Before: Sophia Loren is now largely credited with bringing Ann Margaret's dominance over the celeb-fighting world to a crashing end in their first bout - an historic first round KO that saw Ann go down 5 times before staying down for good. Less than a year later however, these two would glove up again, with Ann fighting on home turf in Hollywood, and training specifically to counter Sophia's power and size advantages. At 5'10" and possessing as much as a 20 pound weight advantage over Margaret, Sophia was easily the most imposing fighter of her day - but Ann brought experiece, hand and foot speed as well as the unmistakable pedigree of the champion into their rematch. Green and black one piece for Sophia, black push up and pink hipster bikini bottoms for Ann.
R1: Sophia would take the first largely by virtue of coming forward - the usually straight ahead, hook first Ann Margaret was no where to be seen, replaced by a skittish, safety first dancer who was content to waste early rounds to tire Sophia's big legs in pursuit. Sophia stomped around the ring, impatiently rolling her fists, trying without success to touch the elusive Margaret this round.
R2: Annie would continue her fast tempo, but stop moving long enough to flash those clever hands in bursts, getting in and out on Sophia before Loren could react. Sophia was never hurt, but she was frustrated, covering up or jerking backward awkwardly as Ann stepped in behind chopping right hands and that always dangerous hook. The gameplan was working - Sophia was confused, punching too late and getting touched by Annie's busy hands through two.
R3: Loren found a grazing uppercut this round, shaving Ann's chin but not landing flush as the red head continued to bob and weave her way inside for bang-bang combinations. Ann was piling up points to Sophia's midsection, sinking in her fists to the soft underbelly of the Italian, and continuing her circular movement, causing Loren to miss over the top more often than not. Loren continued to step forward, patient and persistent as Annie looked a little winded after 3 rounds of constant motion.
R4: The left uppercut that had come so close in the third finally made crushing contact with Ann Margaret's chin this round, and the wheels fell off the cart as Sophia Loren finally asserted her power. With Ann staggering back on her heels, Loren stepped forward, crushing Margaret's chest with a beefy right hand swat that sent the smaller woman careening to the ropes. Glassy eyed and hurting, Ann began a desperate game of cat and mouse with her back to the ropes - bobbing drunkenly, right hand at her cheek, left across her abdomen. Sophia stood in front, pushing the smaller girl back by her shoulders and driving in the left hand deep to Ann's midsection, wobbling the redhead's legs and nearly producing knockdowns almost every time it landed. Loren's concentration on the body, just sinking in the left, then pushing Ann back was brilliant - soon Margaret's movement was a non-factor as she stood stiffly against the ropes, rolling left and right and trying to guide Sophia's blows past her chin. It was a valiant effort, but Loren's beef was simply too much to handle. Late in the round, a clubbing right hand finally caught up with Ann's face, pounding out her mouth guard and leaving her out on her feet. Pathetically, Margaret turned away and tried to walk shakily to her corner, but a slapping Sophia Loren right on the ear ended Margaret's night. Picking her lead foot off the canvas, Ann collapsed to the canvas and sprawled at Sophia Loren's feet, unable to beat the count. KO4 Sophia Loren.
After: Too small. That was the verdict as the game and able Annie M came up disastrously short for the second time against a woman she just could not compete with. A power fighter herself, Ann simply didn't have the wherewithal to adjust against a big woman who fought a similar style, but could give and take so much more. Margaret's costly obsession with Loren would cause her to take several such beatings in a relatively short span - leaving her vulnerable for the likes of young up and comers like Raquel Welch to take advantage of.