Kym Marsh has established herself as a leading character on the Coronation Street - allthough some still prefer the ever-present Samia Ghadie instead - but Rose Byrne is a promising upstart who feels beating a buxom raven-haired opponent like Marsh is just what she needs to further enhance her BBU career. Not to mention she's threatening to make a mess of the whole Corrie legion as she looks to beat up Michelle Keegan really soon too!

The Birmingham crowd must be filled with Corrie faithful as Kym receives a standing ovation upon entering the arena and she's stolen the cleavage contest, wearing a black basque top, red knickers and white gloves. Rosehas nothing to be ashamed though, wearing a green basque top with white laces, black knickers and black gloves. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the bantamweight division.

Round 1:
Both girls took quite a beating last time they were active in the ring and the crowd perhaps expects a slow start but Marsh proves them wrong from the onset as she leaps towards her rival and swings around her head. She misses at first but because Rose seems surprised and offers little response, she finally connects with some flesh, bounces off the cheeks exposing Byrne's guard early before switching low and slicing a series on the ribcage. Rose winces in pain, she really didn't expect that from Marsh and the older actress continues to rip into her guts thereafter. Marsh on the move, pummels around the elbows and ducks underneath a jabbing counter, uppercuts the chest and forces Rose back. Another quick leap towards the younger actress and Kym spikes her on the eye, splits the mitts again and rocks the head back and forth with some precise attacks. Byrne falls on the ropes and covers up, manages to force Marsh into crashing off her forearms in the dying seconds but she hasn't even threatened the Corrie veteran in the opening round and no wonder Kym sports a huge smile as she struts back to her corner. The crowd is understandably pleased with what they've seen so far.

Round 2:
Kym pounces on Rose's slow start; both women tangle in the middle of the ring as the raven-haired girl is simply too quick right now and she pummels on the midriff again, has Byrne dropping her arms in desperate protection but a quick uppercut connects with the jaw and the reddish-auburn hair fly everywhere as Rose scampers for cover but can't tame Kym whatsoever and eats couple of quick jabs on the cheeks that develop a worrying swelling already. Marsh opens up from both sides, bangs another series on the tummy and pushes a hapless looking opponent on the ropes where she continues to clean out her stomach until Rose finally manages to clinch her in the final minute. But the Foxfire girl just stands there and leans back on the ropes, invites Kym into more pounding and the Corrie star takes advantage, slices the mitts and snaps Byrne's head back, gives her more bruising before the bell and the crowd truly goes ballistic! So much support for a Merseyside girl is rarely seen in West Midlands but Kym's doing her best to break a recent losing streak and leaves Byrne's face swollen at the bell when another jabbing combo goes past the guard.

Round 3:
Hectic atmosphere in the Foxfire Atlantic corner; Rose's been hammered 8-10 in both rounds and hardly landed a punch on Kym. "She's not Miranda Kerr, you silly!", coach Sophia Myles sounds like she wants to get in the ring herself and teach Marsh a lesson or two but has to rely on Byrne's skills for the time being. Meanwhile the raven-haired vixen is all smiles in the opposite corner and smells a wounded prey. Rose shakes her head and tries to make a fresh start into this bout but Kym pours into her tummy and lands another vicious series, bends the Aussie in half after a brief struggle in the middle of the ring and whacks her over the top, snaps the head back and poor Byrne just wobbles back, stumbles almost and a left hook nails her on the nose, causes the arms to drop and a subsequent right hook whacks her on the nose... DOWN GOES BYRNE ON HER KNEES and the crowd absolutely loves it! Marsh parades around the ring, thinks it's all over but the Aussie beats the count at seven and we're back on it.... Kym piles in with more jabs on the head, bounces off the forearms this time and eats a left overhand on the nose as Byrne finally finds a response, continues to straight jab herself out of trouble and pushes Kym back to mid-distance... some fine footwork on hand as she dekes around a flying hook from the Corrie girl, nails her from the side and finds the rack, tries to follow up but Kym clinches her and both women remain in stalemate until the bell as Byrne refuses to let go and ref has no intentions to break the struggle. Kear's Kats' coach Gail Kim is livid with this and so is Marsh, but Byrne survives a real scare in one piece and coach Myles is quick with more advice during the interval.

Round 4:
Kym's old nemesis Natalie Bassingthwaighte has arrived ringside and offers some help to Rose too. The blonde Aussie was victorious earlier tonight and has some scores to settle with Marsh herself whom she lost to last December. "C'mon, Rosie, beat her up! You can't lose to this fat cow!". Marsh notices NatBass in the opposite corner but because of their previous encounter she can only offer her a cheeky smile and we're back in the ring anyway. Kym is quick to close the distance as Rose keeps up some quick footwork which was nowhere to be seen in the past three rounds. Marsh misses her approach... once, twice, loses her balance and almost falls on her knees as she's visibly keen to lay more leather into her foe but Byrne hangs back, makes up for the heavy beating she took earlier and slows the buxom Corrie star down to the point, Kym just abandons her attacks and now she looks really upset. She tries some single striking from mid-range but only grazes the arms and Rose pours on the counter late on, targets the tummy and bangs a series around the elbows; Kym tries to cover, trips over her feet while reeling to the side and eats a left hook on the temple instead. Byrne wants to follow up, gets halted by the bell though and the crowd is not impressed!

