Heida Reed vs Jaime Murray
(2-2, 2 KO vs 3-3, 3 KO)
Results: BBU; Story: Vassago

BEFORE: This is an otherwise exciting match-up on the Tour de Foxes undercard featuring a promising upstart Heida Reed and a wiley veteran Jaime Murray. Reed would like to follow up on the Iceland's football team success - they've reached the World Cup finals for the first time - and emerge as a genuine gatekeeping threat in the BBU. Likewise Murray who needs a bounce back performance following a couple of tough losses to Naomie Harris and Helen George last year. BBU TV's Kate Abdo has heard rumours about the Hammersmith brunette fighting Natalie Bassingthwaighte and possibly Carla Bonner next but doesn't think that Heida Reed is suitable for a mere stay busy contest. This is a high-risk, high-reward match-up for the 41 year old veteran.

Heida Reed wears a blue one-piece swimsuit with a red cross painted on the right side of her belly and red gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a high ponytail. Jaime Murray wears a turquoise one-piece swimsuit and white gloves. Long black hair tied in a sleek ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the bantamweight division.

Round 1:
These are two of the tallest bantamweights around so it's perhaps to be expected they seek their chances in a steady mid-range assault to begin with. It's too obvious to call Heida "cold as ice" based on her nationality but Kate Abdo really doesn't fancy the younger brunette to blow her fuse anytime soon which can only annoy Murray instead. The Hammersmith woman is allowed to work the up-tempo swings during the opener but she finds little success through the middle as Reed's guard covers her off and results in a proper counter-punching response. Jaime is the more agile of the two women but Heida doesn't kick into a higher gear and the round must go down as a pure tactical affair with Murray unwilling to push the envelope herself.

Round 2:
Kate Abdo expects more fireworks in the second and Jaime gets a little more aggressive in the first minute but she still finds it difficult to do anything about the Icelandic brunette's guard. Heida remains focused on containing the older woman's offense and dances around her to raise an eyebrow or two around the NEC arena before ripping a nasty cross through the middle that rattles Murray's confidence. However there's no immediate follow up from the 'Poldark' starlet and she lets Jaime to circle back into safety. More tactical swings dominate the second minute but the English babe finally jumps into another attack late - she picks off Heida with a promising double combo but gets stuffed in a clinch and wrestled back to the ropes when Reed closes her down and prevents more mid-distance heroics.

Round 3:
If Heida wants to wear her opponent down, she's doing a great job thus far but the Birmingham audience didn't expect such a low-keys opening to the undercard. However they get a lucky break when Jaime blasts one straight onto the younger brunette's nose and knocks her on the heels. A quick surge to the body leaves Reed vulnerable and Murray cashes in with a steady ripping series on the ribcage. Heida tries to clinch her but loses her grip and footwork and ends up stuffed on the ropes where the English brunette cracks more drilling shots on the midsection. Ugh! They make the Icelandic babe groan in pain and she misses the half-hearted response when her uppercuts bounce off the forearms. Jaime signs off a promising display with another scything cross on the mouth and if that doesn't finally force Heida's hand here, even Kate Abdo doesn't know what else will.

Round 4:
Heida's been sleepwalking through this bout so far but some crisp punches from Jaime in the previous round have finally woken her up. She dramatically improves her footwork and makes the older brunette miss repeatedly in the opening minute before a quick hook on the liver sends Murray into a tail-spin! Another rapid cross on the mouth drops the guard by the wayside before Jaime stumbles back to the ropes amid loud spasms. Ugh! Heida really exposed her with that injection of pace and she adds more facial strikes from point-blank range to wrap the Englishwoman behind a desperate earmuff. It's all Reed here down the stretch as she rains punches like skittles and rallies around the midsection to find that punishing hook to the liver again. Jaime somehow survives the onslaught but the concerned look in her eyes suggests she needs to search for a plan 'B' here sooner rather than later.

Round 5:
Reed doesn't mess around with the older brunette anymore and Murray just doesn't find the speed neccessary to avoid a classic swarming rush. Heida beats her foe in the initial tangle and connects with the jaw before adding a left hook on the temple that sags the older woman on soft knees. Jaime tries to unload an uppercut response but is too slow and Heida whacks her across the nose to spin the Hammersmith lass onto the side. She then adds a piercing hook to the body and sends Murray into a chaotic retreat; the English babe is barely able to keep her feet apart and stumbles onto the ropes where Reed NAILS her with a drilling hook on the lips. Ugh! That cuts Murray up right there and then and she bellows out behind another desperate earmuff as Heida punishes her to the body for remainder of the round. Jaime is visibly hurting and out of breath at the bell while Heida smiles back to the crowd for the first time tonight!

Round 6:
Heida romps clear from the bell trying to further punish the aching Englishwoman; Jaime gets caught with the initial cross hook and her guard can't block anything anymore so her head snaps back repeatedly when the Icelandic babe pours in more juice. She stacks Murray up in the center of the ring and while the aerial assault removes every ounce of the older brunette's resistance, it's the old fashioned hook to the liver that does the trick. REED NAILS MURRAY WHERE IT HURTS THE MOST and the Hammersmith woman goes down like a sack of potatoes!!! Heida shakes her glove in delight and the aching Murray is splattered on the canvas, she doesn't even try to beat the count as the wounded liver area simply overwhelms her recovery plans! KO6 Heida Reed!!!

AFTER: That's another solid win for the Icelandic brunette who maintains the hot 2017 streak alive! However she really needs to get rid of these annoying dire spells as she's barely shown life during the opening three rounds - a more skilled fighter than Murray would surely take full advantage of them in a blink of an eye!

Meanwhile it's a tough loss for the Hammersmith actress who is rumoured to be targeting the likes of Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Carla Bonner next as Kate Abdo revealed before the fight. Jaime is by no means a mere cougar punchbag but she lacked the proverbial spark tonight and was outworked by a more talented woman in the end!

Final result: Heida Reed def. Jaime Murray KO6.