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Chandni Mehra hopes New Zealand's Indian community will support her quest to dethrone Mea Motu. Photo: D&L EVENTS
By Sam Wilson
IBO super bantamweight world title fight:Mea Motu v Chandni Mehra. Where: McKay Stadium, Whangārei. When: Saturday, 2 December. Coverage: Live on Sky Arena and Sky Sport Now
The latest challenger to Mea Motu's throne has urged New Zealand's Indian community to turn out in force when she attempts to seize the Kiwi's world title later this year.
Kaitaia-born Motu (17-0, 6 KOs) makes the second defence of her IBO super bantamweight crown on 2 December at Whangārei's McKay Stadium, where she'll be roared on by friends and whānau.
Heading into the lion's den against the hometown favourite would be an intimidating prospect for most young fighters, but Chandni Mehra is taking it all in her stride.
The 22-year-old, who turned professional at the age of 17, oozed confidence at a press conference in Auckland on Tuesday, where she appealed for Indian expats to get behind her quest to upset the unbeaten Motu and take the belt back to the mother country.
"I would like to say to the Indian community in New Zealand, all of them should come and join me and cheer me on if they can, that would be a really great thing," said Mehra, who is aiming to make history as the first Indian woman to win a professional title.
"In India everyone knows about it [the fight], and they are rooting for me. They are very much excited, as am I.
"It's quite challenging [facing Motu in her own backyard] but I don't believe that there's anything that can beat me, even if I go to their home country and fight. It's all in your mind, you know.
"I'm totally focused and I will give my best."
Despite her tender age, Mehra already has plenty of experience under her belt including 17 professional fights yielding 12 wins, one draw and four losses. Her chosen career has taken her to places as diverse as the UAE, Australia and South Korea.
Inspired to take up boxing by a Bollywood movie about Mary Kom, a six-time amateur world champion and Olympic bronze medallist from the Indian state of Manipur, Mehra has ambitions to one day go for gold herself.
But first she will seek to upset the odds and become a world champion by ending Motu's brief reign, which began when she outpointed Canada's Tania Walters for the vacant belt in April, before coming through adversity to defend it against Malawi's Ellen Simwaka in August.
While full of respect for Motu as a fighter and grateful for the warm reception from the New Zealand public ("they are very welcoming, very humble") Mehra is determined to poop the homecoming party and return to India a national hero.
"She's a very good fighter and I saw her [last] fight with my coach. She is a very good hard hitter and we are just working on how we have to tackle that," she said.
To combat Motu's trademark aggressive, front-foot style, Mehra has been working on improving her head movement, footwork and endurance to ensure she is ready to go the distance.
With stoppage wins in her last two fights, she is adamant she has enough pop to hurt Motu, who has never been dropped let alone stopped before.
"It's really important for a boxer to have good strength and endurance," Mehra said. "I'm very confident and excited, and I believe in myself that I can really give a good fight.
"Because I am the first Indian female professional boxer to fight at this level for a world title, it's a very big challenge for me.
"I know I have all the blessings of my coach, my parents, my family, so I'm going to give my best and I know I can do this."
Mehra said the encouragement from her parents in pursuing a pastime largely frowned upon for girls in India was the "main reason I'm standing here today".
"Everything I've done until now is all because of their love and support," she added.
Motu and Mehra have one opponent in common in Dubai-based Iranian Nastaran Fathi (10-1, 3 KOs). In her first contest outside New Zealand, Motu came away with a razor-thin split decision victory last November, while Mehra was on the wrong end of a majority decision verdict just two months prior.
But the old adage styles make fights rings true and past form will count for nothing when the two fighters step through the ropes on 2 December, as Mehra was keen to remind Motu.
"I've come here to win, and by God's grace, it's going to be a win!"
