Mea Motu | |
---|---|
![]() Mea Motu with first New Zealand title | |
Born | Marea Kirimiria Motu |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Other names | The Nightmea |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Super Lightweight Lightweight Super Featherweight Featherweight Super Bantamweight |
Boxing record [1] | |
Total fights | 19 |
Wins | 19 |
Wins by KO | 7 |
Losses | 0 |
Draws | 0 |
Website | https://peachboxing.co.nz/ |
Marea Kirimiria Motu (30 December 1989 Pukepoto, New Zealand) is a New Zealand Maori Professional Boxer.
Motu is the current IBO World Super Bantamweight Champion. [2] She is a four division New Zealand champion, holding more New Zealand titles then any other female boxer. [3] She broke the 14 year record set by Daniella Smith for holding the most titles in February 2022. [4]
Motu discovered boxing at the age of 13. [5] Motu is a five time New Zealand amateur champion, winning two junior titles, and three elite senior titles. [6] During her amateur career, Motu was trained by her mother Aloma Browne and fought alongside her sister Sally Motu, who also won a New Zealand National title. [7] Motu was also trained by Chris Martin. [8] Motu won an World boxing event that was open invertational called the Ringside Bowl World Championship. [9] Motu sister Sally fought at the Golden Gloves event in Queensland in 2016, unfortuanately Mea was unable to compete due to injury. [10] Motu meet Isaac Peach during her amateur boxing years. Since 2020, Peach has been Motu manager and trainer out of Peach Boxing. [11]
Motu made her professional boxing debut against City Kickboxing Kickboxer Wendy Talbot in October 2020. [12] Motu won the fight by unanimous decision. [13] Motu made her television fight debut when she took on Sally Kaokao at Sky City Theatre in November 2020. [14] Motu won the fight in quick fashion, winning by stoppage in the second round for her first TKO win. [15] In December 2020, Motu fought Ayisha Abied for the first time out of the three fight they have in the future. Motu won the fight by Unanimous Decision. [16] Motu would return to television her next fight in late December 2020 against Katala Hansen. Motu would finish the fight in quick fashion, finishing the fight in 18 seconds. [17]
In February 2021, Motu would take on Ayisha Abied for the second time in their trilogy. Motu won the fight by Unanimous Decision with her fighting the full six rounds for the first time. [18] In March 2021, Motu took on Tania Reid for the New Zealand National Lightweight title. [19] Reid was well known for being the first ever New Zealand female to win the Australasian title. [12] Motu won the fight by third round stoppage in dominating fashion winning her first professional boxing title. [20] In April 2021, Motu return to television when she fought Toni Moki. Motu won the fight by first round stoppage. [21] After the fight, Motu reach the ranking of 1st on Boxrec and 3rd P4P on Boxrec. [22] Motu would go on to fight Michaela Jenkins back to back in May and July 2021 with the second fight for the New Zealand national Super Lightweight title. [23] Jenkins is a former New Zealand National (Pro Box NZ version) Welterweight champion which she won on a Joseph Parker undercard in December 2018. [24] [25] Motu will not only win both fights against Jenkins, she will also capture her second New Zealand title, but this time in the Super Lightweight division. [26] After the fight, Motu was originally scheduled to fight for a WBA regional title against Australian Beck Hawker. [27] Motu was also scheduled to fight Gentiane Lupi for the WBU World title. [28] However, due to COVID-19 Lockdowns, both fights got cancelled. In August 2021, Motu finished off her year with a fight against Maori professional boxer Rangi Hetet. [29] Motu won the fight by Split Decision.
