Northland boxer Lani Daniels is going from Pipiwai to brink of boxing stardom

Northland boxer Lani Daniels. Photo / Whakaata Māori

The Northland community of Pipiwai in Northland could soon boast a world champion.

Lani Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine) is the world’s No. 1 women’s heavyweight boxer and will fight Alrie Meleisea for the IBF world title in Auckland next week.

Daniels, who is ranked first or second in multiple boxing organisations, including ESPN’s top-ranked female, says she is ready to go all out.

“It’s as important as any other fight, to be honest. A fight’s a fight. There’s no easy fight whether it’s in the ring or not, and for me I feel I have prepared the best that I can.

“Every week we have just been stepping it up, stepping it up. I thought getting closer to the fight it would get easier.”

Daniels has achieved almost everything the sport has to offer. She is a two-time New Zealand amateur boxing champion, she is a three-time New Zealand National Professional Boxing champion, holding the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association Light Heavyweight title, Pro Box NZ Super Middleweight title, and Pro Box NZ Light Heavyweight title.

John Conway is an old head in the fight game here in Aotearoa. Since his addition to the Daniels camp as a trainer and mentor, she has come on in leaps and bounds.

“When I first met her, she had a lot of natural raw talent and we kept that raw talent and just guided her on the right path, taught her how to win a fight.”

Conway says Meleisea is no joke and Daniels will need to be right on the money if she is to prevail.

“Arie is a very strong puncher. She has great determination in her fights. She’s training extremely hard for this as we are too.”

The fight takes place on May 27 at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland.