Exclusive: Mea Motu Set For IBF Title Clash With Ellie Scotney ‘ It’s just how I wanted it’

For most New Zealanders, the start of December brings with it long days at the beach, BBQs with friends and family, and a general sense of relaxation before the beginning of a new year.

However, IBO Super Bantamweight World Champion Mea Motu (20-0, 8KOs) will be trading the beach for the gym this Christmas season as she prepares for the biggest fight of her career, which will take place early in the new year on January 25th.

The 34-year-old will head to the far cooler climates of the United Kingdom to challenge Ellie Scotney (9-0) for the British fighter’s IBF crown. The pair will face off inside Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on the undercard of the Super Lightweight clash between Dalton Smith and Walid Ouizza.

Motu, ranked No.2 by Boxrec in the women’s super bantamweight division, has been chasing a shot at the IBF strap ever since she claimed her IBO title in 2023.

Motu and Scotney were set to meet in October until a wrist injury to Scotney meant the fight had to be rescheduled. Now that a new date has been set, Motu can finally turn her attention to preparing for a fight for which she has waited her whole career.

“I was in shock, like finally, I just wanted the date locked in, ” she explains.

‘I reckon it’s going to be a good fight, a mean fight. I know my ability, I am a lot more focused and ready.’

Motu is coming off a recent fourth-round demolition of Australian veteran Shannon O’Connell in Sydney, Australia; after Motu’s team arranged the contest following the news that her October clash with Scotney was called off.

The O’Connell clash kept Motu active and focused while she waited for a new date for her unification bout. Since turning professional in 2020, Motu has never enjoyed spending too long between fights, so the O’Connell clash was a welcome opportunity for the mother of five to step back into the ring and gain further experience fighting abroad.

“It was nice to get some rounds, it was nice to get back in the ring, and it was good as I got to prep for this fight now, and I know what I need to work on, ” Motu says.

“It feels right like the perfect time as the main thing is we still kept training. Now it’s just picking it, and I’m ready.”

Since capturing the IBO title, Motu has become a household name in New Zealand, with her inspiring story of overcoming domestic abuse resonating with people of all ages throughout the country.

However, fame brings its own challenges and demands separate from those fighters’ faces inside the ring. Balancing speaking engagements, TV appearances and commercial opportunities with daily training is something all athletes must master when they reach a certain level of success.

Motu is at a place in her career where she has mastered that balance and feels happy with how the stars have aligned for this particular moment.

“I have had to juggle all that stuff throughout the year now. I have found a balance, and I know how to manage it. I have good support, and I am also looking after my mental health and physical health; I have a whole team, and it’s coming along perfect. It’s just how I wanted it.”

Trainer Isaac Peach has been with Motu from the start and has watched her grow and progress as a fighter. He knows that Scotney will present a tough challenger but is confident his fighter has what it takes to return from the UK with one more trophy for the mantlepiece.

“She (Scotney) is by far the best girl Mea has fought, and Mea is by far the best girl that Ellie has fought. Ellie has never fought anyone as tough, rugged and brutal as Mea is going to be,” Peach says.

“Both girls have to step up, and both girls have a big task in front of them. Whoever puts their hand up on the night wins the fight.”

However, Motu’s motivation for this fight will ensure that come January, the world will see the best version of the “Nightmea” to ever step foot into a ring.

“I know our division is the most stacked; it just gives me more determination to really want it; it’s what we have been fighting for; it’s what we wanted from day one, and we finally got it. I could not ask for a better time.”