The lightweights enter the ring for the first time tonight and Rachael Taylor could make sure that the guests from Australia won't lose this event anymore if she manages to defeat Christine Bleakley. According to Green & Gold Magazine Taylor enjoys a sub-par reputation in her native country but surprised many people by breaking Zoe Salmon's ribs in the first event last October. This hasn't gone well with Christine Bleakley, who just like Salmon comes from Northern Ireland and has promised to take revenge on the blonde Aussie girl. This bout also serves as dress rehearsal for Bleakley's upcoming clash with fellow TV presenter Holly Willoughby.

Both girl enter the ring, wearing skimpy bikinis, and Bleakley looks as focused as ever, having lost her last three fights while Taylor looks to have been relishing her demolition of Zoe Salmon as she hasn't fough since. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the lightweight division.

Rachael Taylor wearing a yellow bikini with black stripes and red gloves. Christine Bleakley wearing a black bikini with white stripes and red gloves.

Round 1:
Aggressive start from Bleakley who quickly wants to stamp an authority on the bout and lands a crisp jabbing sequence to the stomach. Taylor stepped in with a lot of confidence but got an early reality check before avoiding a hooking follow up and she backs to the ropes, unable to cope with the early onslaught. Christine jumps up to her and lands a couple of jabs in the chest and another hook misses as Taylor weaves around the ropes and counters, landing a solid low jab in the ribs. Bleakley still keen to land some punches to the face, but the blonde escapes from the ropes and circles back to center of the ring, moving quicker from the brunette who was unable to close her down in the corner. Taylor keeps the distance for remainder of the rounds as Bleakley has her in the sights but with coach Gina Wild screaming to her not to rush it, she's dropped her early aggresion and waits for the bell as well.

Round 2:
Downunder corner still in confident mood, Nikki Visser barely talking to Rachael but she's switched up a gear on her own at the start of the second. Furious jabbing sequence straight off the bat grazes Christine in the mouth and Taylor peppers her ribs with a follow up. Big hook from the right catches the leather though and a response from the Irish brunette does likewise as the crowd gets silenced for a moment, couple of potential haymakers were just denied and it's the local girl with the break after that, lacing the blonde in the ribs before working around her guard again. Taylor bends down in close range, visibly not feeling any respect towards her rival and she nails Bleakley in teh cheek with a nice left hook, but misses the follow up from the right as Christine's guard was back in tact already. Single jabbing response from the brunette, but Rachael dances around her, peppers from mid-range, having stepped back and Christine almost jumps after her but gets nailed in the breasts and backs away. Rachael fakes few punches and keeps her at distance and at the bell it's a good round for the Aussie.

Round 3:
All smiles for Nikki Visser and Elle MacPherson as their girl lands another early sequence to the guts, forcing the brunette to cover up and that prevents Bleakley from a fierce hook to the face. The brunette's gloves almost came apart there, Rachael's a slender type, but she can throw a mean shot! Straight jabs pepper the brunette's guard and she's forgot about her footwork, allowing the blonde to have it her own way, massive screams from coach Wild now, but it's another low jab to the stomach that finally springs Christine into action as she throws a couple of wild hooks to the face. Taylor easily jumps to the side in avoidance, but also enables the Ulster girl to back away. They circles around each other, faking punches and the Aussie looks happy with the way she's unsettled the local girl thus far. Bleakley shows more signs of stepping in, but she only grazes the blonde in the arms and chest as Taylor's much quicker across the ring. At the bell it's an even round but Christine definitely looks more frustrated of the two.

