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Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Mea Motu is taken on the pads by Zen Peach, the eight-year-old son of her coaches Isaac and Alina.
IBO world super bantamweight title fight: Mea Motu v Ellen Simwaka. Where: Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland. When: Saturday, August 26. Coverage: Live on Sky Arena and Sky Sport Now, from 6.30pm
Mea Motu’s maiden defence of her world title has been thrown into jeopardy after her trainer demanded the axing of the referee and threatened to pull her out if he’s not replaced.
Motu (16-0, 6 KOs) puts her IBO world super bantamweight belt on the line against Malawi’s Ellen Simwaka (12-6-2, 8 KOs) in the main event of stacked card at Auckland’s Eventfinda Arena this Saturday night.
But her coach, Isaac Peach, has called for a different official to take control of the 10-round contest after being angered by how Australian Ignatius Missilaidus scored his heavyweight charge Kiki Toa Leutele’s split decision victory of Toese Vousiutu in Sydney on Wednesday night.
Two judges scored the eight-round bout 76-75 in Leutele’s favour, but Missilaidus gave home fighter Vousiutu the nod by a wide margin of 78-73.
Alan Lee/Photosport
Isaac Peach, who also trains rising light heavyweight Jerome Pampellone, has fired up over the referee.
This prompted Peach to question the “competence” of Missilaidus and seek his removal from the card on which he’s also scheduled to officiate light heavyweight contender Jerome Pampellone’s fight with South African Luvuyo Sizani (7-0, 3 KOs).
“He gave one round, I think it was the fifth or the sixth, to the other guy and not Kiki, and that was Kiki’s biggest round,” a furious Peach said shortly after landing back in Auckland on Thursday having been in Leutele’s corner for his upset of the previously unbeaten Vousiutu.
“The Aussie papers are talking about the terrible scorecards and now they want him to referee my two top fighters? Get the f..k out of here.”
When asked whether it was the fact Missilaidus scored the fight for Vousiutu or the lopsided nature of his card that he took issue with, Peach replied: “Both.”
He then threatened to withdraw Motu and Pampellone from the event unless Missilaidus was removed from refereeing duties.
D&L EVENTS
Lani Daniels is leaving no stone unturned ahead of her IBF heavyweight title defence on August 26.
“I’m going to the press conference [at David Tua’s Onehunga gym] and I’m quite happy to tell them that. We won’t enter the ring, we’ll stay out. I’m not putting my guys at risk,” Peach said.
”We are just off the plane but that’s my thought pattern at the moment.
“If we lost that fight last night, Kiki has got nowhere to go. I’m absolutely fuming. And now for him to be the referee of Mea’s world title fight and Jerome’s intercontinental Mea Motu’s trainer threatens to pull her out of maiden world title defence if referee not axed fight … it makes no sense.
“We never get a fair crack, and now they are bringing them [international judges] here!”
It is the latest drama to plague the five-fight card on Auckland’s North Shore, which also sees IBF world heavyweight champion Lani Daniels defend her crown against unbeaten South African Razel Mohammed (3-0-2, 0 KOs) in the co-main event.
Last week, Peach’s wife Alina revealed that Motu had been battling asthma in the final stage of her camp and was seeking exemptions from Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) to use medication prescribed by her doctor.
The 33-year-old was ultimately given the green light and Saturday’s defence of the title she captured by outpointing Canadian Tania Walters in April can go ahead as planned.
AT A GLANCE
Full fight card
Mea Motu v Ellen Simwaka (IBO world super bantamweight title)
Lani Daniels v Razel Mohammed (IBF world heavyweight title)
Jerome Pampellone v Luvuyo Sizani (IBF light heavyweight intercontinental title)
Zain Adams v Enrique Magsalin (flyweights)
Matt Mataika v Joe Tufuga (heavyweights)
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