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Mea Motu and Lani Daniels set to defend their world titles on 'emotional' homecoming show
Sam Wilson

Proud Northlanders Mea Motu and Lani Daniels will defend their world titles in Whangārei in December.
An “emotional” homecoming awaits Mea Motu and Lani Daniels when their wāhine toa roadshow rocks up in Whangārei later this year.

Having successfully defended their world titles in Auckland last month, Motu (17-0, 6 KOs) and Daniels (9-2-2, 1 KO) will put their respective super bantamweight and heavyweight belts on the line for the second time on December 2 in a doubleheader at the city's McKay Stadium.

It's the first time the two Māori champions have boxed as pros in the Far North, where they were born and raised.

Motu (Te Rarawa) grew up in Pukepoto, a small town of only 162 residents near Kaitaia, while Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine) hails from Pipiwai, about 40 kilometres northwest of Whangārei.

So going back to their Northland roots and performing in front of friends and whānau was a “dream” that promoter Dean Lonergan was determined to deliver for them.

“I think this will be one of the more emotional experiences of both fighters' professional careers,” Lonergan said.

“I know that they both have a desire to fight in front of their own crowds, and the reaction I'm getting up here is nothing short of massively enthusiastic.

Promoter Dean Lonergan has ambitious plans to take Mea Motu and Lani Daniels around New Zealand.
“Mea in particular has always wanted to come back to Whangārei, and once we got Lani on board, she said the same.

“We were always wary about coming up here as we weren't sure about what kind of reaction [we'd get], but it's been incredible.”

With the city's council and mayor Vince Cocurullo throwing their support behind the show, Lonergan felt his decision to take New Zealand's two boxing champions on the road had been vindicated and predicted a sellout come fight night.

He is planning to take Motu and Daniels around the country to places like Hamilton, Napier and Christchurch – so long as they retain their titles and fan interest.

But Lonergan knows the New Zealand public won't put up with mismatches and thus has been working closely with Motu's trainer Isaac Peach and Daniels' mentor John Conway to bring over opponents that will test their fighters' mettle and deliver a worthy spectacle.

That has seen the 33-year-old Motu – who fought through a dislocated shoulder in her last outing – matched with Indian Chandni Mehra (12-4-1, 4 KOs), while Daniels faces Australia's Desley Robinson (5-1, 1 KO), pending approval from the IBF.

Mehra is only 22 but has already had 17 fights under her belt and is riding a three-fight winning streak. Robinson, meanwhile, has won her last two but has never competed at heavyweight.

Still, Lonergan expects them to provide a stern test for his prized assets, so much so that he has inserted a rematch clause should either suffer a shock defeat on home territory.

“That's one of the benefits when you get a world champ, you get to dictate terms. It's also a reflection of the fact that we're not taking on bums as opponents, we are taking on people who can really fight,” said Lonergan, who admitted Motu gave him “heart palpitations” in her gruelling battle with Malawi's Ellen Simwaka.

“You've got to make the competition even and exciting and make the crowds come back. We're in the entertainment game and both John and Isaac know that and we work closely on getting what's required.”


Lani Daniels says capturing the IBF world heavyweight title has opened up "a lot more opportunities".
While the rest of the card has yet to be confirmed, Lonergan plans to include rising light heavyweight star Jerome Pampellone, who is closing in on a world title shot of his own after demolishing Luvuyo Sizani in the opening round on the same Auckland card last month.

Currently ranked seventh by the IBF, Pampellone (17-0, 10 KOs) could rise as high as third when the rankings are updated and Lonergan admitted it was tough finding opponents who can live with 'The Panther'.

“He's not just knocking out anybody, he's knocking out guys who are really durable.”

Heavyweight Matt Mataika (4-0, 3 KOs) and flyweight Zain Adams (4-0, 2 KOs) will also likely return, with Lonergan also looking at including a small amateur undercard “to give a couple of local boys some exposure”.

Meanwhile, Motu's Peach Boxing team-mate Andrei Mikhailovich's long-awaited world title eliminator has hit a roadblock following a dispute over television rights.

Light heavyweight Jerome Pampellone showed his class in dispatching of Luvuyo Sizani inside a round.
Russian-born Mikhailovich (20-0, 12 KOs) has been ordered by the IBF to face Germany's Denis Radovan (17-0-1, 8 KOs) for the right to challenge for the organisation's middleweight title, currently held by Radovan's compatriot Vincenzo Gualtieri (21-0-1, 7 KOs).

