Mea Motu Set To Make New Zealand Boxing History In Nottingham

In just two weeks, New Zealand's Mea Motu will step into the ring for a historic bout as she attempts to become the nation’s first-ever Unified Boxing World Champion. The fight, scheduled for January 25 in Nottingham, will take place on Eddie Hearn's Matchroom card. Motu, representing the West Auckland-based Peach Boxing gym, will contend for the IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine Super Bantamweight titles against England's Ellie Scotney.

Motu is nearing the conclusion of an intense 10-week training camp, sacrificing her Christmas and holiday season to prepare for this momentous fight. The camp included rigorous sparring sessions in Australia and Bali with world champion Cherneka "Sugar Neekz" Johnson, who previously faced Scotney, providing insight for the upcoming bout.

The Peach Boxing team, led by coach Isaac Peach, is set to depart for the UK next week, allowing time to acclimatize ahead of the high-stakes showdown.

“This is the ultimate goal, and we’re ready,” says Coach Peach. “Preparation has been good. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and we’ve been preparing for the last year.”

The road to this fight has been a long one for Motu. After calling out Scotney following a dominant TKO victory at Auckland's ABA Stadium in March 2024, the bout was initially scheduled for October 26. However, Scotney withdrew due to injury, leaving Motu without a fight for most of the year. In a last-minute opportunity arranged by her Sydney-based promoter, No Limit Boxing, Motu faced Australian boxing queen Shannon "Shotgun" O’Connell on October 2. In a stunning performance, Motu achieved a TKO victory in the fourth round, proving her status as one of the best Super Bantamweights in the world.

Now, with the chance to claim three world titles, Motu stands on the brink of history. If successful, she will achieve what Kiwi legends like David Tua, Joseph Parker, and Andrei Mikhailovich have only dreamed of: becoming New Zealand’s first Unified Boxing World Champion.

Motu’s hunger for this moment is undeniable, and the Peach Boxing team is ready to seize the opportunity. Fans back home in New Zealand and around the world will be watching closely as she aims to cement her name in boxing history. The fight will be Live on DAZN on January 26th approximately 9:00 am (NZT).

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