Mea Motu beat Ellen Simwaka by unanimous decision. Photo / Photosport
Mea Motu beat Ellen Simwaka by unanimous decision. Photo / Photosport
A shoulder injury hasn’t been enough to hinder Mea Motu, who retained her IBO world super bantamweight title with a lopsided decision over Malawi’s Ellen Simwaka in Auckland on Saturday night.
Motu revealed after the fight that she popped her right shoulder out during the first round of the bout, but was able to recover between rounds and only improved as the fight went on.
“It popped out in the first round and it wouldn’t budge,” Motu said. “It was staying stiff, but I just maintained it, then towards the end I managed to pop it (in). "
After Simwaka came out strong in the opening two rounds and landed some good shots to the body and head, Motu started to find her rhythm in the third.
While Simwaka continued to throw with volume and land, Motu was making a mark with her combinations and power, targeting Simwaka’s body throughout the fight.
Motu looked to have Simwaka hurt a couple of times, but Simwaka never stopped looking for her opportunities. However, it was the Kiwi’s night with the judges scoring the fight 98-92 and 97-93 x2.
Speaking after the fight, Motu’s coach Isaac Peach said he “wasn’t overly worried” about the early injury.
“Mea’s was a really tough fight, but I knew that girl was going to be tough and that gets Mea to another level. It’s just experience. Mea’s not highly experienced; she’s only been a pro for three years so these fights are valuable,” Peach said.
“We’ve had shoulder issues in the past – she’s had surgery on that shoulder. That’s boxing. It popped out and popped in, so what? There’s no excuses. That girl brought a really tough fight...sometimes you’ve got to win ugly.
“I had Zain Adams win ugly. He got dropped with the first punch of the fight and he won ugly which I’m super proud of, and Mea had to do it too. I’m more proud when they win ugly. It’s hard.”
It was the second world title to be successfully defended during the event, with IBF heavyweight champion Lani Daniels proving to be far too slick for South African challenger Razel Mohammed to earn a fourth-round standing TKO.
Lani Daniels claimed a fourth-round TKO win over Razel Mohammed. Photo / Photosport
Daniels asserted herself from the opening round. While Mohammed was looking for big shots, Daniels used her speed advantage to move in and out of range and pick her opponent apart early.
It wasn’t long before she started to put her combinations together and it quickly started to look like a case of when, not if, she would finish the fight.
Ultimately the referee was forced to step in midway through the fourth round to give Kiwi Daniels an impressive win.
“My power has gotten much better,” Daniels said after her win.
“I know I am quite quick for a heavyweight, but I’ve always said the extra weight is no good if you don’t know how to use it. I know I’ve got good feet and the power’s coming with that, so I’m happy.”
As far as impressive wins go, Jerome Pampellone should be drawing plenty of attention from around the light heavyweight world after his demolition of previously unbeaten opponent Luvuyo Sizani.
Pampellone needed just over a minute to dispatch of his South African counterpart; rocking him with a combination of body shots and one strong right hand to the temple before swarming for the finish.
It was the second-straight first-round win for The Panther, with those fights lasting just a combined 2min15sec.
Earlier in the night, Zain Adams overcame being dropped in the first round to get the better of Enrique Magsalin while Amato Mataika beat Joseph Tufuga. Both of those fights went to the scorecards.