Round 4:
Time wasting isn't the plan for Christine, she leaps up to the blonde and nails her in the cheek before a follow up lands on the jugs. Noise is the crowd gets louder as Rachael looks stunned and her response is weak, single hooks miss the brunette's head as Bleakley pours in with sharp jabs to the guts and backs the Aussie to the ropes. Rachael tries to clinch and manages to wrap her arms around Christine's neck but still gets pounded in the ribcage and winces in pain, closing her eyes. She leans on the ropes, but Christine still laces her in the ribs and the ref shows no signs of breaking them free. Furious shouts from the Downunder corner and Rachael has to fight herself out of trouble, she blocks her opponent's left arm and tries to trip her over with a leg hook! That's a new idea of boxing and Christine loses her balance crashing into the Aussie and all hell breaks loose as Gina Wild has climbed the ropes in the opposite corner and threatens to join the action! Ref has seen enough, shoves the innocent brunette away and gives an official warning to Taylor who smiles at him with that promiscuous look in her eye. She's not wincing in pain anymore, but Bleakley jumps straight at her, trying to change that, but the blonde ducks under her arm and escapes free to center of the ring. Christine's really upset now, but still can't match her speed across the ring and Taylor is plain teasing with her; drops her arms and weaves like a pole dancer. Hook from the left, no good... from the right, no good! Crowd starts to throw beer cans and lighters onto the ring! Mental stuff as Taylor's everyone public enemy #1. There's the bell and the atmosphere is on the verge of breaking down!!!

Round 5:
Serious look on Nikki Visser's face as she pep-talks her girl "This ain't Melbourne, remember that!". Taylor shoves her away and leaps straight at the brunette but misses a hook to the face, Bleakley steps to the side but her stiff jab also goes wayward and they both soon crash in close range, locked in a clinch and the ref separates them. Quick hook from Taylor nails the Ulster girl in the mouth as she was stepping in, and another from the left switches the sway mode for Bleakley. Taylor pours in with a charge, backs the brunette to the ropes and nails her in the stomach. Christine struggles under this barrage, tries to clinch, but gets laced further in the mouth and moans in pain as Rachael shows no mercy! Big left hook from catches Bleakley in the eye and whoa.. brow ridge's gone!!! Blood comes out as that was a monster shot!! Ref jumps in just as Taylor was looking to send the brunette down on the canvas for good. Will he call it off? No! Doctor is being called ringside again!!! The level of vicious and brutal punches tonight has been truly staggering! Cutmen work on Christine's ridge and she looks fairly OK considering the damage inflicted by the Aussie. Taylor walks around the ring, can't stay in her corner, glances over at her rival and there comes the local girl to a loud cheer. We're back, folks. Rachael immediately tries to open the wound again, but to no avail, Bleakley jumps to the side, counters to the midsection and lands some nasty jabs. Taylor hops back & forth but can't reach the wound, it's too easy for the local girl to see through this tactics and she lands more single jabs to the body from mid-range as the Aussie looks annoyed at the bell.

Round 6:
The damage was done but it's still a long way for Taylor to secure the win. Christine whacks her early in the sixth with a flying hook to the cheek just as Rachael was targeting another one herself and the brunette pours in with a charge, laces the blonde in the jugs few times, backs her against the ropes before throwing more shots to the tummy. Taylor covers up, tries to respond with single punches, but gets overwhelmed in a sharp exchange. She grazes Christine couple of times in the chin, but gets rocked with a gutwrencher from the right and she's felt that, as she moans and bends down. Bleakley nails her from the top, rocks her head again with more hooks and then another one straight between the gloves, lands on the breasts again. Blonde tries to jump away but stumbles and then a huge left hook from Bleakley!! Down goes Taylor on her side as the crowd errupts in joy!!! Ref steps in, but it's a false dawn for the local supporters, blonde quickly up at her feet at four, looking hardly impressed by that shot! Bleakley knows better, lands another straight jab to the nose straight after the command but the Aussie covers up and manages to jump away this time and starts to circle around the ring. Christine fakes a forward leap, has Taylor on the ropes, but coach Wild shouts repeatedly from her corner "Don't rush it, Chris!" and the Ulster girl keeps the distance until the bell, having enjoyed a very good around after the previous let down.

