Kaitāia's Mea 'Nightmea' Motu targets NZ women's boxing record for most national titles held

In Saturday's potential record-making bout, Kaitāia's Mea Motu (right) will go head to head with Auckland's Ayisha "Baby Mumble" Abied. Photo / Nick Depree

New Zealand boxing champion Mea "The Nightmea" Motu is reaching for a dream this weekend as she aims to become the country's first female boxer to capture three national titles.

Kaitāia-born Motu, 32, will take on Auckland's Ayisha "Baby Mumble" Abied on Saturday in a bid for the New Zealand Professional Boxing Commission (NZPBC) Women's Featherweight Championship.

If victorious, Motu will become the country's first female boxer to hold three national titles because she now holds the New Zealand super lightweight and lightweight straps.

Saturday's fight, set to go down in the ring at Auckland's ABA Stadium, will be the third clash between the pair, with Motu having won the previous encounters.

"I'm excited to fight Ayisha again, and I know she'll be training hard. She'll come back even stronger," Motu said.

The mother of five, dubbed "The Nightmea" because of her serious punching power, said the fight wasn't one to miss.

"She's passionate, she's the same as me. So her team will definitely be coming up with a different game plan. They'll be trying really hard to upset me and I'll be trying hard to beat her."

Motu's goal to set a record will see her follow in the footsteps of fellow Northlander Daniella Smith of Kaikohe.

Smith, now 49, became the first woman to hold the record for most national titles in New Zealand when she won the NZPBA super welterweight title in 2006 followed by the NZPBA welterweight title in 2008.

Multiple women now hold the record including Motu, but she is determined to break the 14-year record by adding a third national title.

Since turning professional less than two years ago, Motu has entrenched herself as one of the country's fastest-rising boxing stars.

Motu, who fights out of West Auckland's Peach Boxing gym, has racked up an impressive undefeated record of 10 to 0. Her success earned her a nomination by Women's Fight News for its 2021 Prospect of the Year Award.

She doesn't look set to throw in the towel any time soon either, as she eyes up beating the New Zealand men's record for most national titles held in professional boxing.

Motu would need to rack up more than seven titles to beat Auckland boxing great Sean Sullivan, who has held the record for almost two decades.

However, Motu is already off to a memorable start of the year in terms of her boxing career as she is also scheduled to come to blows with world-ranked Kiwi boxing veteran Baby Nansen.

Motu and Nansen will make history when they headline the first-ever professional boxing event at Auckland's Eden Park with a date still yet to be set pending Covid restrictions.

"I feel lucky. She is the person I've been wanting to fight," Motu said of the 35-year-old Auckland-born fighter.

"So it will really test me and show everyone what I am and that my craft is good and that I'm capable of beating her and everyone overseas."

The bout will give Motu international exposure, as South Auckland's Glozier Boxing and global media and boxing company Probellum have teamed up to promote the event.

Motu fans keen to catch Saturday's action can find details on the Peach Boxing Facebook page.