The Lineal champion is considered the best of the best in each weight division, which is often passed down from when a boxer suffers a loss. Here, we will argue who was the New Zealand Lineal National women’s champion. This is of the opinion of the writer, and this lineal title is more hypothetical.
When we think about this subject, we need to start from the beginning of New Zealand’s women’s boxing in 1997, with Wena Karaka winning the first-ever New Zealand professional boxing bout. She was at the beginning of this story and is only fitting to be crowned the first Lineal Champion. In her career, she would fight twice in 1997, where she won both fights against two New Zealanders, twice in 1999 with a draw and a loss, both to Australians and the loss being against a future 2006 WBC World Champion Sharon Anyos and finally a loss for the WIBF World title in 2000. Her last fight in her career is where I believe the National Lineal title was moved on.
In 2002, Sue Glassey became the first woman to win a New Zealand women’s professional boxing title, winning against Wena Karaka by DQ. Sue Glassey became the first and only woman from New Zealand to defeat Wena Karaka, which is only fitting for her to receive his Lineal title. Glassey was already the South Pacific Champion when she won her title on debut in Australia. Sue did not fight again until 2005 when the next Lineal champion stepped up.
In 2005, Daniella Smith debuted on the David Tua vs Talmadge Griffis undercard. This is where she was crowned the next Lineal champion when she defeated Sue Glassey by a points decision. Again, Daniella Smith was the only New Zealand boxer to defeat Sue Glassey, which makes it fitting for Smith to hold that title. Daniella Smith would win against Sue Glassey again in 2006 for the New Zealand title, strengthening that claim. Since then, Smith would win a second New Zealand title in 2008, holding the record for most New Zealand titles held by a woman for 14 years. She would also become the first ever IBF World Women Champion. After her retirement, she would be awarded the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023. Smith’s last two fights of her career in 2014 were when the next person became the next Lineal champion.
In 2014, Gentiane Lupi became the only New Zealand woman to defeat Daniella Smith, earning the next Lineal champion spot. The two would fight twice, with Lupi winning the first fight by MD and the second fight by fifth-round stoppage for the New Zealand title. Lupi would win the WIBA World title in Wellington, New Zealand, and the WBA Oceania title in Singapore, and has never been beaten by another New Zealander in a professional boxing bout. Lupi mostly focused on Kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA; she mostly did Boxing part-time as an occasional sport. Today, she would only consider boxing again as an adventure (for example, a fight in Kenya). Lupi last fought in May 2021 when she defeated a well-skilled with a massive amateur background, Ariane Nicholson. So overall, in a direct line of descent, passed down by wins and losses, the last true Lineal champion is Gentiane Lupi.
The question is, who is the current Lineal New Zealand National Champion? There are a few arguments that can be placed. Geovana Peres could have argued well in 2019 when she won the WBO World Light Heavyweight title against Lani Daniels. This could be argued the same for Alrie Meleisea in 2019, as she was undefeated until her loss against Sequita Hemingway. If Meleisea was the Lineal champion at one point, then you can argue Lani Daniels, the current IBF World Heavyweight champion, is the current Lineal Champion.
In my opinion, the current Lineal New Zealand national champion is none other than Mea Motu. Motu is currently the highest-ranked P4P New Zealand women’s boxer and the only New Zealand boxer with more than eight professional fights that is undefeated. In all the previous examples, with Peres, Daniels and Meleisea, this was a time when Lupi was still fighting, which means still holding the Lineal title. Motu has achieved a lot in her career, beating the 14-year New Zealand title streak with four New Zealand titles in different weight divisions. She has defeated nine New Zealand boxers, three of whom hold different professional boxing titles. Now, she is the current IBO World champion. If there was a particular moment or fight when Mea Motu became champion, it was the megafight between Mea Motu and Baby Nansen in April 2022, with Motu winning her 4th New Zealand title. This also makes sense as Nansen’s only loss of her career from a New Zealand boxer was Gentiane Lupi, which would only make that moment more fitting.
Original Lineal New Zealand National Champions
1997 – Wena Karaka
2002 – Sue Glassey
2005 – Daniella Smith
2014 – Gentiane Lupi
Second Generation Lineal New Zealand National Champions
2022 – Mea Motu
by Benjamin Watt
Courtesy: https://www.womenboxing.com/NEWS2023/news111123history-of-new-zealand-womens-lineal-champion.htm