(NOV 9) 30-year-old
Tongan-born boxer Auckland resident “The Tongan Goddess” Nailini
Helu has received her first major world ranking in her
eight-year professional boxing career.
Nailini Helu is now ranked 6th in the Light Heavyweight division
in the IBF, receiving her first major world rankings in her
professional boxing career. This comes after her successful win
for the South Pacific (PBCNZ version) Super Middleweight title
against Tinta Smith in Hamilton back in Auckland. Helu has also
received rankings in the minor bodies, including 4th in the IBO
and 5th on Boxrec.
Helu has fought some of the best female boxers from New Zealand,
including World title contender Alrie Meleisea, World title
contender Desley Robinson, retired WBO World Light Heavyweight
champion Geovana Peres, and two-division IBF World champion Lani
Daniels. Now, after eight years of her professional career, she
finally has her own world rankings.
For those who don’t know what this means, it is now important
for her to keep active to climb the ranks if she wants to
receive a future world title shot. This also means she could be
chosen for a volunteer world title defence. This could possibly
be an option for a rematch against Lani Daniels, however,
Daniels has won their last encounter and both are regular
sparring partners when Daniels is preparing for a fight.
Coincidentally Helu has beaten Lani Daniels's sister Caroline
Daniels, during their amateur boxing career. Helu had a
successful amateur boxing career winning the New Zealand
national amateur boxing championships on three different
occasions.
She would later make her professional boxing debut in 2016 on
the WBC World Middleweight title fight Kali Reis vs Maricela
Cornejo undercard.
This is a big move for Tongan boxing as there are not many
professional boxers currently in the world rankings, especially
from New Zealand. Most well-known Tongan boxers in recent years
Hemi Ahio and Junior Fa were the boxers climbing the rankings.
Currently, Tonga Tongotongo is the next Tongan boxer from
Australia to possibly reach the world rankings and world stage.
What's next for Nailini Helu?
She needs to keep busy, especially now she has reached a major
world rankings. There are plenty of possible fighters in New
Zealand including Alrie Meleisea rematch, Sequita Hemingway,
Trish Vaka, Maria Hunt, Cheyenne Whaanga, Genah Fabian and that
is just in New Zealand. There are still plenty of options in
Australia as well.
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