Millie Elder-Holmes has spoken of the pressure she feels ahead of her Fight for Life bout in Hamilton on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference today ahead of her fight against Shortland Street actor Frankie Adams, Elder-Holmes said the attention from the media was the toughest aspect of preparing to get into the ring for the first time.
"The attention. All the media attention and all the obligations that I have to meet... so that's probably been the most challenging for me," she said.
Asked how she would spend the next three days before her fight at Claudelands Arena, Elder-Holmes, the adopted daughter of the late broadcaster Paul Holmes, said: "I'm just going to hang out with my family and wind down for Saturday."
When asked to face photographers in the traditional fists-up fighter's pose, Elder-Holmes said: "Oh, I hate this."
Elder-Holmes has said she wants to honour her late boyfriend Connor Morris on Saturday. Today she wore the official event T-shirt with the message "Connor Morris 2/11/87-3/8/14" on the back.
Morris, a patched member of the Headhunters gang, died following a head injury suffered during a confrontation outside a party in the West Auckland suburb of Massey.
Adams, Elder-Holmes' opponent, was not present at the press conference as she is filming. She won't be at the official weigh-in on Friday either, but a Duco Events spokesman said her weight would be recorded on Saturday morning.
Elder-Holmes, 26, is a slight favourite at the TAB over 20-year-old Adams at $1.80 versus $1.95.
The pair will fight in the first bout of the night about 8pm, with the main event of Joseph Parker versus Brazilian Irineu Beato Costa Junior expected to start about 11pm.
Also on the undercard are Monty Betham v Carlos Spencer, Jeff Horn v Robson Assis, Willie Mason v Ben Tameifuna and Dave "Brown Butterbean" Letele v Loni "Tongan Bear" Uhila.