Mitzi Gaynor vs. Debra Paget (boxing) - fight by Belial [before/between/after by Kim and Ginny]

Frank Sinatra was putting on a charity show at the Hollywood Bowl to raise money for one of his favorite charities, "Kim and Ginny's Home for Wayward Girls." In addition to the usual rat packers, he wanted a couple of the girls to put on a boxing exhibition instead of having a lame comic or a singer as a warm-up act.

He already had Mitzi under a fight contract, but was stuck for an opponent until Debra Paget called begging for the job. Mitzi had beaten her in a wrestling match and later in a catfight during Frank's birthday party. Debra had to do something to get back in Frank's good graces, so when she heard he was looking for an opponent for Mitzi she figured she could get even with Mitzi and kiss Frank's butt all at the same time.

A low ring was set up between the stage and the front row of the audience. The two rows of displaced fans got to sit in temporary seats on either side of the temporary ring which would be quickly disassembled during a brief break between the fight and Frank's show. Mitzi wore a pair of gold tap shorts and matching halter while Debra showed up in skintight red short-shorts and a low-cut top to flaunt her bosomy figure. Mitzi wore her blonde highlighted hair loose, but Debra pulled hers back in a pony tail that bounced perkily as she jogged to the ring. Both wore standard black, high top boxing boots.

The celebrity referee for the fight, personally selected by Frank after 'in-depth interviews' of several girls, was Yvonne De Carlo, Debra's costar in "The Ten Commandments." Yvonne, a veteran actress, had lost several roles to the much younger Mitzi Gaynor, a well-known fact that the cagey Debra hoped would work to her advantage.

Rounds 1 thru 3:

Brisk pace, evenly contested, but fight continually moves from the center of the ring where Gaynor could use angles and movement to her advantage onto the ropes where Paget squares up and has a relatively stationary target in front of her. Mitzi doesn't seem fazed, but this is clearly Debra's fight - Paget imposing her will, dictating the tenor of the bout early. Debra initiates the exchanges, getting her head underneath Mitzi's chin, doubling up on clouting hooks to the jaw and body in tight. Gaynor giving as good as she gets, grits her teeth as she jerks little counter uppercuts up the middle, or clubbing left hands on the ear - girls routinely fall in to butt with heads or nudge with shoulders after slugging. Tough to score rounds, but judges like Paget's weight moving forward into Mitzi, pinning and pounding her up against the ropes - Debra looks the aggressor throughout - Mitzi reacting, unable to relieve thee pressure.

Between rounds:

After the 1st round, Mitzi's trainer reminds her to stay off the ropes and use her superior legs.

After the 2nd round, they told Mitzi to use her left jab more, to keep Debra at arms length so Mitzi could extend her longer arms for better power.

By the end of the 3rd, frustration was evident in Gaynor's corner as her handlers sniped at her to "do something!" It looked like Mitzi had lost a third consecutive round or at best, two of the first three!

Round 4:

Debra starts to separate herself. Mitzi trying to box, but Paget surprisingly nimble, cutting off the ring, bending low and coming at Gaynor's body with wide lefts and rights to force Mitzi ropeside. Gaynor covering up, trying to make Paget spend energy - Debra obliging - leaning in with her head, churning her punches up underneath or around the sides to pound ribs and tummy, constantly using that left shoulder to push Mitzi back and position her for more punishment. Late in the round, Paget with her head low, chugs her arms back and forth, driving a series of pumping lefts and rights into Mitzi's groin. Gaynor groaning, ashen faced reaches to clinch and Yvonne De Carlo jumps in - and ties GAYNOR up - then bears her heavily into the turnbuckle as Paget steps back. De Carlo warns Gaynor for holding - Mitzi in shock, still hurting from the flagrant fouls at the bell looks completely bewildered.

