Bez Takes Part in Bare-Knuckle Fight 'Over Former Lover'

Gary Wolstenholme, Redferns

It's not been the best of years for former Happy Mondays dancer and maracas shaker Bez. In August he was issued with a restraining order preventing him from contacting his former fiancee and the mother of his child, Monica Ward. He was then fined £140 for breaking that order and subsequently arrested last month after failing to attend a bail appointment.

To cap it all, Bez -- real name Mark Berry -- has been photographed engaged in a bare-knuckle fight with Space Monkeys bassist Dom Morrison, who is said to be in a relationship with Monica.

The Sun reported the fight took place in -- ahem -- a scrapyard office in Manchester and was broken up by a referee after 15 minutes.

A source told the newspaper, "The fight's been the talk of Manchester for weeks. Two local brothers Anthony and Christopher Donnelly were involved in putting Bez and Dom in the same room to sort out their problems. It was really bitter and they only wanted to sort it out one way - with an old-fashioned straightener.

"Bez looked cut up but gave as good as he got. It was a draw in the end and they both managed to walk away."