Māori wahine toa Mea Motu fights for international boxing title in Dubai

Mea Motu, from Kaitaia, and her coach Isaac Peach are ready to take on the world in Dubai on Saturday. Photo / NZME

Outstanding Māori boxer Mea Motu - unbeaten in her first 14 professional fights - is stepping up to the world stage with a fight for an international title in Dubai on Sunday.

Motu (14-0, 6KO) will finally get the opportunity to showcase her skills internationally when she takes on Iran’s Nastaran Fathi (7-0, 2KO) for the WBC Asia Super Bantamweight title in Dubai, UAE, on Sunday.

And after that bout, she will head to the US to be filmed for the reality TV show Celebrity Making of A Champion, where she will be mentored by former heavyweight world champion Tim Witherspoon.

It will be Motu’s first bout outside of Aotearoa, and she’s on the undercard of the WBA World Bantamweight title bout between Jamie Mitchell (US) and the UK’s Nina Hughes at the Hilton Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.

RSG Promotionz is promoting the fight which features multiple title fights. Motu is excited about the prospect of competing in such a talent-rich event.

“I am even more determined. I’m finally fighting internationally on the world stage, and even better, in Dubai. I’ll be fighting an undefeated girl, which is the first time for me. I’m ready to show her what I’m good at,” she said.

“I don’t think anyone actually understands how strong I am until I get in the ring. A lot of people doubt my power and speed; they watch it on TV. It looks different when you’re in the ring with me.”

The 32-year-old and her trainer Isaac Peach flew to the United Arab Emirates last weekend.

Peach has been studying footage of Fathi, and while he respects her ability, he is confident that Motu has the tools needed to get the job done next week.

“I think her opponent [Fathi] is quite good, and it’s there [Dubai], they’re the A-side. So, we have to come and take it, but we are used to that; we will beat her.”

Kaitaia boxer Mea Motu is fighting for the WBC Asia Super Bantamweight title in Dubai on Sunday.

Motu’s fight with Fathi is just the start of her international campaign.

The Kaitaia fighter will head to the US to appear in the inaugural season of Celebrity Making of A Champion, which will be filmed in Las Vegas in 2023. The series will see some of the world’s top up-and-coming boxers facing off against one another.

Each fighter will have a mentor throughout the series. Former heavyweight world champion Witherspoon will be Motu’s mentor. For someone who enjoys studying the history of boxing as Motu does, the series offers her a unique chance to rub shoulders with some of the sport’s greats.

“We are going to meet a lot of old-school fighters, referees, coaches, and just [work towards] understanding the game that they had to put their fighters through, and what they went through,” Motu said.