Essex Boxing After Dark: Zara McDermott vs Lucy Mecklenburgh

BBU Essex Boxing After Dark from Brentwood
Zara McDermott vs Lucy Mecklenburgh
(Love Island vs The Only Way Is Essex)
(BBU Debut vs 3-7, 3 KO)
Results: BBU; Story: Vassago

BEFORE: The 'Love Island' reality TV show has recruited several BBU participants before if only to mention the likes of Zara Holland, Maura Higgins or Amber Gill and Essex-born Zara McDermott wants to join the action few days shy of her 25th birthday. She called out another Essex woman Lucy Mecklenburgh who cashed her celebrity chips with 'The Only Way Is Essex' earlier in the previous decade.

Lucy missed the last several months through maternity leave but she's ready to remind everyone she remains the undisputed Queen of Essex and vows to smash Zara into pieces tonight: "Huh! I bet my fans are so happy to see me back! I'm ready to destroy this blonde cow who should stick to Dubai parties and mud wrestling! I heard she ain't any good so I'll shake off all the rust and punch her lights out!"

Zara has big plans for the upcoming weeks and is rumoured to be seeking a Boxing Day PPV spot. BBU TV's Kate Abdo claims the Love Island prospect would have to beat Lucy to warrant such an opportunity and if she struggles vs Mecklenburgh then she might as well target the Faiers sisters instead.

Zara McDermott wears a crimson red lingerie set & silver gloves. Long dark blonde hair tied in a curled ponytail. Lucy Mecklenburgh wears a flower-themed black lingerie set & silver gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a sleek ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the bantamweight division.

Round 1:
Brentwood is Eddie Hearn's backyard so it's no wonder Matchroom banners are present in tonight's pub location and the action comes at you thick and fast with Lucy firing quick leather into the blonde's face and stamping her authority early in the going. She flies in with more crisp shots to drop the rookie into immediate trouble but a clash of jugs halts her charge and allows Zara to flick an overhand response. Lucy stops that with her face and she struggles to embrace a harpoon pounce downstairs while McDermott gets more aggresive and lands another uppercut on the chin to catch a promising momentum. She fails to pound the brunette onto the ropes but Lucy shoots wide off the mark thereafter anyway so the action slows down a bit with both women verbally taunting each other rather than connecting with their efforts! Zara has the last laugh when she scythes Lucy across the mouth and plays along with the Essex audience after the bell.

Round 2:
Lucy is off to another fast start as she drops a couple of bombs into the blonde's face and ducks away from immediate response before landing another hook on Zara's ear that sinks the Love Island alumni into quiet spasms. Lucy tees off from there and bangs more head shots on target taking advantage of McDermott's suspect defense; she pummels her onto the ropes where she gets down to punish the rack albeit Zara clinches her into safety as more verbal shots are fired as well. Lucy keeps her opponent pinned on the ropes for remainder of the round and lands more head shots to give the newcomer a trial by slugging fire and Zara does well to limit the damage but the crowd doesn't appreciate her clinching efforts in the final minute and Mecklenburgh makes her pay by landing questionable shots in the kidneys.

Round 3:
Zara tries to secure an early slugging breakthrough and she beats Lucy for a quick swing on the nose before driving a nasty harpoon up her gut that makes the older Essex woman slump into spasms. Ugh! Punching resistance was never Lucy's strong suit and she gets glued to the spot when McDermott rallies around the elbows to spike more leather on the midsection. She wobbles Lucy onto her heels and moves up to connect with the jugs sending the brunette into a desperate retreat during the second minute. Another wild swing catches Lucy on the brow ridge and leaves her sagging on the ropes while Zara cleans out her midriff and dominates the final minute to earn a strong ovation from the Brentwood audience. So who is the Queen of Essen after all?

Round 4:
Lucy's head-hunting charge misses the target while Zara gets more aggressive in response and cashes in on the brunette's woeful execution. She scythes her on the nose a couple of times and follows the hi-lo path to burst a vicious harpoon on the navel which folds the TOWIE babe into loud spasms. Ugh! Zara shoves her back and reaches out to slam a left hook on the eye that develops a steady swelling down the stretch while the brunette tries to regain her mojo swinging from the back foot in desperate fashion. McDermott weathers the erratic storm and piles on more head shots come the final minute as she drives the lacklustre foe onto the ropes and buries Mecklenburgh behind a desperate earmuff which only fuels more loud reaction among the pub patrons! Lucy is beaten into a standstill in the corner and the ref has a hard time pulling Zara off her when the clock expires.

Round 5:
Lucy looks visibly upset ahead of the fifth but Zara unloads more head-hunting juice and forces the older woman to accept the slugging drill that results in more swollen patches across the brunette's face! Huh! Lucy's high-guard just isn't any good here as Zara snaps her head back & forth and pounds her onto the ropes where she lands more leather in mind over matter fashion before dropping low to punish the exposed navel again. Lucy slumps into loud spasms and can barely land a punch from behind the guard while the blonde ravages her midriff and thumps unanswered punishment until Mecklenburgh HAS TO TAKE A KNEE just to stop the relay!!! Zara punches the air in delight but gives the brunette extra time to recover as she doesn't head back to the neutral corner straight away. Hey, one has to issue the count first! Lucy is up on her feet already when the ref finally gets to do his thing but even this delay doesn't help the TOWIE babe much as she fails to navigate a furious jabbing burst with McDermott gashing her over the top and splitting the leaky guard with ease. Uh-oh!!! Lucy cries out in pain after taking a ruthless double on the nose and spins onto the turnbuckle where Zara blows another hard right on the brow ridge that leaves an immediate cut. Ugh! Lucy goes all jelly knees here and eats another booming hook on the nose before the ref STEPS IN to save her from more damage. TKO5 Zara McDermott!!!

AFTER: Lucy goes down on her backside and can barely hold back the tears while Zara gets to parade around the ring and enjoy a rampant ovation from the Brentwood audience. It's unlikely she becomes the next Katie Taylor but she is the undisputed Queen of Essex for the time being! What about those Boxing Day PPV plans then? "I've finally arrived on the scene and I'm not going to waste my time fighting jobbers like Sam Faiers! That's for Lucy to choke on all that mud! Stupid ho! But I can totally see myself punching the crap out of Tulisa Contostavlos or Cara De La Hoyde very soon indeed! My personal management is working to make it happen and I have enough JMD value to give that idea a try as well. Watch out because I'm coming to beat your ass!"

Official Result: Zara McDermott def. Lucy Mecklenburgh TKO5.