Between rounds:

Mitzi complaining to her corner who, in turn barks at referee Yvonne De Carlo as they lead Mitzi to her stool. De Carlo starts to walk away, then suddenly turns and gives one of them a finger-wagging 'talk to', telling her to take care of Mitzi and stop her bitching. Debra, all smiles, talks in her corner about the sounds Mitzi made whenever her fists slammed into her breasts. She nods and laughs at something her handlers say as they mop her brow and fan her with a towel.

Round 5:

Mitzi picking Debra up with a nice tight little hook, making Paget pay for real estate before bodying up. By the midway point however, brawl moves to the ropes - Mitzi's back against the strands - and Debra begins to up-tempo, constantly touching the ribs and waist of Mitzi with churning combinations and a well leveraged compact hook. Debra with her head in Mitzi's chest, just working, using her left arm to punch, then chicken-winging at the elbow to shove Mitzi back. Rough elbow work to the mouth has Gaynor protesting and once again De Carlo moves in, ties Gaynor up around the arms. De Carlo's grabbing leaves Mitzi helpless to prevent a chopping right on the break from Paget. Gaynor about to complain when Paget moves suddenly in, tagging her with a crunching overhand right/left hook on the button to drape her ropeside. Mitzi hurt, covers up as Paget gets her sturdy legs into lusty bombs about the hips and sides of the blonde. Mitzi sagging forward wraps her arms around Debra's waist at the bell - and in comes De Carlo - levering Mitzi back with an arm around her throat, driving her heavily into the ropes as though Paget were in mortal danger. Debra turning on her heel, struts to her corner to preen - De Carlo accompanies Mitzi to her corrner and actually issues a warning, "I'm taking a point if she keeps holding like this - it's a boxing match - she's supposed to work in there."

Between rounds:

Mitzi's corner again getting in De Carlo's face, after Mitzi whines about having to fight 'Debra and Yvonne both'. They demand De Carlo put a stop to the abuse their girl's taking but De Carlo shrugging, tells them it's up to Mitzi to, ".. put a stop to it herself, if she can." Her handlers go through the litany of things Mitzi has to do, including using her jab to keep Debra at bay and keeping her long, strong legs to stay in motion instead of laying on the ropes and letting Paget dictate the pace of the fight.

Round 6:

Gaynor showing visible signs of frustration, looking puffy-faced and ragged, comes out to brawl this round as she senses the worst. Paget goes toe-to-toe, girls ringing one another up with pounding, short, single and double spanks to the face - Debra blinks first, legs buckling as Gaynor finds her chin with a series of clubbing lefts and rights. Paget hurt, tries to clinch and De Carlo quickly moves in on Mitzi, wrapping her up from behind and literally pulling her away! Gaynor not expecting to be manhandled, stumbles and falls to her knees - a splash of pain across her face betraying a slight sprain. Incredibly, De Carlo starts to count - forcing Mitzi to rise in a hurry and Paget gets back on her. Debra pounding Mitzi to the corner, laying in hard with her head under Gaynor's chin, working to the sides and pulling back to crank hooks to the jaw. Mitzi taking a fearful battering in the final minute, is pounded groggy at the bell. Debra taking a moment to appreciate her handiwork before haughtily turning away.

Between rounds:

Mitzi wincing noticeably as she limps to her corner. The corner works feverishly; questioning if she can continue with the injured knee. As one rubs liniment on the knee, Mitzi, refusing to quit on her stool gets up and comes grimily out for the seventh.

Round 7:

Mean spirited pounding continues - Paget cinching up under Mitzi's arms to walk her to the corners, using her strong legs to pin Mitzi while getting swarming leverage on curling lefts and rights that bash into Gaynor's jaw and body. Mitzi looking glassy eyed, sits on the ropes or turnbuckles, hands at her temples, soaking it up and starting to drift. That clouting double hook from Debra is doing a lot of damage, often breaking down Gaynor's defense and leaving her vulnerable to a quick flurry to the face before she can regroup.