In February 2022, Motu took on Ayisha Abied for the New Zealand National Featherweight title. [30] If Motu won the fight, she would break a 14-year record that Daniella Smith set that was tied with Lani Daniels, Geovana Peres, and herself. [31] Motu won the fight by first round Knockout winning her third professional boxing title. [32] In February 2022, it was announced a super fight between Motu and Baby Nansen will happen in 2022 as soon as the Auckland lockdowns were over. [33] Motu and Nansen fought on April 30 for the New Zealand National Super Featherweight title [3] [34] The fight itself was messy and close, however, Motu won the fight capturing her fourth New Zealand title. [35] [36] After the fight, Motu made her intentions clear that she wanted to take on New Zealand born Australian, IBF World Super Bantamweight champion Cherneka Johnson. If a fight between Motu and Johnson happened for the world title, it would be the first time in boxing history that two Maori women would compete for a World title. [37] It would be second time for two New Zealand women to compete for a world title behind Lani Daniels vs Geovana Peres for the WBO World title. [38] In June 2022, Motu received her first major international ranking, with her being ranked 10th in the IBF Junior Lightweight division. [39] On 19 August, Motu took on Thailand National Bantamweight champion Thanchanok Phanan for the vacant PBCNZ International Featherweight title. [40] Motu stated she aims to make an impression by knocking out her opponent. [41] Motu won the fight by 4th round stoppage. [42] On the 21st October, Motu took on former WBC World Bantamweight champion Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang. This is the toughest and highest credential boxer Motu has fought so far in her career. [43] Motu won the fight by Unanimous Decision winning every round of the fight. [44] On 26th of November, for the first time in her professional career, Motu fought overseas against undefeated Iran boxer Nastaran Fathi. This is the first time she will fight for a major regional title. [45] Motu won the fight by Split Decision, winning the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental super bantamweight title. However, Motu received a bad cut during the fight. [46] At the end of December 2022, Motu finished her boxing 2022 year with receiving a ranking of 7th [47] in the WBA and 16th in the WBC in the Super Bantamweight division. [48]
In March 2023, it was announced that Mea Motu will fight for the vacant IBO World super bantamweight title against canadian boxer Tania Walters. [49] This will be the first time that boxing promoter Dean Lonergan will have a female main event on his boxing shows. [50] On the 27th of April 2023, Mea Motu won the fight by unanimous decision, becoming the third maori to win a World Boxing title. [51] In August 2023, Motu took on Malawian boxer Ellen Simwaka to defend her IBO World title in a double header with Lani Daniels defending her World title on the same card. [52] Motu won the fight by unanimous decision, overcoming a serious injury with a dislocated shoulder in the first round. [53] For her last fight of 2023, she will fight for the first time in her boxing career in her hometown of Northland. [54] On the 7th of November, it was announced that the event was sold out. [55] Motu will take on Indian boxer Chandni Mehra. [56] Motu won the fight by Unanimous decision. [57] In February 2024, Motu and Peach Boxing announced their departure with Dean Lonergan D&L Events and had signed with No Limit Boxing under Matt and George Rose. [58]
19 fights | 19 wins | 0 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 7 | 0 |
By decision | 12 | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Win | 19–0 | Noppaket Srisawas | TKO | 2 (10) 0.59 | 2 Dec 2023 | McKay Stadium, Whangarei, New Zealand | Defended IBO Super Bantamweight World title |
18 | Win | 18–0 | Chandni Mehra | UD | 10 | 26 April 2024 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Defended IBO Super Bantamweight World title |
17 | Win | 17–0 | Ellen Simwaka | UD | 10 | 26 Aug 2023 | Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Defended IBO Super Bantamweight World title |
16 | Win | 16–0 | Tania Walters | UD | 10 | 27 Apr 2023 | Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant IBO Super Bantamweight World title |
15 | Win | 15–0 | Nastaran Fathi | SD | 8 | 26 Nov 2022 | Hilton Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Won vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Super Bantamweight title |
14 | Win | 14–0 | Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang | UD | 8 | 21 Oct 2022 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Defended PBCNZ International Featherweight title |
13 | Win | 13–0 | Thanchanok Phanan | TKO | 4 (8) 1:39 | 19 Aug 2022 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant PBCNZ International Featherweight title |
12 | Win | 12–0 | Baby Nansen | UD | 8 | 30 Apr 2022 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant New Zealand National (PBCNZ version) Super Featherweight title |
11 | Win | 11–0 | Ayisha Abied | KO | 1 (8) 1:25 | 12 Feb 2022 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant New Zealand National (PBCNZ version) Featherweight title |
10 | Win | 10–0 | Rangi Hetet | SD | 5 | 7 Aug 2021 | Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton, New Zealand | |
9 | Win | 9–0 | Michaela Jenkins | UD | 8 | 3 Jul 2021 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant New Zealand National (PBCNZ version) Super Lightweight title |
8 | Win | 8–0 | Michaela Jenkins | UD | 4 | 8 May 2021 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | |
7 | Win | 7–0 | Toni Moki | TKO | 1 (4), 1:59 | 9 Apr 2021 | Sky City Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | Tania Reid | TKO | 3 (8) | 26 Mar 2021 | Takapuna Rugby Football Club, Auckland, New Zealand | Won vacant New Zealand National (NZPBA version) Lightweight title |
5 | Win | 5–0 | Ayisha Abied | UD | 6 | 13 Feb 2021 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | |
4 | Win | 4–0 | Katala Hansen | TKO | 1 (4) 0:18 | 19 Dec 2020 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | |
3 | Win | 3–0 | Ayisha Abied | UD | 4 | 5 Dec 2020 | Waitemata Rugby League Club, Auckland, New Zealand | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Sally Kaokao | TKO | 2 (4) 1:59 | 13 Nov 2020 | Sky City Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | Wendy Talbot | UD | 4 | 17 Oct 2020 | ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand |
Motu was born and raised in the small village of Pukepoto which is outside of Kaitaia. [61] Motu a New Zealand Maori with decedents of Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi. [23] Motu is a mother of four children, [62] with her eldest David a championship Bowler. [63] Motu was raised in the small town of Pukepoto. She moved to South Auckland when she was 10 years old. [5] Motu got pregnent with her first child at the age of 17 with her boyfriend at the time. She would eventually marry her boyfriend. She would go through bad times with her family when she was living homeless. Motu would leave her husband after years of domestic violence abuse and her husband went to prison. [5] For a short time, Motu moved to Australia where she met her new partner. This helped her turn her life around for the better. She moved back to New Zealand where she started train back in boxing. [5]
Dean Robert Lonergan is a former New Zealand boxing promoter and rugby league player. With Duco founder David Higgins, Lonergan had success promoting world champion boxers Joseph Parker and Jeff Horn. With his son Liam, he promoted Jai Opetaia, Lani Daniels and Mea Motu
Reece Papuni is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur, he reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Michelle Preston is a Muay Thai Fighter and professional boxer. Preston resides in Auckland, New Zealand, where she has fought most of her professional fights. Preston has held many titles including New Zealand National Title, WBA Regional title and WBO Regional title. Preston is also a World title contender, fighting for the IBF World super flyweight title against Argentinian World Champion Debora Anahi Dionicius. Preston is also a Five time World Kickboxing Champion. Preston has fought on four King in the Ring undercards. Preston won her last World title on 17 November 2017 on the Main Undercard of King in the Ring. Preston won the vacant WBC Muaythai World Super Flyweight Champion against Fani Peloumpi by Majority decision.
