Northland’s world boxing champs, Kāitaia’s Mea Motu and Whangārei’s Lani Daniel are ready to put their titles on the line in Wahine Toa II - the big fight night in Whangārei on Saturday.
Northland’s world boxing champs, Kāitaia’s Mea Motu and Whangārei’s Lani Daniel are ready to put their titles on the line in Wahine Toa II - the big fight night in Whangārei on Saturday.
Two Northland women - Kāitaia’s Mea Motu and Whangārei’s Lani Daniels - have done the hard work and are ready to take on international opponents when they put their world boxing titles on the line on Saturday.
Promotor Dean Lonergan said both women were ready and raring togo in Wahine Toa II at McKay Stadium, on Saturday after intensive training regimes to get them in to top shape.
Both women are facing tough opponents, but both will be hoping for more success after they were honoured in this year’s Māori Sports wards at the weekend as 2023 Individual Māori World Champions recipients.
As well, Motu’s son Davey Motu a lawn bowler, was named Te Tama-ā-ranginui - Junior Māori Sportsman of the year, at the awards.
She’s giving up a big height and reach advantage but is confident her speed, strength and skill will see her triumph when she puts her title on the line.
Mehra said she hopes to use her height and reach advantage when she gets into the ring against the unbeaten Motu.
However. Motu said Mehra could try to use those advantages all she wanted but she had better be ready for what the “hori Māori from the Far Far North” has got to deliver.
Kāitaia world boxing champ Mea Motu, here with son David (Davey) Motu - who were both honoured at the 2023 Māori Sports wards at the weekend - will defend her world boxing crown in Whangārei on Saturday.
“To be honest, I don’t know a lot about Chandni but really I don’t focus on her, I focus on myself and what I need to do and I’ll leave everything in that ring so she had better be ready.”
Motu said her speed and power could be devastating - power that has seen her win her first 17 fights. While she had been working in the gym, she said she would be a much better fighter than the last time she was in the ring.
“We’ve worked on everything in the gym, not just one thing, so I can be a better fighter. I improve every fight I have and I’m getting better for this one and I can’t wait to get in the ring in Whangārei.”
She said fighting in her home region was something she had always wanted to do and she pushed hard to secure it. She was grateful and proud of the region’s support for the event, which is heading for a sellout.
Motu said she was dedicating the fight to her Te Rarawa iwi and “Pukepoto hard” and there would be a large contingent from the Far North attending the bout.
“It’s just so positive to have so much support from up home and they will be there in force to support me. You will know they are from the Far Far North as they are a bit different up there - they are very loud and rowdy, so you will see and hear them.
“I will be ready on the night and, once that bell goes, it will be ‘bang’ and it will be all on. I hope she’s ready too.”
Daniels knows she’s in for a tough fight when she takes on “Lady D” Robinson for the vacant IBF light heavyweight title in her hometown on Saturday.
The fact that many of Daniels’ whānau and friends will be there on the night - along with virtually everybody from her beloved Pipiwai - is not lost on her, and she’s determined to put on a good show.
Daniels said she’s not too concerned about what Lady D would bring to the ring as she was confident she had the tools to dismantle her and walk away with another world title - if she wins she’ll be the first Kiwi woman to have a world title at two different weights simultaneously.
When asked what she would bring to the ring Daniels was succinct.
“It’s not what she brings to the fight, as I’ll bring it even harder. It’s just me. Lani Daniels, from Pipiwai. It’s Pipiwai Hard all the way and she’d better be prepared for what that brings,” she said.
Daniels said she felt her adaptability in the ring, big-fight experience, ring craft “and just living and breathing boxing for this fight”, along with her endurance, would be more than enough to bring another world title home.