Between rounds:

Corner working hurriedly to restore Mitzi's red, puffy face to a semblance of normalcy and reduce the swelling around her cat-like eyes! Advising Mitzi not to go on. The proud blonde shakes her head stubbornly as they hold an ice bag to her left eye. Debra on her feet before the bell, slapping her gloves eagerly together and doing a little shuffle. As she prepares to spring forward at the bell Debra shouting to Mitzi about, "..getting in your bra this round."

Round 8:

Paget starts to mix in the right uppercut, turning her hips into the short punch after pounding midriff to rock Gaynor back against the ropes yet again. Mitzi swooning, still chopping the odd counter, but is horribly beaten about the eyes and mouth, clearly not seeing many of the wider punches that land. Debra getting careless with that left elbow, repeatedly working it back and forth across Mitzi's teeth before chopping in the right hand. Gaynor busting up, just taking and hoping for a miracle. Mitzi slumping forward occasionally to clinch lightly around Debra's waist and De Carlo reacts swiftly every time to break - often putting her full weight onto Mitzi - leaving Paget free. Debra taking rests on Mitzi, tying up at will and working at her own pace, is allowed to hold and hit as the fight takes on an ugly, one-sided tone. Tragic low blows at the bell leave Gaynor gurgling in pain. Paget can't wipe the smirk off her face as Mitzi buckles forward only to be bulled back by Yvonne De Carlo once more.

Between rounds:

Turmoil! While Debra saunters back to her corner for water and advice, Mitzi is detained near Debra's corner for almost 30 seconds of her break as De Carlo reads her the riot act for, "holding, butting, and unsportsmanlike conduct." One of Mitzi's corners has to hold back another who goes after Yvonne De Carlo yelling about her, "... abusing Mitzi instead of refereeing a fair fight." De Carlo ignores the charge but gives another sharp-tongued talking to. All this time wasted, of course, is at the expense of whatever good they may have done for Mitzi during the break. Mitzi still sitting slumped on her stool with her mouthpiece out at the bell and De Carlo holds Debra back until they get Mitzi on her feet.

Round 9:

Paget winning a series of exchanges as the girls fight shoulder to shoulder mid-ring. Debra forcing Gaynor back under a barrage of crashing left hooks on the side of the head. Mitzi looking wobbly butt, stumbling in retreat and Debra all but tackles the battered blonde into the ropes. Resultant rough clinch hides Debra's cynical thumb-to-the-eye while she holds Mitzi in a side headlock. Gaynor sobbing out in pain, holds her face as Paget bodies up and goes to work. Mitzi getting rag-dolled, bent forward over her knees as Debra rocks her to the sides, then sweeps vicious, and illegal, kidney blows across her lower back. Gaynor finally crumples to the canvas on all fours! Debra, nonchalantly turning away, bangs a casual kneecap against Mitzi's forehead drawing a further exhausted gasp from the blonde. Quick count by De Carlo once more forces Mitzi to rise quickly and she's wobbly, obviously hurt! De Carlo waves Debra in. Paget storming the gates with a series of short left hooks, bashes Mitzi's hands out of the way and bounces her skull at will. Gaynor wilting, hands dropping to her stomach, takes half a dozen shattering lefts to the head before stumbling sideways and falling sprawled into the bottom rope. Paget standing right over her as De Carlo refuses to send her to a neutral corner and issues another fast count. Gaynor up at nine is immediately assailed as Debra plows in. All Paget to the bell as she mugs a sagging Mitzi in the corner, pounding shut those beautiful eyes and sending spasms of pain through Mitzi's no longer strong legs courtesy withering body shots.

Between rounds:

It takes both of Mitzi's handlers to get her to her corner and she almost slides off the stool when they turn away simultaneously to get water, towels and the ice needed to revive her. They work quickly and efficiently to get Mitzi ready despite more attempts to convince her to give up the one-sided battle. They get Mitzi on her feet and, as she slips the blonde's mouthpiece between swollen lips, one gives her a sharp spank of encouragement to her well-shaped bottom.