Round 7:
Taylor looks puzzled what to make of this bout so far, but she charges out again as both girls square up to each other again. This time the Aussie lands the first combination, scoring solid jabs in the stomach, but Christine responds with a hook to the side of the head and Taylor's blonde hair fly through the air as the crowd notices that one landed clean. More high-tempo punching from both girls, Rachael works the brunette's midsection and makes her wince quietly few times, Christine misses a couple of hooks to the head but then lands a low-uppercut to the jugs and throws the blonde away, bending her forwards and looking for a clinch. Series of jabs backs the Aussie against the ropes and she gets nailed in the ribs from both flanks before Christine laces her in the mouth with a crisp right hook. Taylor sinks on her knees, looks in real trouble now and Bleakley works on her with single punches from close-range. She's feeling the effects of this bout too, despite numerous unanswered shots, the Aussie won't go down again! The plug has been pulled on the two women now and allthough the crowd urges the Ulster brunette to send the cocky blonde on the floor, she just can't do it. Repeated single punches crash off the leather and Taylor survives behind her guard, but she barely makes it back to her stool and looks to have serious trouble with breathing during the interval.

Round 8:
Christine doesn't look that sharp either, her face puffed in red as all of the sudden both girls really struggle with strenght and stamina. They both start very slowly, but Bleakley just keeps pouring in with single jabs to the breasts and stomach. Taylor unable to match her, misses couple of easy shots to the midsection and then tries to clinch, but Bleakley rips into her with a gutwrencher that sends the blonde to the ropes. Desperate lunge from the local girl as she tries to land another one and a big hook skims off Rachael's nose as she tries to clinch again. Bleakley just falls into this trap as they struggle along the ropes, trying to land some low jabs in the ribs and the ref has to separate them. After the command, Taylor remains leaned on the ropes, tries to jump to the side, but there's another lunge from Christine and a flying hook breaks through the Aussie's guard! Her head snaps backwards and there's another hook from the left landing straight on the mouth. Crowd goes wild as Taylor wobbles on the ropes and Bleakley just works her over now, fires from both flanks, peppers her in the stomach and chest before another stiff jab breaks the guard again. Rachael's rooted to the spot, just takes all the punishment she can and her limit is coming soon. Couple of jabs to the ribs and an uppercut to the jaw send her crashing down on the floor with a loud groan of pain. She tries to catch the brunette's waist on her way down as Christine wasn't quick enough in backing away, but she can't and lands face-first on the floor! Christine just stands over her, looks whether she can continue, but it's a slow reaction from the Aussie. She's gotten up on her elbows at six, tries to push herself up even further but she can't do it and falls down on her face again just as the ref counts to ten! KO R8 Christine Bleakley in durable, mind over matter fashion!!!

Post-fight:
Christine raises both arms in the air and closes her eyes as the crowd chant her name! She looks relieved upon her second career victory and despite vowing to cause a serious injury to Taylor, it turned out to be a real struggle and fitness battle in the end. The Aussie wounded her in the fifth, but just couldn't close it out, the lack of recent activity perhaps working against Taylor on a longer run.

Bleakley also looked less prone under opponent's punches, the way she lost against Sarah Manners and Denise van Outen last year, indicated her ab muscles were easy to pound in order to cause a serious damage. Is this a new and improved version of Christine this year only time will tell, but it's a good start anyway.

Just as the Ulster brunette walks around the ring, the fallen Rachael slowly gets up on her feet, being helped on by Nikki Visser and Elle MacPherson. It looked so good for so long and then crumbled in the end. Taylor's back into the second-tier level after this loss, what makes it worse is the fact she actually had a chance of winning but wasn't as ruthless in execution as she was on home soil against Zoe Salmon and the fact she faced a slightly better opponent whom she just couldn't break down despite all the efforts.

Final result: Christine Bleakley def. Rachael Taylor KO8.
Series result after 5 of 8 bouts: Lioness Club 2, Downunder Boxing 3.