swing out lefts, rights from too far out. Girls making sure to stay out of body range across first round: pretty much no full contact happening here. Amanda’s jab only able to drill forward across later stages of third minute…takes her two and a half minutes to get Laetitia at the end of her poke, finally pivoting around a more rigid Casta at that point, then stepping in with brawny wide hooks, short, strong right hands to mid-section/boobs, battering brunette into hands-high guard down the stretch. French slight proves effective against American power: Laetitia’s up after one!

R2: Righetti adjusts her mobility to apply forward pressure on Laetitia’s sneaky power…she forms the relentless jab ruling stance, keeping right hand at cheek, pumping her poke across the French’s right flank, pivoting around Casta’s torso with stick-punch authority. Casta’s playing her games…her dukes kept at temples, she’s turning-with, blocking, moving well against ‘Manda’s aggression, leaning back, dipping sides, hopping in and out. Increased work rate denying Tish the effective right-hand counters, though…again and again, Righetti’s short, jerking lefty jabs/hooks BATTER across Casta’s front, catching good French chin, mouth in thumpin’ fashion, any time Tish’s right twitches to pounce…Righetti’s jab fabulous at pre-empting any Casta work. Righetti solidifies across minutes two, three…a right-hand hook punches Laetitia’s mouth open in stun, downstairs whacking short-rights torture Casta’s robust waistline, ribs. ‘Manda grows accustomed to the sand, forming effective punching angles, physical power by really leaning into her punches, quick-charging into little lunges, jumps to punch Tish onto heels, heave her back into ropes. Tish grasps for clinches, her mouth opened, hair disheveling…’Manda with so much authority inside, driving back smaller Casta’s body with shifts of her hips, arms palming Tish’s squirming bod, her shoulders pressing forward, just being big here. Brawny work from Righetti down the stretch as Tish stays boarded up at ropes: beefy sidearm rights to pit of belly – wide, strong, thumping punches all the way from ‘Manda’s shoulders, hips cramping up Casta’s belly, mid-section.

R3: Mobility in decrease after two grueling heats in the hot sand…fight turns into more of a brawl as girls step, go toe-to-toe on the spot, punch away from flat-footed stances. ‘Manda looking to work via the jab in orderly fashion, create pressure, range to drive Casta backward…Tish so avid, mean-spirited with the righty hooks, uppercuts, tossing ‘em over Righetti’s left mitt – some risks involved for French, but she’s scoring! Throbbin’ right hands to jawline, mouth forces Righetti to backpedal, shifting her mitts closer to skull, weaving her torso dip-dip…and a lustful Tish POURS ‘EM IN righty, just a-pumping, a-tossing, a-hammering right hands across Righetti’s jab mitt, despite walking solid into Amanda’s poke as girls step, punch off platform stance. Righetti negotiating on her backfoot via outstretched left arm, strong-shrugging jab punches, expecting Casta to back off at some point…Laetitia leans in unconcerned, just whacking her right hand hook, and scoring to jaw again! ‘Manda’s chin got tagged in full contact…her legs are all spasm-y, buzz-y now: Tish dropping short, chopping right hands in Amanda’s exposed left hip, lower back, edging ahead via the shoulder, bumping big-girl Amanda back…wow, Laetitia wants her redhead stacked up at ropes! Minutes two, three: lefts pawing against each other now, shoulders bumping as Casta’s bogging down Righetti in vicious bump n’ slugs, erupting into short, drifting whacks to ‘Manda’s trunks inside down the stretch. Groans, grimaces from Amanda in response to Casta’s non-reprimanded fouls…she’s getting turned around, managed, walked into ropes in confusion as Tish leverages, shifts her hips in place, then cuffing, scrubbing Righetti to the jugs, cheeks, arms, as a sweaty Amanda’s hanging helplessly in Tish’s tie-ups, gazing a little sadly on, lips pouting. Some of Casta’s nasty black magic on display this round: she’s getting it done in the third against stronger American!