Round 5:
More advice to Byrne during the interval and Marsh is not smiling anymore as she wants to get after her rival. Off we go into the fifth and both women tangle in the middle of the ring again, the Aussie seems no longer struggle for confidence and outworks the older opponent in a high-tempo slugging, whips a series on the tummy and staggers Marsh a bit, follows up with a left hand on the eye and Kym wobbles to the side, tries to make a comeback but bounces off the gloves and eats more jabbing on her face as Rose suddenly swarms all over her and just bashes to the body after switching targets. Kym covers up but Rose keeps throwing leather, wants to push the Corrie star to the ropes but can't quite do it. Marsh gets pummelled around but just escapes to safety as Byrne looked to rush her attacks and drop the precision required. Single striking from behind the guard follows, mutual respect on hand as neither's mentality gets broken and Kym stands talls, circles around the ring in avoidance, still on the back foot but in relative comfort and Rose follows suit. Tempo drops for good in the final minute and the imminient knockout looks to be out of reach despite Marsh still ahead on the points courtesy of the impressive opening two rounds. Bell.

Round 6:
More slugging at the start, Kym begins to yelp in exhaustion a bit as she's going for her shots, could be a sign of sheer determination though and Rose keeps her mid-range, tries some fancy shots on the head but needs to up the work rate and intensity. Marsh settles back, more circles from the raven-haired vixen as she switches into defensive mode, not exactly her style but Byrne doesn't offer much pressure now, seemingly gathering her thoughts now after surviving a very tough opening. The ammount of punches dwindles fast here in Birmingham and so is the crowd's reaction. They want more from these two as the opening rounds promised so much. Rose turns on the pace in the final minute, pummels around the elbows but can't find the right gear anymore and Kym clinches her as the round concludes with another stalemate and both women almost looking to wrestle each other to the ropes rather than throw punches.

Round 7:
Coach Myles urges Rose to raise her game and she responds, Kym was perhaps looking for another sluggish round but eats a huge left on the eye straight away and that was a careless mistake from the veteran. Byrne pours in with more shots on the rack and makes her opponent yelp in anger, pain even as she slams a series on the ribcage and closes her down, sends more uppercuts on the chest and allthough Marsh seeks another clinch, she gets clobbered with another uppercut on the jaw and sinks on her knees. Rose with a left hook on the eye and there's a nasty looking lump appearing on Kym's face as Byrne pounds away at her midriff thereafter. More clinching attempts from the Corrie girl but she gets pushed to the ropes and Rose's all over her rack there, bounces 'em back & forth, clips the jaw again and has Kym moaning at the bell and some judges may give it 10-8 as coach Myles and NatBass lead the applause in Byrne's corner.

Round 8:
Kym lasted eight rounds only twice in her career and looks to be struggling for breath but the determination is still visible in her eyes as she leaps after the Aussie, jabs on the chest and looks for a hooking haymaker on the jaw.. eats an overhand right on the eye herself though as Rose produced a fine counter and snaps the raven-haired head back. More strikes over the top and Byrne just punishes Kym's face now as the arms were slow to get up and the feet stayed behind too. Marsh must cover up, gets pummelled back to the ropes again and almost stumbles in the process. She weaves back and forth but Rose buries a low jabbing combo in her guts and staggers on the spot, switches high and splits the mitts as the aching Kym looks to be really searching for strenght... more jabs lump her face up and she sinks on her knees even further and the crowd now watches just a mindless bash from the Aussie who is keen to send her foe down... more bruises on Kym's face as she just can't keep her guard in tact anymore but she stays upright until the bell, yet looks shocked by the ammount of leather thrown at her. The scorecards don't look that promising anymore, do they?

Round 9:
Byrne's comeback continues but the knockdown might still prove pivotal. Kym is simply tired out there and allows the Aussie to pound away at her midriff again, this time Rose slams against the rack with fury and makes Marsh's moans even louder. Seconds into the ninth and Kym gets backed against the ropes, more tummy assault follows and Byrne just peppers those jugs with no sympathy whatsoever. Marsh covers up but Rose slices through the arms with ease, rocks the rack and leaves her foe sunk on the knees.. quick switch up high and a jabbing combo brings more bruises onto the older girl's face and it's just painful to watch now as Rose sends a cross-hooking combo on the nose, whacks a left hook on the temple and MARSH CRUMBLES ON THE CANVAS, just thumped into the ground as she simply couldn't take it anymore... Byrne breaths heavily but watches on as Kym tries to lift herself from all fours... that's a tired looking effort and her face is all swollen up now, a really gruesome night for Marsh... she gets up at eight and is allowed to continue... Byrne has other ideas, rips into her tummy straight away and keeps her pinned at the ropes, ravages the rack thereafter and it looks like there's not an ounce of strenght left in Marsh here... More facial assault follows, Rose just beats the stuffing out of Kym, snaps her head back repeatedly, whips an uppercut on the jaw and signs off with a left hook on the temple... Ouch... Kym's knees just give way and she crumbles onto the canvas again with her eyes closed, rolls onto her side and oh my, she's out of here.... KO R9 Rose Byrne!!!

Post-fight:
A shocking end to what proved to be a gruesome contest. Kym Marsh looked set to demolish Rose Byrne based on the opening two rounds but ended up getting knocked out unconscious instead. What a turnaround for the Aussie girl as Sophia Myles and NatBass pour ringside to embrace the winner. But Rose looks relieved and tired rather than happy herself, that comeback has cost her a lot of energy and if Marsh didn't lose her steam earlier the fight could have gone to the cards where anything was possible.

Meanwhile Kym won't be looking in the mirror much the next few days, her face is just a swollen pulp and a painful deja vu from the Leah Dizon fight. Natalie Bassingthwaighte tries to mock the fallen brunette and shouts some abuse at the fallen English girl but the security staff drags her away and make way for the medical crew. That was just one vicious finish and most of the audience feel truly sorry for Kym who didn't really deserve such a brutal beating in the end.

Final result: Rose Byrne def. Kym Marsh KO9.