"Funny thing is - the big prospect that summer of '65 was this Deborah Walley - but she got really beat up by Linda Evans, so when Welch got there, Evans was kind of strutting and looking the other girls down. Right away, Raquel was all 'I want her,' you know, to Linda - the rest is history."

This - their first fight - was held on the "Beach Blanket Bingo" beach at noon; sunny day; no ring - fighters surrounded by cast and crew. Raquel wore a bright yellow sixties bikini, small black gloves of the period (short wristed, prominent thumbs). Evans wore a navy sixties bikini with bra strap top - baby blue head band holding her hair back - same black gloves.

Round 1: Evans assumed a strong stance - fists up at her cheeks, chin tucked; Raquel came in swinging freely - long arms lapping and batting up into the Evans midriff. Grunting, tight lipped - Linda soaked an early fusillade, the pushed her palms into Raquel's biceps to push her off. Right away, Evans' sturdy balance translated into strength as she proved able to muscle Raquel on the sand, shoving the lithe brunette to either side, then jamming out a short, thumping jab to Raquel's cheek or mouth. Welch responded with free-swinging fury - wide, whaling blows at Linda's head and shoulders - but the sturdy blonde would crouch into a tight guard, blocking much of Raquel's bombast. Welch's non-stop punching did have it's effect of course: with Linda slightly stooped, her left arm extended in under Rocky's right - Welch blazed away - limber arms thrashing up underneath, inside and out of the outstretched limb to shake her foe's belly and ribs. Even Linda's own co-stars cheered this work: Raquel with her teeth bared, eyes flashing, dark brown hair tossing was a sight to behold - simply overwhelming her blonde in an energetic first.

Round 2: Linda came out unperturbed - showing the kind of class, poise and determination that would become hallmarks of her career. Out of that tight guard, she found Raquel an easy target for the straight, poking jab - popping Rocky in the face, doubling it - palm-shoving Rocky in her shoulders, hooking her breasts. Before long Welch was looking cranky, stomping for balance after strong Evans shoving, and often flailing or slapping punches as a result. Evans' form was better, more streamlined - at this stage of their careers, Linda was the better schooled vixen, and midway through the second, she put that skill to good use. With both girls leaning in and cleaning up furiously downstairs - Linda came off the body with a short, clouting hook, toggling Raquel's chin and immediately switching off the power to Welch's legs. Raquel staggered in fence post holes - snug yellow bottoms jostling crankily as long, tanned legs fought to stand ground. Icy eyed, Evans would chop a short right hand to Rocky's chin, then chop it again - scoring short, tangy clout both times and nearly sitting Welch into the sand. Hurt, knock-kneed - Raquel reached to clinch from too far out, exposing her smooth tummy and sensational breasts to a brace of hooks as Linda hopped into the harm, twisting her torso-right for compact bite. Evans beat Raquel breathless at the bell, landing a series of digging hooks underneath brunette's plaintive, outstretched arms. Raquel was ashambles - lips parted in Who-Do-You-Think-You-Are outrage as Evans strutted away upbeat.

Round 3: Raquel responded with characteristic vigour, pouring herself at Linda, but the brunette was still very shaky-legged, and her assault proved ragged, ineffective. Linda wasn't afraid of Raquel's banshee attacks: the blonde simply crouched forward behind her tight defenses, blocking blows on her arms and riding out the wide punches, then joining in as the girls dug and lapped at each other's tummies underhand. Evans proved sturdy - able to swap as the girls leaned forward, and when she came off the body, it was Linda scoring short, pulverizing hooks to breasts and chin to seriously harm Raquel over and over again. By the midway point, Raquel's magnificent legs stamped pathetically in the sand, trying to hold her up as she extended her arms to push Linda off. Evans would have none of it - now stepping into Raquel with short, chopping right hands to the chin, and murderous double hooks (ribs and jaw) to further ruin her foe. After scoring, Linda would step forward and push Raquel in her biceps or shoulders, shoving Rocky at the stagger and keeping her constantly off balance. Welch's competitive drive was never more apparent as she continued to try to find punching leverage - but her lack of true boxing ability at this point rendered her vulnerable to her foe's straighter, shorter shots. Evans posted a savage pasting to end the third, leaving Raquel swaying on the spot at the bell.

Round 4: Raquel was a disheveled, ramshackle mess - tangled, dark locks strewn across glassy eyes, trailing into her open mouth - but she trudged towards Linda with single-minded determination to do damage. But it was not to be. Crouching, covering up - Linda rode out Raquel's sweeping openers - the sting all but gone from brunette punching - and answered back with a stuffing right to the pit of Raquel's stomach that had her bunched up and hurt from the get go. A series of compact hooks bludgeoned Raquel in a staggering clockwise reel - the last of which took her in the jaw and dropped her to hands and knees, drawing a shout from the collected cast of "Bingo". As per Beach tradition - a number of bikini'd lasses rushed in to help Raquel up and pushed her gently towards Linda - right into a short, pulverizing right hand. You knew Raquel was hurt - her head flew back and stayed back as she drifted sideways - somehow staying on her feet - but when her head lolled forward again, all the fight was gone from Raquel Welch. Linda Evans stepped-to and took what was hers: a fearful pummelling drove Welch mumbling and stumbling around the beach - Linda stepping with, snarling, chopping and dropping short lefts and rights in over Raquel's low mitts. Face-punched into stupor, and getting hooked brazenly to jug and tummy - Raquel went down under a bludgeoning hail of workmanlike leather, rolling to her back breathless and beaten. Linda Evans had stopped Raquel Welch on the set of Beach Blanket Bingo, KO4.

Afterward: This was a fight that showed both the promise of Raquel Welch - and the distance she still had to travel before emerging as the worldbeater she would eventually become.

Lying tits up on the sand, blinking and blubbering in drowsy stupor - Raquel had been taken apart by a more rudimentary, but more polished and complete young slugger. Linda Evans would never scale the heights attained by her foe in the long run - but she had harnessed her lesser talents earlier and took full advantage of her carefree opponent's recklessness.