Round 10:

Gaynor, overruling her corner, comes out for the tenth and trades effectively in the opening moments, hacking away with a slick little right hand inside Paget's wide left hook. But Debra slowly regains the advantage, eating Mitzi up with the steady, pounding pressure. Gaynor fading to the ropes yet again, wears a blank expression, fielding tragic shots clean on her jaw, buckling, but hanging on. Debra squaring up, lets her hands go - bludgeoning Mitzi raw with short, jollting lefts and rights in around the mitts as Gaynor goes out on her feet. De Carlo standing close, peering intently with a tight smile, lets it go on and on and on. Paget mugging her helpless victim - the jaded crowd screaming for the fight to be stopped. Finally, with just seconds left in the fight, Debra lands a left uppercut to the pit of Mitzi's stomach. As the blonde's body pitches forward, Paget sidesteps and crashes a big right to the side of Mitzi's exposed jaw. Mitzi's body just keeps falling, her hands not even trying to break the fall. She lands on her face, legs limp, arms spread and lays without moving. Yvonne De Carlo steps in and waves her out without even bothering to count! Debra, with a happy, bright eyed look, steps on Mitzi's upturned bottom and poses briefly until Mitzi's corner arrives to care for her. Then Debra walks to her corner with her gloves raised in triumph.

KO 10 Debra Paget. (Paget won the voting 138-82)

Aftermath:

Mitzi's corner comes in and gently turns her over. They spend several minutes trying to revive her and several minutes more before she is on her feet. Even after she comes too, she's too wobbly to stand without aid. Finally, Frank has them put her on a stretcher, strap her down and carry her from the ring to her dressing room so he can get on with his show. It's after Franks second curtain call before she's coherent enough to meet with reporters to discuss the match. By then, Debra Paget and Yvonne De Carlo have already given their sides of the story and Mitzi's left with little to do but whine about being cheated.

Post fight interviews/notes:

Debra Paget: "I had her all the way. She doesn't hit with power, so I just walked right through her jab and feasted on that cute little tummy. No matter what she tells you when she wakes up, dancing might be great for the legs, but it ain't done nothin' for her belly. I popped her a couple in the breadbasket and she dropped her hands, so I went after her boobs. When I heard her whimper after I flattened them, I knew she was all mine whenever I wanted. She kept her hands up protecting her chest the rest of the fight. I made her fight my fight, got inside and went 'downstairs' - she folded like a house of cards.&quoot;

Yvonne De Carlo: "Look, I don't want to be accused of dismissing Mitzi's boxing ability, but I won't be responsible if she gets back into the boxing ring with Debra Paget again. She was completely out-classed tonight, you all saw it. Even when I tried to control her flagrant fouling, she fell down and hurt herself. She should stick to wrestling if she wants to continue fighting. She just doesn't have what it takes to be a boxer. Everybody knows she's got a glass chin but I tried my best to keep her from being embarrassed out there. She said I knocked her down? Nonsense! I was trying to hold her up. How many times did Debra almost knock her down in the fight? She'd have been on the canvas five times if I hadn't caught her 3-4 times."

Mitzi Gaynor: "I took this fight on short notice, so I really wasn't prepared. Everyone knows how important preparation is. It's a shame Yvonne De Carlo wouldn't - or couldn't - referee the match properly. I'm sure if she hadn't helped Debra so much I'd have done a lot better. I might even have won. Once she pulled me away from Debra and I twisted my knee. It's hard for a dancer to move on a sprain like that, but I didn't quit! After I heal and clear my mind, I want - no, I demand - a rematch."

Author's Note: Paget was doing some good things legitimately, getting Mitzi to fight inside, outworking her at times - but Mitzi was clearly rattled by what she perceived to be as biased officiating. The irony is that Paget looked to be very capable of winning this one without help - fouling when you are losing is a very different thing from fouling when you are way, way ahead. This was more about Debra 'sending a message' than about merely winning a boxing match.