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.
Alrie Meleisea is a New Zealand professional boxer and MMA fighter. Meleisea is a world title contender where she fought for the IBF World Heavyweight title against Lani Daniels in 2023. Meleisea lost the fight by Unanimous decision. Despite the loss, she became the first female pasifika boxer to fight for a world boxing title. Meleisea is a two time New Zealand Heavyweight Champion and a former UBF Asia Pacific heavyweight champion.
Te Arani Moana "Lani" Daniels is a New Zealand professional boxer who became the first New Zealand-born boxer of Māori descent to become a two-division world boxing champion. She has held the IBF female heavyweight title between May and December 2023, and the IBF Light Heavyweight title since December 2023. She is the fourth boxer of Maori descent to win a world boxing championship.
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.
Cherneka Johnson is a New Zealand-Australian professional boxer. Born in New Zealand, she represents Australia in international competition. She is a two-weight world champion currently holding the WBA female bantamweight World title having previously been IBF female super-bantamweight World champion.
John Kevin Alipate Ahio, known professionally as Hemi Ahio, is a New Zealand born Tongan professional boxer.
Andrei Mikhailovich Driessen is a Russian born, New Zealand raised professional boxer. He has won multiple New Zealand national championships in two weight classes from light middleweight to middleweight. At regional level, Mikhailovich has also won the IBF Pan-Pacific and WBO Global middleweight belts.
Sequita Hemingway is a New Zealand professional boxer, rugby league and rugby union player. She is of Māori descent and identifies as a member of the Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāi Tūhoe iwi.
Jerome Mandela Joseph-Pampellone is an English born, New Zealand raised professional boxer. He participated in the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships as an amateur and won three New Zealand national elite championships between 2018 and 2020. Pampellone narrowly missed qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics after failing to place at the Olympic Qualification Tournament for 2020 in Asia and Oceania.
Patricia Amelia Vaka is a New Zealand professional rugby union player and professional boxer.
Lani Daniels vs Alrie Meleisea, billed as Next World Champion is a scheduled boxing fight between Lani Daniels and Alrie Meleisea. It will take place on 27 May 2023 at Eventfinda Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. This fight will make history for being the first World title between two New Zealand born boxers and the first World title between Maori and Pasifika people. Lani Daniels is well known for her first world title opportunity when she fought against Geovana Peres in their rematch dubbed History In The Making. Daniels three New Zealand title including the NZPBA Light Heavyweight title, Pro Box New Zealand Light Heavyweight title and Pro Box New Zealand 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. Alrie Meleisea is a New Zealand born Samoan who has won three titles in her career including the NZPBA Heavyweight title, UBF Asia Pacific title and Pro Box New Zealand title.
Christopher Bruce Martin was a New Zealand boxing manager and trainer. He trained many boxers including two of David Tua's fights in 2011, Joseph Parker's debut and first fight in Australia, Mea Motu during her amateur career, Geovana Peres for her two world title fights in 2019, Michelle Preston for her world title fight in 2012, and Daniella Smith.
Isaac Peach is a New Zealand retired professional boxer, a current boxing coach and owner of Peach Boxing. Peach trained multiple talented boxers including IBO World Champion Mea Motu, World title contender David Light, World ranked Andrei Mikhailovich and World ranked Jerome Pampellone. Peach is well known to have the philosophy in his gym to have his boxers take on any opponent. Peach Boxing Gym is considered the best boxing gym in New Zealand, rivaling the status of City Kickboxing in MMA.