Another clash where both women have fought very rarely in recent time, Helena Mattsson knocked Ali Bastian out back in June but fell down the Lookout! Atlantic pecking order in the so-called meantime while former bantamweight champion Erica Cerra last entered the ring in August of last year where she lost the belts to Imogen Thomas. These facts lead Denise van Outen to remain coy on the eventual outcome of this fight even though the Swedish actress has lightweight experience and barely made the bantam grade tonight.

Erica Cerra wearing a red one-piece swimsuit and black gloves. Helena Mattsson wearing a light blue one-piece swimsuit and yellow gloves.

Round 1:
Cerra's been out of the ring since forever but shows no signs of rustiness and she leaps into a jabbing series and smacks the blonde on the ribcage, follows up on the chin slicing the guard with ease and snapping Mattsson's head back. More venom follows, Helena forced onto the back foot and duck & weave approach as Erica's big punching skills need to be reminded... she demolished Jessica Schwarz to win the title last year and some people still wonder how exactly she lost to Thomas and now Helena finds all about it the rough way as Erica staggers her along the ropes with more ribcage drilling and whacks across the mouth for a good measure. Cerra pumping gloves into the blonde's midriff thereafter, traps her on the ropes but runs out of time to inflict further damage with Mattsson all covred up at the bell.

Round 2:
Making the weight has cost Mattsson some stranght and speed across the canvas as she endured more head-snapping early in the second with Cerra running riot and slamming the red gloves straight against the tummy. Blonde girl reeled back to the ropes again, just trying to aviod the onslaught but suffers badly when Erica rips between her arms and pummels the chest, there's some worrying yelps from the Swede but the brunette just keeps on going, tags the chin a couple of times and bounces off the temple with Helena only capable of covering up and soaking up all the pressure in the final minute.

Round 3:
Mattsson realizes she must move forward and tangles with the Canadian in the middle of the ring again, beats her for an overhand hook and tags the temple, follows up on the body but Erica leaps to the side and bides her time as Helena can't match her speed across the canvas. Mattsson seeks the single hand apporach, swings around Cerra's head but can't close her down and settles into methodical circles as her foe does likewise with her hands dropped, pace slows down for good and Erica seems happy to see a frustrated look on the blonde's face who fails to make an impression despite taming the Canadian's charge to some extent.

Round 4:
No holding back anymore as furious action is quickly resumed with Mattsson blasting out of her stool and slamming her gloves against the brunette's ribcage; Cerra reverts into uppercuting the blonde's chin and finds more success as she snaps the head back and whacks Helena on the temple, drills her guts thereafter in close range and pushes towards the ropes again. Mattsson mounts a response over the top but misses the temples and allthough she leans on Erica, eats more low jabs on the ribcage and starts to moan again. Cerra switches the drilling turbo, pummels the stomach and clips the blonde's chest, shrugs off weak clinching attempts and whacks Mattsson across the mouth to regain control, tries to spike her on the face in the dying seconds but the Swede's guard withstands the barrage in good shape.

Round 5:
Erica's back into harrassing Helena's midriff but falls into an overhand jabbing for once and has to circle back as the blonde flies with a hooking combo and nails Cerra on the chin, follows up on the body and has the Canadian covering up. It's Mattsson's time to drill the midsection and she pushes her rival onto the ropes with Erica losing her feet a bit and suffering some yellow leather between her arms; Mattsson ups the workrate and finds uppercuts on the chest, blasts Erica's arms aside and tags the chin, leans on the older girl and whacks her around the elbows, Cerra finally finds a clinch to see out the round but is gaspong for air at the bell with Mattsson happy to punch her on the kidneys, the referee unable to spot that for whatever reason.

Round 6:
Mattson's back into pumping leather against Cerra's ribs as she shows more determination, the big punches suddenly going away for the Canadian and Helena shows she can land some herself, pummels the ribs and forces Erica into more covering up and clinching efforts. But that won't work as Mattsson stretches her elbows well and settles into a porper rhythm, keeps jabbing the brunette's ribcage before switching into uppercuts on the chest. Cerra thrown onto the back foot, lacking precision in facial assault and just reverting into defence; she drops her elbows well to protect her ribs but eats a quick hook across the mouth with Mattsson unable to go all the way as she misses a key jabbing combo on the temples and falls into Cerra's embrace late in the going.

Round 7:
This is a real see-saw affair now with Helena striking over the top and keeping the Canadian at bay through the minute mark, opening up from both flanks thereafter and spiking her foe on the chest. Cerra's tired of this and leaps into a quick barrage on the head, bounces off the gloves and misses a cross hook on the mouth alltogether, swings her torso against the Swede's mitts and endures rapid fire on the liver... here comes Helena slamming mighty leather right where it hurts and Cerra yells out in pain suddenly clutching her guts and wobbling onto the ropes; she bends forward but not before Mattsson clips her on the exposed nose AND SENDS CRASHING ONTO HER SIDE... Helena reigns supreme now as Erica's liver took a severe blow, all down to losing her balance and exposing the put away target. Cerra beats the count at seven but fights back the tears as she can't shrug the fire burning in her guts and now even struggles to breathe, she turns away and leans against the ropes and ref has no other choice but to stop the contest! Huge upset as the Swedish blonde scores come-from-behind victory in the most unexpected fashion... TKO7 Helena Mattsson!!!

AFTER: Cerra was all done and dusted once Mattsson whacked her clean on the liver; you won't find a more precise and lethal shot all night here in Manchester. Not even Helena's lightweight experience was responsible for that stoppage as she'd have beaten any welter girl with that. Erica's understandably upset after the verdict, shakes her head and refuses to shake hands with the winner; she demands a rematch as soon as possible but whether the Lookouts sends Mattsson against her again or some other girl from their impressive roster remains to be seen.

The fact remains that Cerra is more than qualified to perform at the highest level and just like the Imogen Thomas upset, she wasn't really outperformed on the night, just got caught by the most lethal shot in anyone's armor. And you can't blame her for that! On the other hand Lookout! Atlantic salvages a great deal of pride after Gemma Merna's controversial draw and Helena enjoys a standing ovation from the rampant Manchester Arena crowd. We're almost done with the Boxing Day PPV with only one lightweight bout remaining.

Final result: Helena Mattsson def. Erica Cerra TKO7.