Boxing: Cherneka Johnson to defend IBF world title in Ireland

Cherneka Johnson defended her world title against Australian Susie Ramadan in Melbourne in October 2022. Photo / Getty Images

By Whakaata Māori

Ngāti Ranginui’s Cherneka Johnson, the IBF World Super Bantamweight Champion, will defend her world title in Dublin in May.

Tauranga-born Johnson (15-1, 6 KOs) will fight England’s Ellie Scotney, 25, on Irish fighter Katie Taylor’s homecoming undercard on 20 May. Taylor, the undisputed world lightweight champion, is considered the world’s biggest women’s boxing star.

Johnson, 28, who lives in Australia, will face possibly the biggest challenge of her career, with Scotney (6-0) ranked 1st in the IBF, 2nd in the WBA and WBO, and 4th with BoxRec.

Johnson won the IBF world title in April 2022 and successfully defended it against Australian Susie Ramadan in October.

This second defence of her title will be the first time she has fought outside either Australia or New Zealand as a professional.