However, while a date of December 16 has been provisionally agreed with Radovan's promoter Wasserman Boxing, Lonergan revealed that the contract had not been signed off yet because the two parties couldn't agree on a broadcast deal.

“We've agreed a date in December, we've got agreement on all basic points of the fight. We've just got to sort out New Zealand TV rights,” Lonergan said of the ongoing negotiations.

“It's going to be on [streaming service] DAZN and the problem is, DAZN is a multi-country platform and they want it to go out to everyone, but we are like, 'we need New Zealand TV rights'.

“I'll be going back with some marked up changes on a contract they've sent to me this week and hopefully we will have it closed off in the next seven days or so.”

Rather than the original plan of Germany, the fight would now take place “on a very major undercard” in the UK, Lonergan said.

In the meantime, Gualtieri will aim to unify the division when he takes on WBO champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) of Kazakhstan next month in Fort Bend, Texas.

David Nyika Olympics: Why cruiserweight boxer is withdrawing from 2024 Games
By Elijah Fa'afiu

As cruiserweight boxer David Nyika stands at a crossroads in his career, he opts for the path that’s set to take him to the next level.

It’s been nearly a week since the Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo officially withdrew from competing in next year’s Paris games, choosing to go full steam ahead with his professional career.

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 18 months transforming into a long-distance professional boxer, and ultimately, I didn’t feel like I would have the adequate preparation to compete at my best at the Olympics,” Nyika says from his base in Queensland.

The Hamilton-born fighter had hoped to balance the amateur and professional disciplines heading into the 2024 Olympics, but the workload became too much.

“The type of development and build-up you need for amateur boxing is very different to professional boxing, and this was a big oversight on my end,” Nyika admits.

It would’ve been a tough ask for the unbeaten professional (7-0) to switch back and forth between the two contrasting formats.

Olympic boxing bouts consist of three three-minute rounds. Although Nyika has finished most of his professional opponents within nine minutes, his contests will only become longer as he takes on tougher fighters.

“I really thought that I’d be able to do both, but I do feel like I’m developing into a more slow-twitch athlete. Amateur boxing, you must be a nine-minute athlete, while I’m trying to become a 35-minute athlete.”

Nyika is content with his call, despite the opportunity to reach the Olympic mountaintop next year evading him.

“It’s not an easy discussion to have because my heart is so closely attached to the subject, but ultimately, but dream path was always to pursue a Commonwealth Games and an Olympic Games and, of course, become a professional world champion.

“I really wanted to get that Olympic gold, but it’s one of those decisions I have to make to follow that dream.”

Missing out on qualifying for the Rio Olympics seven years ago put a halt to the cruiserweight’s career aspirations, but he was able to compete in Tokyo as a professional after an International Boxing Association rule change in 2016 allowed pro boxers to alternate between disciplines.

Now with two Commonwealth Games gold medals and an Olympic bronze around his neck, Nyika’s ready for the big time.

“The Olympic experience was a dream, and it will always be the pinnacle of boxing.

“Once an Olympian, always an Olympian, whereas you can be a world champion and then become a former world champion and there’s a million different belts, so that was a massive elevator to a brighter future in the professional ranks.

“My Olympic dream took an extra five years [longer] than I had intended. That journey took a heavy toll on me – I want to say mentally, physically and spiritually, which sounds dramatic, but it really did take quite a bit out of me.”

As Nyika looks ahead to his professional career, his aim is to keep busy.

He’s fought twice this year, with TKO victories over Louis Marsters and Waikato Falefehi – the former being his first contest in seven months.

It’s a sense of frustration that the cruiserweight wants to avoid.

“I’ve got two fights lined up before the end of the year, and that adds to the idea that I really need to commit to this pathway.

“I think four or five fights [a year] for me would be ideal. At this stage, the more the merrier.

“I really want to get as much activity as I can in the ring, but getting the quality sparring as well is a big one.”

Boxing: Andrei Mikhailovich aiming for December return against Denis Radovan for IBF mandatory challenger status

Andrei Mikhailovich is set to land the biggest fight of his career as an early Christmas present, with the unbeaten middleweight boxer targeted for a December return.

The 25-year-old has been waiting on his next assignment since claiming a fifth-round knockout over Edisson Saltarin in Auckland in April, which saw him move up the rankings to No 4 with the IBF and No 7 with the WBO.

