Jacqueline Jossa vs Nicola Roberts
(Garnet Gunners UK vs Lioness Club)
(6-9, 6 KO vs 12-16, 10 KO)
Results: BBU; Story: Vassago

BEFORE: Long-time EastEnders cast member Jacqueline Jossa badly needs a win to revive her BBU career after some pundits have called her a "flame out" on the heels of her ugly loss to Vera Brezhneva back in June which extended her winless streak to five bouts. She turns 27 later this month so it's way too early to dismiss her chances like that but time is maybe running out for the Bexley native to make a real impact on the boxing scene.

Meanwhile Nicola Roberts remains a viable test for any elite contender out there and is happy just to get another shot: "Well, Kimberley (Walsh) and I are always here ready to duke it out! I'm not like Nadine (Coyle) who's kinda upset over her status right now! I'm willing to fight anyone and I don't care that my title ambitions are looking rather slim. I just enjoy boxing regardless of the outcome!"

Jacqueline Jossa wears a red crop top, matching hotpants & black gloves. Long dark brown hair - with significant blonde dye - tied in a sleek ponytail. Nicola Roberts wears a silver sports bra with black trim, yellow hotpants & red gloves. Long carrot hair tied in a custom ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the bantamweight division.

Round 1:
Jacqui is the girl under pressure so she tries to channel some early aggression and jabs through the redhead's guard to the point Nicola simply looks sluggish. The work rate is all on the brunette's side but she basically keeps bouncing off the singer's forearms & mitts which doesn't make the Lioness corner blink at all. Jacqui barks in her efforts but she probably knows she's not hurting the older girl here and then she gets whacked with a scything cross over the top as Nicola tries to rally back into contention in the final minute. No real power on display here as both girls settle into mild-mannered dispute and one can only wonder what is Jossa so happy about at the bell?

Round 2:
Nicola lets the EastEnders' babe work her trick in the opening minute again but Jacqui's punches find little other than the redhead's guard before Roberts delivers the overhand response and nails the younger rival with a brutal combo on the nose. Jacqui rolls back onto her heels and just can't swing from there as Nicola tags her on the jaw and thumps back onto the ropes following a steady dose of uppercut production. Jossa groans in her efforts to outmuscle the singer in the looming phone booth dispute but gets tagged on the chin again and leaks extra punches come the final minute with Nicola methodically working on the judges' approval.

Round 3:
More of the same in the third, Jacqui's initial jabbing blast bounces off the forearms and she struggles to contain the redhed's response from the inside. Nicola clubs a single punch on the jaw that wobbles the brunette outright and forces her to yield real estate when the older girl steers more head-hunting assault thereafter. Jossa just can't outwork the Girls Aloud veteran in close range and thinks better off it alas Nicola doesn't find the urgency required to take full advantage of the brunette's wonky tactics. Both women waste the final minute in rather meaningless single-punch exchange and you can feel these two ain't exactly battling for a Top 10 ranking spot here whatsoever!

Round 4:
Nicola tries to deliver a proper head-hunting blast and takes over the early action which leaves Jacqui even more under pressure as she leaks easy shots from point-blank range and is glued to the spot after the singer nails her on the chin and slumps into loud spasms. Nicola ups the work rate and rocks the brunette's head back before Jacqui gets out of trouble with a fortunate hook on the boobs that makes Roberts gurgle in discomfort. However Jossa jumps back into mid-range instead of lashing out at the briefly stunned foe which is a bad mistake. She realizes that too late and when she tries to jump the route again, she finds Nicola's right hook DRILLING her on the nose... Oi, Jacqui! She wobbles to her right side and drops the mitts by her waist while Roberts SLAMS a right hook on the nose AND FLOORS THE YOUNGER WOMAN on the spot! Uh-oh!! Disaster for the EastEnders fanbase and Jossa sits down on her heels with her eyes looking more than misty here. She gets up at seven but Nicola thumps her up the middle again and clobbers onto the ropes where she drops for the harpoon attack that picks off the brunette's tummy and leaves her gasping for air at the bell!

Round 5:
Jacqui just can't get out of her own way now as she gets beaten for the right-on-right punch and eats a wicked hook on the jaw that drops her on wobbly knees again. She gets trapped on her heels and soaks up the head-hunting blast with Nicola working on speed dial to dissect the otherwise leaky guard. Uh-oh!!! Jacqui wobbles onto the ropes with a loud whimper before she gets gut-checked for a good measure. She tails off behind a desperate earmuff however the redhead is all over her midsection and pounds away in fury until she FORCES JOSSA TO TAKE A KNEE!!! Strike two!!! Jacqui is close to tears as she battles back to her feet at eight and she fails to respond to the referee's calls. "U okay? U gud? C'mon! Show me some!" Nope, the girl ain't showing anything tonight and the fight is waved OFF!!! TKO5 Nicola Roberts!!!

AFTER: That's a horrible result for Jacqueline who appears to be all out of sorts ever since that Vera Brezhneva beatdown. If a genuine journeywoman like Nicola Roberts broke her fighting spirit like that, the future looks very bleak for the EastEnders veteran indeed.

Meanwhile Nicola seems surprised how effortless her victory turned out to be: "Geez, Jacqui is sooo weak! I mean, come on! What are these Gunners doing down there? But I can't complain about a win like that! I hope Nadine doesn't lose her mind much since it's not all about Cheryl there in the end! Nicky can bring it home too!" (laughs).

Final result: Nicola Roberts def. Jacqueline Jossa TKO5.