Sarah Long (fighter)

Last updated

Sarah Long
Sarah Long.jpg
BornSarah Long
(1987-04-27) April 27, 1987 (age 35)
Te Haroto, New Zealand
Residence Auckland, New Zealand
DivisionHeavyweight
Light Heavyweight
TeamS.A.L.T Gym
TrainerTerry Tuteru
Professional boxing record
Total7
Wins3
By knockout0
Losses3
By knockout0
Draws1
Other information
OccupationBoxer
Kickboxer
Boxing record from BoxRec

Sarah Long (born Te Haroto, New Zealand 27 April 1987) is a New Zealand professional boxer and kickboxer. She is the current NZPBA New Zealand national heavyweight champion. She has peaked in the world rankings when she ranked 10th in the World Boxing Council [1] and 4th on BoxRec.

Contents

Professional Boxing Career

first year 2016

Sarah Long made her professional boxing debut against three time New Zealand amateur national champion Nailini Helu on 18 June 2016. This was the beginning of change in New Zealand regarding women's boxing as this was the fourth women's heavyweight boxing fight in a space of 10 years. After this fight, women's heavyweight boxing fights became more frequent. [2] This was also deemed as a New Zealand heavyweight title fight eliminator, where the winner will go on to fight for the New Zealand title. Long lost the fight by unanimous decision. [3] A few months later Long took on another former New Zealand amateur national champion Cheyenne Whaanga on 24 September 2016. This was Cheyenne Whaanga one and only fight of her career. Long lost this fight by unanimous decision. [4] A couple of weeks after that fight, she took on Hamilton boxer Tash Pakai on the show that her trainer Terry Tuteru promoted on 8 October 2016. Long took her experience from her previous fights and showed how much she had improved, especially when she knocked her opponent down in the second round. Long won her fight by unanimous decision. [5]

Win over future world champion & New Zealand title 2017 - 2018

On 10 March 2017, Long took on Geovana Peres. At this time Geovana only had one amateur title underneath her, winning the North Island Golden Gloves amateur title the previous year. The fight was a close fight but in the end Long fought marviously and won by Unanimous Decision. [6] Geovana Peres after this fight went on to not only become a 2 time New Zealand national champion but also a WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion. [7] Little that was known at the time, this made Long the biggest win of her career and the only person to have beaten Geovana Peres in her professional boxing career. On 11 November 2017, Long took on Alrie Meleisea for the NZPBA New Zealand national heavyweight title for one of the biggest New Zealand women's title fights New Zealand has ever seen. It was such a close fight that there was only one fight between them in the final result. Long lost the fight by a close unanimous decision. [8] Long weighed-in in the fight at lightest of her career and actually was weighed in as a Light Heavyweight. The two eventually announced their rematch the following year in June, however, Alrie Meleisea pulled out of the title defence due to her mother dying the previous week before the fight. [9] Alrie vacated her title which gave Longan opportunity to fight for the title against someone else. On 13 October 2018, Long took on Hamilton boxer Ashley Campbell for the vacant NZPBA New Zealand national heavyweight title. Long's boxing skills had improved so much since her debut in 2016, she simply outboxed Ashley, almost winning every single round. Long won the bout by unanimous decision. After the fight, her family erupted into a haka in celebration of her title win. [10]

Rematch & World ranking 2019 - Present

On 28 September 2019, Long took on her biggest boxing rival, Alrie Meleisea in Alrie first fight in almost 2 years. This was also Long's first fight in almost a year as well. [11] The fight was an entertaining bout but the result ended in a controversial draw. The reason why it was controversial in this 4 round fight was that one judge gave all the rounds to Alrie, one judge gave all the rounds to Long, with the last judge gave the fight an even 38 - 38. Both corners weren't particularly happy with the scoring of the cards, however, it was probably the most fairest result. [12] In 2020, Long wasn't able to get a professional boxing fight in New Zealand due to COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand which resulted in the country getting locked down twice throughout the year. In January 2021, it was announced with World Boxing Council in their January ratings that Long would be ranked 10th in their World Heavyweight women's boxing rankings.

