(NOV 15) Today marks the 11th anniversary of New Zealander Daniella Smith returning to New Zealand after winning the inaugural IBF Women’s World title back in 2010.

12th of November 2010, Berlin, Germany hosted the first IBF World women’s title between the undefeated German Jennifer Retzke and New Zealander Daniella Smith. The fight was a close match with judges scoring 96 - 94, 96 - 93 and an unusual score compared to the other two with 99 - 90 with Daniella winning the IBF Welterweight title by unanimous decision. Daniella fought very well which included her scoring a knockdown against Jennifer in the 8th round. On the 15th of November, Daniella Smith returned to New Zealand as a world champion.

Daniella Smith has had an amazing boxing career including competing at the world championships in her amateur years to becoming a professional world champion. In her amateurs, she fought in 40 fights in a space of 6 years. In that time, she had won multiple New Zealand titles, won the Oceania title which qualified her to compete at the 2002 World Championships in Turkey.

Daniella made her professional boxing debut in 2005 against the first-ever New Zealand women’s professional boxing champion Sue Glassey. The two would fight twice in their careers with Daniella winning both fights and winning her first New Zealand title in 2006, winning the NZPBA Super Welterweight title.

She would win her second New Zealand title in 2008 against Lisa Mauala, winning the NZPBA Welterweight title. Daniella made history by becoming the first-ever female to win a New Zealand boxing title in multiple weight divisions. So far only two women have matched that record including Mea Motu and Lani Daniels. Geovana Peres has also won two New Zealand titles, however, they are both in the Light Heavyweight division.

At this time, Daniella Smith only had one loss to her record, which is against multiple-time World Champion, American Layla McCarter. In August 2010, Daniella Smith fought against multiple world title challenger, Argentina boxer Gabriela Marcela Zapata. This fight was to prepare for the world title fight. Daniella won the fight by unanimous decision.

This of course led to her fight against Jennifer Retzke. Despite Jennifer Retzke losing to Daniella Smith, Jennifer went on to win her own IBF World title in the Super-Welterweight division.

Daniella Smith created a massive legacy for herself when winning the IBF world title with achievements like the first female to win the IBF world title and the first Maori to win a boxing world title. Her legacy lead to inspiring women across New Zealand to fight in the sport of boxing, including the next New Zealand World champion Geovana Peres who won the WBO Women's World Light Heavyweight title in 2019.

Today Daniella Smith is a promoter and trainer as she trains the next generation of amazing female boxers while raising money for women refuge, fighting against obesity and giving back to the community. In 2019, the first-ever New Zealand Boxing Awards took place online, awarding Daniella Smith a spot on their own hall of fame. Daniella was also recognised with the New Zealand Maori Sports Awards scholarship (2002) and the Northland Maori Sportswoman of the Year (2007).

Daniella Smith would finish her career with the record of 34 - 6 (Amateur) and 13 - 6 (Professional).

Social Media
Women Boxing Archive Network
Instagram: @wbanbuzz
Twitter: @wbanbuzz
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/womensboxing/

 

 #          #           #          #

More Information on WBAN, go to our affiliated websites!
www.womensboxing.org
www.womenboxingrecords.com
www.wban2012.com
www.wbanmember.com
www.floridaboxing.com
www.iwbhf.com
www.wban.tv
WBAN's Group Facebook