Now, the IBF has ordered a bout between the Peach Boxing-trained Mikhailovich and No 3-ranked Denis Radovan to find a mandatory challenger to the organisation’s world title.

The bout is being lined up for December 16 in Sunderland, England, with former undisputed light-welterweight world champion Josh Taylor’s return fight expected to be the main event, after he lost his WBO and The Ring world titles to Teofimo Lopez earlier this year.

Mikhailovich’s promoter Dean Lonergan confirmed the fight was on track for the December date, but said the contracts were yet to be signed as they were still negotiating with Radovan’s representatives around such points as TV rights and independent officials.

“It’s been very frustrating trying to get this fight over the line. It was ordered by the IBF some time ago, and we’ve had an exchange of contracts. Wasserman, Radovan’s promoter, sent down a contract, we’ve marked up changes that we need to get done,” Lonergan told the Herald.

“It’s been very frustrating from Wasserman; they’ve been tighter than a fish’s arse in terms of what they’re prepared to pay and what they’re prepared to let us have, so it’s been a frustrating exercise, but fingers crossed we get it done in the next week or so.”

The bout would set the winner up for a shot at the world title likely midway into next year, with current IBF champion Vincenzo Gualtieri set to fight WBO title holder Janibek Alimkhanuly in a unification bout next week.

In boxing, world titles are required to be defended every nine months across every weight class with the exception of heavyweight, which allows a 12-month period between defences.

The bout against Radovan will be a timely step up for Mikhailovich, who has been able to end 12 of his 20 wins inside the distance, including six of his last seven outings.

“We’re very excited by it and he’s like a thoroughbred racehorse who just wants to run and run and run. Isaac Peach has good a big job of keeping him under control, keeping him training hard and I know for a fact he’s training his ass off,” Lonergan said of Mikhailovich.

“He really wants this, but he’s frustrated as all heck that we haven’t had it sooner. We’re locked in for December 16 and fingers crossed we can get this deal done in the very near future, he fights Radovan, knocks him out, and goes on to greater things.”

He added: “We’re really excited by it. We think he’s good enough to win it. Denis Radovan’s a German, Andrei’s got his Russian background; you’re going to see more bombs landed in this fight than what happened in 1945 in Berlin when the Russians invaded the Germans.”

Boxing: Jerome Pampellone gets chance to put world on notice with bout against Rogelio Medina
Christopher Reive

In a bid to fight his way into the world title picture, Jerome Pampellone has been searching for an opportunity to prove to the world just how good he is.

Now, his team believe they have found that fight.

The Herald can confirm Pampellone, who trains at Auckland’s Peach Boxing gym, will return to the ring on December 2 against Mexican veteran Rogelio Medina (41-9) in Whangārei in a fight that will test the championship credentials of ‘the Panther’ (17-0).

Medina, a former challenger for the IBF super middleweight world title, was one of several options available for the rising Kiwi light heavyweight, but there was one main reason behind Pampellone’s team locking him in.

Medina has fought, and gone the distance with, some of the world’s best boxers. Five of his former opponents have held world titles – including former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant, and current WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez. Of those five, Benavidez was the only opponent to stop Medina.

“Medina is dangerous,” Pampellone’s coach Isaac Peach told the Herald.

“Medina comes forward and knocks guys out. It’s a real test for Jerome, and that’s what I need. I think he’s the perfect opponent for what Jerome needs right now. That’s what it’s about – trying to bring out the best in Jerome and prepare him for that big fight; that world title shot.”

While unbeaten through his professional career, Pampellone has been particularly devastating in his most two recent outings with back-to-back finishes in the first 90sec of the fight.

“Obviously I’m expecting it to go longer,” Peach said of Pampellone’s next assignment. “Medina’s got a chin of granite. He’s seriously tough. I’m expecting Jerome to beat him up and stop him in the middle rounds, show everybody in the world how good he is and call out for those bigger names.”

Following his win over Luvuyo Sizani in August, Pampellone now features as a top-15 ranked fighter in three of the four major organisations in world boxing, including the No 7 ranking with the IBF.

However, Medina was the best option available to them as Peach said other ranked fighters were pricing themselves out of the match up, but added Medina was “as good as a lot of those ranked guys”.

A win over Medina will send Pampellone further down the pathway towards a world title, and Peach said he was hopeful a fight for a mandatory title challenge wasn’t too far away on the horizon.

“It’s a bit of a waiting game, but we’ll keep fighting, keep getting better, and as soon as we get the chance we’ll knock (unified champion Artur) Beterbiev out. That’s the plan.”

