It wouldn’t be the first time Hammer girls mixed it up with Bond girls - indeed, the two were often one and the same! But the Bond franchise was struggling post-Connery, and the idea of pitting lithe, quick, fit, Ekland against sleek and powerful Munro went against the prevailing wisdom of the time.

“We wanted a showcase for Britt, not a real fight,” recalls one of Cubby Broccoli’s inner circle. “By ‘74, Munro was starting to beat Andress, and there were rumors she’d actually beaten Raquel on a Mediterranean beach somewhere. Needless to say, we didn’t want that kind of hellcat in with our Bond girl.”

Nevertheless ‘That kind of hellcat’ was exactly what they got as Ekland couldn’t be dissuaded. She fought in her splash print, bra-style bikini from the film, with small white punching mitts. Caroline strode into the room in a sporty black bikini with bra style top; small black punching mitts and long, brown, hair spilling down her back in untamed tangles. The venue was a spacious London penthouse with a panorama of the Thames from the veranda windows and a cream color shag carpet.

Rd 1: Britt hopped to her right, conscious of the need to use her splendid legs all night long if necessary. Caroline stalked with a prowling gait - her hands low, elbows in close to her hips. Ekland penetrated with exploratory jabs to the firm meat of Munro’s middle: scoring - then scampering away before the receipt. There was never any question that Ekland was the quicker of the pair: if she could make the fight be about speed, the blonde could definitely have a say in the outcome. The first round passed without incident - Ekland getting touches, and avoiding same: Munro stalking, scowling ferociously, and hardly moving her hands to either protect herself or punch back.

Rd 2: Ekland continued to prove she could scoot in, jab Munro’s firm gut, and get away untouched. To this she soon added a double jab (body and head) and a clean clouting right hand to chin that startled Munro and made the brunette lift her mitts for the first time. With Caroline protecting her face - Ekland went for the middle - tearing up Munro’s tummy with brisk, rolling rights and lefts. Small leather mitts bit furiously into one of cinema’s most exquisite bellies - beating out a smacking tune as Munro stooped forward and took. After Britt’s ratta-tat-tat shots - Caroline would swipe an awkward left or right at her foe - missing as Ekland bounded out of range. Through 2, the brunette was clearly having issues with Britt’s tenacity, desire for combat, and quick hands and feet. Eyes blazed as the girls glared and snarled, but it was Britt licking her lips with pleasure in this early going.

Rd 3: Persuaded by her handlers in the audience to jab, Caroline began to problematize - if not completely solve - Britt’s bewildering attacks. Aiming at Ekland’s playful chest - Munro could land the jab with some consistency, stalling Britt at middle distance and leaving the blonde vulnerable to heavy follow ups as more and more, the girls exchanged with vigor. Britt began to clip and clout away on Caroline’s face, rattling the bigger girl with crisp lefts and rights - but Munro put a jolting right on Britt’s chin at one point, moving the blonde off her stance. Caroline was also moving better - stepping over to cut off the room, and hooking Britt in her body from the front (left) foot. Ekland’s churning combinations to the tummy still lit up the room - drawing hoots and applause from the small crowd - but Munro was also beginning to find the mark with swiping punches, catching Ekland as Britt disengaged. Everyone scored the round for Ekland, but Caroline showed every sign of stabilizing her front in a see-saw third.

Rd 4: It was evident as Britt jumped in close and landed a blistering right cross to Munro’s chin, that Ekland couldn’t hurt her lovely counterpart. Caroline could be startled, forced to cover up, even put off her balance at times - but Ekland’s wiry punches to the head seemed woefully underpowered. Munro had yet to connect with her best up top - but even her jab could move Britt, forcing her to hop in wide circles and spend comparatively more energy per minute of combat. As Caroline stepped-off the floor space, hounding Britt to the walls and corners - the brunette enjoyed longer and longer sequences of dominance. Grimly bashing away - Munro pounded at Britt’s slender arms and shiny flanks, beating blonde defenses even when no opening was apparent. Punished and often unable to spin clear: Britt began to clinch, straining against the legs and tummy of her foe, only to be bodied into the wall for ref’s breaks. Britt’s eyes betrayed her growing alarm: she was tiring, and despite consistently out-hitting her foe - Britt Ekland was slowly being reeled in and worked over.

Rd 5: Caroline posted her best, most aggressive round, clearly taking the initiative from the faster beauty. Walking Britt down behind the jab - Caroline knocked at her blonde’s chest or shoulders with poke, driving her to the wall, then pounding her a sidearm right in the hip, flank or tummy. Ekland proved combative - absorbing these blows and flurrying back to the delight of the audience: there was no more exciting sight in the 70s than Britt Ekland tearing at another woman’s stomach with those PIK! PAK! PEK! bursts. But Munro was getting the better of it - trusting her mouthwatering stomach to withstand Britt’s fury, then pounding back at her arms and flanks, visibly reducing her. After the brisk spank of Ekland’s volleys, followed by the thump and thud of Caroline’s - Britt would clinch, her mouth open on Munro’s shoulder, little brow furrowed in complaint, as the ref moved in to break. It was Caroline always at Britt, always forcing her to work. Munro’s eyes were hungry for combat: Britt’s began to moisten, and her taste for trading seemed to be waning through 5.

Rd 6: Another strong Munro round: she walked Britt down with that shelling jab - pounding at the upper chest and either shoulder to shake and rattle the slender blonde. Ekland’s lips curled off her teeth - she was a desperate little animal - scurrying to corners, then ferociously fighting her way out of them - pasting Munro with slapping combinations to the face; digging combinations to the body. Caroline could be backed up in spots - enough so that Britt could escape - but Munro’s pressure never eased. By the final minute - Caroline’s heavy, strapping body shots had Britt’s legs trembling. The blonde covered her face and stooped forward behind her mitts, her legs effectively crippled. Munro grinned, widened her stance and lavished Ekland’s left side ribs a series of savage, lashing, sidearm rights. With a sob, Britt sank to all fours, shuddering in pain; Caroline beamed, lifted her mitts and Hammer-strutted the room. Ekland would beat the count, but she was badly shopworn at this point. Bravery, élan, and exquisite beauty had counted for little against the majesty of Caroline Munro through 6.

Rd 7: There was no holding Munro back! She walked through a jerking burst of hup-hup lefts and rights to her tummy, clouting Britt a terrible right upside the head in reprisal that spun the blonde about and sent her staggering face first to the wall. Ekland swayed on the spot, but continued to compete - dipping her left shoulder to hook Munro behind her elbow, then doubling the shot PAK! PAK! Britt pivoted left (around her hooks) but her hands were down: as Caroline turned, she swung a healthy left around, clobbering Britt across her face and sending her scooting to her rump! Propped on both elbows, blubbering and sniveling from a bad dose of ass-whup, Britt managed to beat the count, but Cubby had seen enough! Disgusted, he threw in the towel on his ingénue, delighting the Munro contingent who’d wagered heavily on her.

TKO 7, Munro.