I've had it go down as few as three times before simply exploding, which I think depends on how quickly you deal the damage... I was playing a cheated save on the PC version (my memory card broke on disc 3 for the PSone version so I deemed it fair to do so until I actually reach the same spot I was in, by which time I'll just have all the same stuff I already had by that stage in the game, minus a few cards, heh)

I didn't know it could be defeated in the first encounter though, annoying because it means I always have at least one escape on the Battle Report.