Professional boxing titles

Professional boxing record

7 fights3 wins3 losses
By knockout00
By decision33
Draws1
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotesref
7Draw3–3–1 Flag of Samoa.svg Flag of New Zealand.svg Alrie Meleisea SD428 Sep 2019 Flag of New Zealand.svg ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand [13]
6Win3–3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ashley CampbellUD813 Oct 2018 Flag of New Zealand.svg 107 Neilson Street Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealandvacant NZPBA New Zealand national heavyweight title
5Loss2–3 Flag of Samoa.svg Flag of New Zealand.svg Alrie Meleisea UD811 Nov 2017 Flag of New Zealand.svg ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand NZPBA New Zealand national heavyweight title [14]
4Win2–2 Flag of Brazil.svg Flag of New Zealand.svg Geovana Peres UD410 Mar 2017 Flag of New Zealand.svg ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
3Win1–2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Tash PakaiUD48 Oct 2016 Flag of New Zealand.svg Manurewa Netball Centre, Manurewa, New Zealand
2Loss0–2 Flag of New Zealand.svg Cheyenne WhaangaUD424 Sep 2016 Flag of New Zealand.svg ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand [15]
1Loss0–1 Flag of Tonga.svg Flag of New Zealand.svg Nailini Helu UD418 Jun 2016 Flag of New Zealand.svg Weymouth Cosmopolitan Club, Auckland, New Zealand [16]

Kickboxing career

Kickboxing titles

Awards and recognitions

Related Research Articles

David Tua New Zealand boxer

Faumuina To'aletai Mafaufau David Tua, best known as David Tua, is a Samoan-born New Zealand former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2013. A highly ranked heavyweight contender for most of his career, Tua was known for his formidable punching power, especially in his devastating left hook. He scored sixteen wins by knockout in the first round, which included knockouts of world heavyweight champions John Ruiz and Michael Moorer within thirty seconds of the first round, as well as late stoppages of world champions Oleg Maskaev and Hasim Rahman. He was ranked by BoxRec in the world's top 10 heavyweights from 1996 to 2003, reaching his highest ranking of No.3 in 1998. Tua ended his career with a knockout-to-win ratio of 82.6%. In a 2003 article by The Ring magazine, Tua was ranked 48th on a list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Shane Aaron Cameron is a New Zealand professional boxer. He is a former Commonwealth cruiserweight champion, having also held several regional titles at heavyweight. As an amateur he won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Outside of boxing, he placed fifth in the 2015 series of Dancing With the Stars New Zealand.

Lance Revill is the former president of the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA), a New Zealand boxing promoter, referee, and a former New Zealand professional boxer. Revill compiled a professional record of 21 wins and 13 losses, with 13 knockouts, in light heavyweight bouts fought in New Zealand and Australia between 1974 and 1990.

David Light (boxer) New Zealand amateur boxer

David Light is a Professional Boxer from New Zealand. He competed in the men's heavyweight division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he won the silver medal against Canada's Samir El-Mais. Light is the current WBO Oriental cruiserweight champion after defeating Mark Flanagan by unanimous decision on 18 March 2019.

Daniella Smith is a New Zealand former professional boxer. She became the first female fighter to win an IBF title, having held the welterweight version from 2010 to 2011 and is the second New Zealand born person to win a boxing world title. Smith is also ranked pound-for-pound number one in New Zealand of all time in the Women's division.

Reece Papuni New Zealander professional boxer

Reece Papuni is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur, he reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Uaine Fa Junior is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur he represented Tonga at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal in the super-heavyweight division; he also represented Tonga at the Oceania Championships, winning gold and multiple silver medals. His knockout-to-win percentage stands at 53%.

Adrian Taihia is a retired New Zealand professional light heavyweight and super middleweight boxer. Taihia is in Craig Thomson's Boxing Stable.

John Conway is a retired professional boxer and kickboxer. Conway biggest boxing bout of his career was challenging for the WBO Asia Pacific light heavyweight title against Soulan Pownceby in June 2011. Conway has peaked at 11th on the WBO Asia Pacific Rankings. Conway started his boxing career in the amateur in 1986. If you combine his amateur, professional boxing and kickboxing fight, Conway has had 182 fights.

Nailini Helu New Zealand boxer

Nailini Inaise Vae Helu is a professional boxer who lives in New Zealand. Helu is the world's first Tongan professional female boxer.

New Zealand Professional Boxing Association

New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) is one of the four governing bodies for the sport of professional boxing in New Zealand. NZPBA is a non-profit organisation.

Alrie Meleisea is a professional boxer and MMA fighter.

