(JAN 12) In just two weeks, New Zealand's Mea Motu will step into the ring for a historic bout as she attempts to become the
nation’s first-ever Unified Boxing World Champion. The fight, scheduled for
January 25 in Nottingham, will take place on Eddie Hearn's Matchroom card. Motu,
representing the West Auckland-based Peach Boxing gym, will contend for the IBF,
WBO, and Ring Magazine Super Bantamweight titles against England's Ellie Scotney.
Motu is nearing the conclusion of an intense 10-week
training camp, sacrificing her Christmas and holiday season to prepare for this
momentous fight. The camp included rigorous sparring sessions in Australia and
Bali with world champion Cherneka "Sugar Neekz" Johnson, who previously faced
Scotney, providing insight for the upcoming bout.
The Peach Boxing team, led by coach Isaac Peach, is set to depart for the UK
next week, allowing time to acclimatize ahead of the high-stakes showdown.
“This is the ultimate goal, and we’re ready,” says Coach Peach. “Preparation has
been good. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and we’ve been preparing
for the last year.”
The road to this fight has been a long one for Motu. After calling out Scotney
following a dominant TKO victory at Auckland's ABA Stadium in March 2024, the
bout was initially scheduled for October 26. However, Scotney withdrew due to
injury, leaving Motu without a fight for most of the year. In a last-minute
opportunity arranged by her Sydney-based promoter, No Limit Boxing, Motu faced
Australian boxing queen Shannon "Shotgun" O’Connell on October 2. In a stunning
performance, Motu achieved a TKO victory in the fourth round, proving her status
as one of the best Super Bantamweights in the world.
Now, with the chance to claim three world titles, Motu stands on the brink of
history. If successful, she will achieve what Kiwi legends like David Tua,
Joseph Parker, and Andrei Mikhailovich have only dreamed of: becoming New
Zealand’s first Unified Boxing World Champion.
Motu’s hunger for this moment is undeniable, and the Peach Boxing team is ready
to seize the opportunity. Fans back home in New Zealand and around the world
will be watching closely as she aims to cement her name in boxing history. The
fight will be Live on DAZN on January 26th approximately 9:00 am (NZT)
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