R4: Righetti fighting off the discouragement, steps back into the fray with her eyes wide and hungry, spitting out robust jabs in rat-a-tat pressure, finally knocking back Casta’s head with plenty of impact from a jab/hook combination, battering the incoming French onto her heels…steady forward pressure finally backs off Tish’s right hand as Righetti tacks, dips left and right while mounting stunning power shots via the left and scoring nice, sweet on Casta’s exposed face. Tish smart to disengage, wobbly-butt, her mitts going up – she remains dangerous via those drifting hooks from leaned back, arched out of ropes, tuck tuck, although Righetti stays compact, alert, starting to time Tish’s more desperate counter work. Later minutes…‘Manda drubbin’ the Casta gut, ribs, bikini top with plenty of lust, helpin’ Casta to fall back into ropes with healthy shoves, shoulder bumps, denying Tish any leverage inside. Proud Laetitia sliding down the ropes, her mouth an arrogant pout, erupting into soft, sulking moans whenever ‘Manda drops short forearms, hooks across legendary French rack – now it’s Laetitia tyin’ up around Righetti’s strong arms/shoulders, until redhead reverts, muscles Casta back into ropes, detonates jab bombs to brunette guard/mouth, uppercutting toward La-Tish’s jawline thru the middle. Too much right hands to Tish’s chin: Casta’s head rag-dolling in dramatic little lolls just down the stretch, stooping off the ropes with a wide-opened mouth, disheveled hair…Amanda’s denying Casta’s magic with an iron fist here as Tish can’t follow the pace.

R5: Righetti’s got Tish under wraps now…French beauty steps into fifth round badly depleted, sensual brunette’s legendary chassis tender, a little rickety: Casta too proud, smug to walk away – she’s weaving her torso side to side, lunging out via outstretched lefts, tumbling rights, but she’s getting marked by Righetti’s calm, relentless jabs. Tish’s leggy pace diminished – Righetti rightly bobs, hops on the spots outside, picking out Casta’s attacks via fade-backs, walking her French into blunt right-hand crosses to the face. Minute two sees Righetti lean in big on Casta, smother any receipts, push, muscle her around while La-Tish’s slunping into ‘Manda’s embraces. Righetti’s punches a constant threat to Casta’s face, mouth – beautiful French face puffed up, banged up by combinations of jabwork, right crosses. Righetti always touchin’ up Laetitia steady, her mitts greedy to pounce into tucking rib-shots, boob-shots – ‘Manda indulges inside squirming Tish’s feeble clinches, just heartlessly shifting poor Tish ‘round, stackin’ her at ropes, letting her fall forward, pickin’ her up again. Third minute drama: Tish’s legs somehow coaxed forward, struggling to trek thru the swamp of moist-ish sand – Righetti keeping Tish at jab’s length, then driving in a right cross, right uppercut combo into Casta’s inviting face, rack. Tish’s head’s toggled, her legs trembling with exhaustion – Righetti slides back again, tagging Casta’s jawline via the jab, then leans in again via the battering right cross on the same spot and LAETITIA’S TOAST! Tish – hands dropped – hovers on the spot for an endless second, then sprawls down fast, swooning onto her belly into the sand at Righetti’s feet…’Manda puts her right foot on Tish’s prone white back after the count, flexes her right arm quickly, grins, then just turns around to leave Casta alone in her misery…that’s a KO5 Amanda Righetti!

After: French pride humbled – a devastated Laetitia’s a tragic sight in defeat…her face’s a little puffy, she’s whining, blubbering in pain as she’s gently rolled onto her back, her upper body trembling in rickety knockout shock, while ‘Manda’s watching from the other side of the ring, enjoying every second of Casta’s troubles. “No pity for Tish,” Amanda explains. “Tish was a stable bully – she deserves to get put in her place even after all these years.”