Geovana Peres New Zealand boxer

Geovana De Cassia Peres is a Brazilian born New Zealand amateur muay thai fighter and former professional boxer who competed from 2017 to 2019. She became the first female light-heavyweight world champion, having held the WBO female title from 2019 until her retirement in January 2021.

Lani Daniels New Zealand boxer

Te Arani Moana Daniels is a New Zealand Maori professional female boxer.

Geovana Peres vs Lani Daniels II Boxing competition

Geovana Peres vs Lani Daniels II, billed as History In The Making was a boxing rematch between Geovana Peres and Lani Daniels. It took place on 30 March 2019 at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Peres won the contest by Unanimous decision with two judges scoring the card 98 - 92 and one judge 96 - 94. The fight was considered to be one of the most anticipated sporting events in New Zealand as two New Zealand Boxers fighting for on major World Boxing Title. Geovana Peres is known as the first ever person from the LGBT community to win a New Zealand Professional Boxing title, holding the New Zealand National Boxing Federation and Professional Boxing Commission New Zealand Light Heavyweight Titles. Even though she is Brazilian born, Geovana is a New Zealand citizen and proudly represents New Zealand. Lani Daniels holds the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association Light Heavyweight title and Pro Box NZ Super Middleweight title. She represents her Iwi the Ngāti Hine. She is the second New Zealand Born female to be fighting for a major World title. The first being Daniella Smith, who is from the same hometown as Lani Daniels.

Geovana Peres vs. Claire Hafner

Geovana Peres vs Claire Hafner was a world title fight that took place on 4 October 2019 at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Peres won the fight by referee stoppage between the 8th and 9th round. This was considered a history making moment as Geovana Peres was the first New Zealand female boxer to win and successfully defend a world title in her home country. Geovana Peres was also the first LGBT person representing New Zealand to hold a world boxing title. Claire Hafner was born in the USA but considers herself a Canadian. She came into the fight ranked first on Boxrec, above Geovana who was ranked second. The winner of the fight would also be recognized as the official Lineal World Heavyweight champion.

Claire Hafner is a Canadian professional boxer and Opera singer. She challenged once for the WBO light heavyweight title in October 2019. As of October 2019, she is ranked as the world's fourth best active female heavyweight by BoxRec.

John Kevin Alipate Ahio, known professionally as Hemi Ahio, is a New Zealand born Tongan professional boxer.

Sequita Hemingway New Zealand Maori boxer

Sequita Hemingway is a New Zealand professional boxer, rugby leauge and rugby union player.

Mea Motu New Zealand Maori boxer

Marea Motu is a New Zealand Maori Professional Boxer.

References

  1. ↑ "WBC January 2021 ratings" (PDF). WBC. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "THE CAREER OF SARAH LONG…. SO FAR". New Zealand Fighter. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Tongan born kiwi wins second Professional boxing bout". The Coconut TV. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "Nailini Helu Wins first major titles". Scoop. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Girls Fight Night Out in Manurewa". Women Boxing Archive Network. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Repeat on Women's Heavyweight Bout". Women's Boxing Archive Network. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "GEOVANA PERES ANNOUNCES HER RETIREMENT". Gay Express. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Heavyweight (NZPBA Version) Champion Alrie Melesiea, defended her title". Women Boxing Archive Network. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Meleisea vs Long II postponed". Women Boxing Archive Network. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  10. ↑ "Sarah Long Out-Points Ashley Campbell for the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association Heavyweight Title". Women of Boxing. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Alrie Meleisea returns after 19 month hiatus". Ring News 24. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Sarah Long and Alrie Meleisea Rematch Concludes with a Draw". Women of Boxing. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  13. ↑ "Fight 19 - Sarah Long vs Alrie Meleisea Terry Tuteru's Ultimate Rage 8 ABA Stadium 28Sep19". Gladrap Channel. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Alrie Meleisea vs Sarah Long - NZPBA Women's Heavyweight Title - RLCA @ ABA Stadium 11Nov17". Gladrap Channel. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "Cheyenne Whaanga vs Sarah Long 2016". Gladrap Channel. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  16. ↑ "What a long wait, but worth every minute & hour!!!...It's our girl Nailini Helu bringing home the WIN!!!..." Facebook. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "Gladrap Awards 2019". Gladrap Channel. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.