Northland-born boxer Mea Motu wins NZ women's lightweight championship

Kaitaia-born Mea Motu was all action when she won the NZPBA women's lightweight championship against Taranaki's Tania Reid on Friday. Photo / Supplied

Kaitaia can claim a new national champion after Mea Motu won the NZPBA women's lightweight championship.

On Friday night inside Auckland's Takapuna Rugby Club, Motu captured her first national title with a stunning third-round stoppage victory over Taranaki's Tania Reid.

The Kaitaia-born fighter controlled the contest from start to finish, overwhelming Reid with thundering body shots, which sent the 42-year-old to the canvas several times before the referee halted the bout in the third round.

It was Motu's most complete performance to date, the 31-year-old seamlessly blending her physical power with her technical abilities.

The win confirms her status as one of New Zealand boxing's most exciting new talents and it is now a matter of when and not if she will be competing on the world stage.

"I was training for a longer fight; we always train for the whole rounds," Motu said after the bout.

Her record now stands at an impressive 6-0, with three knockouts.

"That was our whole game plan, being patient and not rushing and trying to draw her in. I was more focused on what I had to do, and I executed it well. I showed my skillset was there, and that was all through my conditioning."

The Peach Boxing-trained fighter came into the matchup in the best shape of her life, a testament to the hard work she had put in during the buildup to this fight.

Mea Motu had the better of Taranaki's Tania Reid at Auckland's Takapuna Rugby Club in their NZ title clash.

What made the manner of the win even more impressive is that before Friday night, Reid, a former ANBF Australasian lightweight titleholder, had never been stopped in her career as a professional boxer.

"[We] mainly focused on my strength and conditioning, and that was all Alina [Peach's] hard work. I felt stronger and more conditioned, more prepped and healthier," Motu said.

Motu returns to the ring in two weeks when she faces Natasha Norden at Auckland's SkyCity Theatre.

She aims to keep active and increase her experience in the ring so that when overseas travel becomes less restricted, she will be in a position to make a run at a world title.

Women's boxing is experiencing unprecedented growth at the moment, and Motu's explosive style will likely see her attracting plenty of interest from overseas promoters.

Northland boxing fans can look forward to seeing Motu compete in October, when she takes on Gentiane Lupi in Kaitaia.