The card in Whangārei will be headlined by Pampellone’s Peach Boxing teammate Mea Motu, who will put her IBO super bantamweight world title on the line, while Lani Daniels is also booked for a defence of her IBF world heavyweight championship.

Boxing: Andrei Mikhailovich locked in for pre-Christmas IBF world title eliminator in UK
Clay Wilson

A world title elimination fight is finally locked in for Andrei Mikhailovich.

After a prolonged negotiation period, the undefeated Kiwi middleweight out of Auckland’s Peach Boxing stable has been confirmed for a December 16 bout against Germany’s Denis Radovan in the UK.

Mikhailovich is ranked fourth with the IBF, with a potential victory over third-ranked Radovan earning him a fight for the organisation’s world title against unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, from Kazakhstan.

Also ranked seventh with the WBO, the 25-year-old New Zealander took his pro record to 20-0 in April with a fifth-round knockout of Venezuela’s Edisson Saltarin in Auckland.

Mikhailovich’s promoter Dean Lonergan, of D&L Events, told the Herald earlier this month he was excited by the prospect of the clash with Radovan.

“Andrei’s like a thoroughbred racehorse who just wants to run and run and run. Isaac Peach has done a big job of keeping him under control, keeping him training hard and I know for a fact he’s training his arse off.

“He really wants this ... we think he’s good enough to win it.”

If he does, it would set up a mighty challenge.

Alimkhanuly, who has already held the WBO title, became a unified champion 10 days ago with a brutal sixth-round knockout of IBF belt-holder Vincenzo Gualtieri in Texas.

The result moved the hard-hitting Kazakh southpaw to 15-0 as a pro, 10 of those coming via knockout.

Mikhailovich’s fight against Radovan is likely to take place in Sunderland, northeast England.

Former undisputed light-welterweight world champion Josh Taylor’s return fight is expected to be the main event, after he lost his WBO and The Ring world titles to Teofimo Lopez earlier this year.

David Nyika stops Robert Berridge in third round to stay unbeaten

David Nyika, seen here fighting on the Gold Coast last year, has seven knockouts from his eight pro fights.
David Nyika continued his unbeaten start to his professional career with a routine third round TKO victory over Kiwi veteran Robert Berridge in Queensland on Friday night.

Fighting in his adopted hometown of Gatton, the Olympic bronze medallist was, as expected, too big and strong for Berridge – a career light-heavyweight – in a one-sided cruiserweight contest.

After dominating the opening two rounds against his much-smaller opponent, the 28-year-old Nyika forced the stoppage at the mid-way point of the six-round fight to move to 8-0 as a pro, with seven knockouts.

The two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist had hoped to get some much-needed rounds under his belt after a two-round blowout against former Sonny Bill Williams victim Waikato Falefehi last time out, and Berridge did hang tough for a few rounds before eventually being overpowered.

It was the 38-year-old’s fourth defeat in a row – all by knockout – as he drops to 30-11-1 with 22 KOs.

Berridge was once considered New Zealand’s top male boxer and has shared the ring with future and former world champions during a lengthy career, but he now hasn’t tasted victory since a first round knockout of Thailand’s Bordin Peepueh in December 2018.

In truth, ‘The Butcher’ was always going to be up against it with the 6ft 6in (198cm) Nyika, who towered over him at the weigh-in and used his size to bully the 5ft 8in (173cm) Berridge around the ring at Gatton Shire Hall.

For Nyika, the bout went as expected, and he will now look to step up his level of competition next year as he targets a place in the top 15 of the cruiserweight rankings.

He had originally been meant to face Vikas Singh (12-4-1, 7 KOs) – who lost to Nyika’s compatriot David Light last year – but the Indian veteran had to withdraw at the last-minute due to visa issues.

Hamilton native Nyika relocated to Gatton to work under coach Noel Thornberry last year and the New Zealander has embraced life in smalltown Australia, having previously trained alongside Joseph Parker in Morecambe, England.

This was his sixth fight with Thornberry in his corner and Nyika believes the Australian is the right man to guide him towards his ultimate goal of winning a world title.

“I've really settled in well and I'm looking forward to the next 12, 24, 36 months. Next year is going to be a pretty busy year. It will be a matter of getting the right fights, the right opponents on the right cards,” Nyika told Stuff earlier this week.

Having fought his last seven bouts overseas, Nyika hopes to return to New Zealand early next year.