Taupo will make history on the 5th of April as Ironfist Promotions will host two-division world champion Lani Daniels (Ngāti Hine/Ngāpuhi) to defend her IBF Light Heavyweight title against Tongan-born New Zealander Nailini Helu at the Taupo Event Centre.
This is a historic fight on so many levels including being the first major World title fight to happen outside of Hamilton, Auckland and Northland, the second world title fight to happen between a Maori and Pasifika, and Nailini Helu becoming the first female Tongan to fight for a world title. This fight is also a rematch as the two first back in 2018 when Lani Daniels successfully defended her New Zealand national (NZPBA version) light heavyweight title.
Taupo is no stranger to boxing as it hosted the North Island Golden Gloves Championship for decades before the competition moved to Tauranga. Nuki Boxing Gym has hosted multiple events over the years in Taupo to add to the busyness of amateur boxing.
Nigel Elliott of Ironfist Promotions will be the sole promoter of this fight, with this being his second world title that he is promoting and over 20 professional boxing fights in his promoting career. He has promoted multiple significant events in his boxing career including four of Lani Daniels’s fights, including her world title defence against the Nigerian Bolatito Oluwole, and other boxers including top 10 WBO Ranked Gunnar Jackson, World title contender Andrei Mikhailovich, Liam Messam, former top 3 IBF Ranked Jerome Pampellone, World Title contender Alrie Meleisea, top 10 WBA ranked Sequita Hemingway and more.
Elliot is hoping to connect with the local iwi and businesses to get this event happening as world title fights are high risk and incredibly expensive to promote, especially in a small country like New Zealand.
Lani Daniels has been on fire, being on her seventh long winning streak since April 2022. She won her first world title against Alrie Meleisea in May 2023 for the IBF World Heavyweight title. She went on to successfully defend it before winning her second world title for the IBF World Light Heavyweight title in December 2023 against now the current IBF World Middleweight champion Desley Robinson.
Daniels has held onto the Light Heavyweight world title for over 410 days, climbing closer to Joseph Parker’s first WBO World Heavyweight title record of 476 days. However, if you combine both of her titles, she has held both for over 612 days. England-born New Zealand Citizen Bob Fitzsimmons holds the record for most world titles by a New Zealander with four world titles across three weight divisions with a combination of 3267 days.
Daniels’s opponent Nailini Helu made her professional boxing debut in April 2016. Right from the beginning, she was deemed as someone destined for greatness in boxing. However, she faced significant setbacks, losing to some of New Zealand and Australia greats including IBF World title contender Alrie Meleisea, IBF World Middleweight champion Desley Robinson, retired WBO World Light Heavyweight champion Geovana Peres, and Lani Daniels. Helu began having a major comeback after taking a four-year hiatus, winning the South Pacific (PBCNZ version) Super Middleweight title in August 2022 and in August 2024, both against Tinta Smith. The title wins gave her a significant boost in the rankings, now being ranked 6th in both Boxrec and the IBF. Helu will make history by becoming the first Tongan female to fight world a world title, making this the second Maori vs Pasifika world title fight.
The undercard will feature a variety of combat sports including Amateur, Corporate, and professional boxing, tag team kickboxing with a possible 4 man kickboxing tournament.
There will be a total of four professional boxing fights including Michael Reynolds from Paraparaumu who is getting assistance from Peach Boxing in Auckland. He will be taking on Brisbane boxer, Faavesi Isaako in a lightweight fight. Putāruru boxer Jadene Tredaway will take on Palmastern North Boxer Tania Barnett in a Super Lightweight fight. And finally, the local hometown hero Cole Campbell who represents Nuki Boxing gym in Taupo will take on Herewaka Katipa from Hamilton in a Crusierweight fight, both making their pro boxing debut.
The event will be streaming live on YouTube under the Ironfist Promotions account. Tickets will be on sale at Eventfinda on the 1st of February. Corporate tables can be purchased at Nigel@ironfistpromotions.co.nz
World title event promoted by Nigel Elliott Ironfist Promotions
April 5th at Taupo Events Centre
IBF World Light Heavyweight title 10×2 minute rounds
New Zealand/Maori Lani Daniels vs New Zealand/Tongan Nailini Helu
Lightweight 4×3 minute rounds
Australian Faivesi Isako vs New Zealand Michael Reynolds
Super Lightweight 5×2 minute rounds
Putaruru Jadene Treadaway v Palmerston North Tania Barnett
Crusierweight 4×3 minute rounds
Taupos Cole Campbell vs Hamilton Herewaka Katipa
