Northland boxer Mea Motu is declared the winner in her bout against Thailand's former WBC Bantamweight World Champion Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang on Friday night. Photo / Supplied
Northland boxer Mea Motu is declared the winner in her bout against Thailand's former WBC Bantamweight World Champion Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang on Friday night. Photo / Supplied
Northland boxer Mea Motu (14-0, 6 KO) put on a showcase performance on Friday night when she defeated former WBC Bantamweight World Champion Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang (16-3, 15 KO) inside Auckland's ABA Stadium.
Motu was too fast, hit too hard, and moved too well for her outgunned opponent, with allthree judges scoring the eight-round contest 80-72 in favour of the Kaitaia-born fighter.
The opening two rounds were somewhat of a feeling-out process for both women before Motu took control of the contest in the third round, unleashing a barrage of heavy shots that rocked Thawilsuhannawang.
After experiencing the ferocity of Motu's punches, the 33-year-Thai, who is also a bare-knuckle boxing champion, went into a defensive mode for the rest of the bout, as she called upon her 10-plus years of boxing experience to survive until the final bell.
Until Friday night, Thawilsuhannawang's only losses had been at the hands of world champions, and Motu's dominating performance confirmed she is more than ready to step up and take on the world's best.
Kaitaia-born boxer Mea Motu remains unbeaten after outclassing former WBC Bantamweight World Champion Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang in Auckland on Friday. Photo / Supplied
"I felt strong; I felt like I had heaps of energy. I was controlling the pace, focusing on what Isaac and Boaz [Motu's coaches] told me in the corner," Motu said after the fight.
"It was good to go eight rounds to understand my power and strength; I definitely got the energy. She was wary of my power, I was expecting her to come and trade with me, but when she tasted my power, she just didn't."
The 32-year-old now begins preparing for her first overseas fight when she takes on the undefeated Iranian Nastaran Fathi (7-0, 2KO) in Dubai, UAE, on November 26. The bout will occur at Motu's natural weight class of super bantamweight, with a WBC regional title set to be on the line.
"I think this girl [Fathi] has already underestimated me. She doesn't understand my power, and she is already preaching that she's already got it and she's going to win this. She's underestimating this small Māori girl. I definitely can bang, and I'm going there to hurt her and put her to sleep."
Motu is still targeting a date with the IBF Super Bantamweight Champion Cherneka "Sugar Neekz" Johnson. However, in the meantime she intends to continue building her case as the world's top female super bantamweight boxer by scoring win after win over anyone willing to set foot inside the ring with her.
"All these world champions if they want to be world champions. They need to fight Mea. We are the new era; we will fight anyone. So these guys need to stop ducking us; it's ruining boxing," Motu's coach Isaac Peach explained.
Northland boxer Mea Motu with trainers, whanau and supporters after winning her latest boxing match in Auckland on Friday. Photo / Supplied
When Motu flies out of Aotearoa in November, she will do so with the backing of a rapidly growing fanbase. The mother of five appreciates all her supporters and feels "empowered" as she has been able to open up and share her story with people.
"It only makes me more determined to be a better fighter, a better person, and a great role model for others out there and in the world," she said.
"Don't put a limit, don't put an age, and don't put a title [on yourself] because you can do anything possible. Just make sure you do it and use your voice."
