Pukepoto's Mea Motu, here too strong for Australia’s Shannon O'Connell in Sydney earlier this month, is now ranked as the number two boxer in the world in her weight division
Pukepoto's Mea Motu, here too strong for Australia’s Shannon O'Connell in Sydney earlier this month, is now ranked as the number two boxer in the world in her weight division
Kaitāia world champion Mea Motu is now the highest-ranked New Zealand boxer, with the ‘Nightmea’ from Pukepoto rated number two in the world in the super-bantamweight division.
Her number 2 world ranking on Boxrec beats Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker’s ranking record.
Motu (Te Rarawa/Ngāpuhi) last fought on October 4 in her Australian professional boxing debut, where she annihilated Australian legend Shannon O’Connell. Motu demolished her inside four rounds to move to 20-0 in her record, with eight knockouts.
Motu retained her IBO super-bantamweight world title in Whangārei in December, in a brutal victory over Indian challenger Chandni Mehra.
In March, she won a dominant second-round stoppage victory over 20-year-old Thai Noppaket Srisawas in Auckland and vowed to head overseas to defend her crown and take on some of the biggest names in the sport, with the aim of becoming an undisputed world champ.
After the March bout, Motu sent a stern warning to her fellow female fighters — including IBF and WBO super bantamweight champion, Scotney.
‘’I’m coming Ellie Scott, you better watch it, you ain’t seen this Māori girl,’’ Motu said after the win.
Mea Motu after retaining her IBO super-bantamweight world title in Whangārei last December, in a brutal victory over Indian challenger Chandni Mehra
In 2022, Motu became the first, and still only, New Zealand woman to win titles in three weights, and is determined to be the country’s first undisputed world champ.
‘’It takes me to the world, and I’m coming to collect all those damn belts, I’ll show you what I’m made of,’’ Motu told the Northland Age after that March fight.
Motu took the last-minute O’Connell fight on the undercard for the Zhanibek Alimkhanuly V Andrei Mikhailovich world title fight. It was a risky move, considering her opponent’s history.
O’Connell made her professional boxing debut in 2011. She is a legend in Australian boxing and has fought for the world title four times. She has fought and defeated three New Zealand professional boxers, including former WIBA World champion Gentiane Lupi, two-time world title contender Michelle Preston and two-division world champion Cherneka Johnson. Motu is the first New Zealander to beat O’Connell.
Motu has made history, reaching 2nd on the Boxrec rankings, the highest a New Zealand boxer has ever reached in a division with more than 100 ranked boxers. Parker reached 3rd after wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. However, the heavyweight division has been hot recently, with all the top 10 boxers keeping incredibly active, forcing Parker to slip into the rankings.
Four boxers from New Zealand have reached number one in the Boxrec rankings, including retired WBO Light Heavyweight champion Geovana Peres, two-division world champion Lani Daniels, temporarily Alrie Meleisea, before she lost to Lani Daniels, and temporarily Roseanna Cox. However, the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions each have fewer than 30 ranked boxers, which is less than an accomplishment compared to Motu, ranked second among almost 200 active Super Bantamweight boxers.
It is unknown when Motu’s unified world title fight will happen with her promoters, No Limit Boxing’s Matt and George Rose, working to acquire the fight again through the usual boxing politics. In the meantime, Isaac, Alina, and Zen Peach will keep Motu fighting fit and ready for any opportunity that comes her way.
The top-ranked boxers in Motu’s division are
1st Yamileth Mercado (Mexico) WBC World Super Bantamweight champion
2nd Mea Motu (New Zealand) IBO World Super Bantamweight champion
