September 7, 2024 • 12 mins
Kaitāia boxer Mea Motu used her skills to be crowned IBO super-bantamweight world champion - and she's facing her next challenge.
On October 26, Motu is set to challenge England’s Ellie Scotney for the IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine titles in Manchester, England.
She says preparing for a fight on this level comes with extra challenges.
"We literally have to do this on our own and cover the costs from our own pocket - so that was a stressful thing. But I'm lucky, I've got a lot of people who I reached out to, who are willing to support and back me."
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now some very exciting news this week This week for
Kiwi boxing sensation Miya Moltu. For more than a year,
Maya has been chasing a fight against the best IBF,
WBO and Ring Magazine World super bantamweight champion Alie Scotney,
and she has got her wish. The fight scheduled for
next month, but before then, Miya is one of the
(00:34):
contestants on the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island, albeit
a rather reluctant one. I've heard CTI season six starts
tomorrow night, and Miya is with me now in the studio.
Good morning, good morning, so good to have you with me.
Were you a bit of a reluctant contestant for Celebrity
Treasure Island?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Did they have to twist your arm to do it?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Kind of? Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, okay, so you were sort of. I'm not so.
Had you ever seen the season? Have you ever seen
the show?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Oh? Yeah, I watched the last show because of Tudio
and Tom.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes. Oh good, so you kind of knew what you
were getting into.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Not really. I just watched little bits of episodes of it,
like snippets, but never watched the full show. So I
watched the games. I remember it's funny as but I
had no idea what was it about to happen?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh that is that's brilliant and maybe a good way
to go into it, because it is quite an experience,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah it is. It's definitely an experiences, definitely challenging, and
definitely I thought reality TV was just like, you know,
you only do it when the TV's on.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I love it, I love it, But actually you were
expected to do things quite often all the time. Yeah,
you know, like you're just yeah, they're telling you what
you have to do, and you have to do it, and.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, we're constantly on the go, and it's like you're
never resting. It's like the only time you rest is
when they're gone and that's that nighttime.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Oh my god, what did you think? So what did
you think it would be like? Did you have any
idea what it would be like?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I thought it would just be like one game a day, Yeah,
and then we get to chill and have fun and
use a proper toilet in the shower. But no, it
wasn't like that, And I thought, oh, yeah, off off
the screen is we can eat normal food.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
But no, so it was rare. So that is really interesting.
So what we see is what we get that you
don't get to go and sleend the night in a
motel and use a shower or a toilet. We you
are is where you are until you leave.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, it's definitely you're sleeping on those horrible bunks and
it's freezing cold.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
But you were quite surprised, like people really did struggle
a little bit with the conditions.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah, it was like adapting to the conditions and like
the new environment was very different and we had to like, literally,
we're staying with these people twenty four to seven and
we got no phone, no communication. We don't even know
that the time is because we're not allowed to know.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
There's some quite strong personalities in this season. I can't
wait for the season. It looks so good. How did
you find that sort of getting to know all these
people and trying to play the game against them?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh, I found it quite amazing, Like I got to
know everyone and on a personal note, but also on
just being on the island, because that's all you've got
is your team, and you're not allowed to communicate with
anyone else. You can't even communicate with the other team.
You can't even communicate with the people behind the scenes.
(03:45):
You're only allowed to communicate with your team. So that
was very challenging, but also at the same time, it
was really nice because I got to know them on
a whole other level and it built like a family
vibe because they were all I was left with. And
you know, there was different definitely different personalities. There was
a it was clashing, but for me, I was more
(04:09):
of a supporter and encouraging and I just wanted to
give everything to go and I wanted to get to
know everybody because it was definitely out of my comfort
zone because I struggled to trust people. So it gave
me a new motivation to be like, Okay, let's get
out of your comfort zone and let's get to know
these people for who they are.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Oh good on you, Good on you. How'd you find
the physical challenges that they throw at you?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I love the physical challenges. They were my most funnest.
Like I, I was the one that always wanted to
give everything a go. I was just like I didn't
really care about winning or losing. All I cared about
was giving one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And that's something that you're going to do on October
the twenty sixth, aren't you. This is so exciting that
you're able to challenge England's Alie Scottney for these titles.
How excited are you?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh? I'm so excited. I can't wait. I'm like itching
inside me and I want to burst and explode, and
I'm just it's finally here.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I was laughing once just talking just before we came
on here. When I mentioned it, you just couldn't stand still.
We're just moving the whole time. So what do you
do now? How do you go about preparing for a
fight like this?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
So I've got to go overseas because there's just there's
no sparring or anything here. For me, it's quite hard
and everyone I just don't have that support here where overseas,
I've got more of a challenge for sparring and it
will definitely benefit me and up build my skills and stuff.
(05:40):
So that's the most challenging. So it was I was
quite stressed at the start. As soon as I found
out that I was fighting, I was quite stressed and
very upset and emotional because I was just full of
joy and pride, but at the same time, I was like,
how am I going to get there? Because we literally
have to do this all on our own and come
(06:01):
from our own pocket. So that was a stressful thing.
But I'm lucky. I've got a lot of people who
I reached out to and are willing to support and
back me. So I've got sponsors that are willing to
sponsor me. But it ain't easy, because you know, that's
the hardest but is trying to get overseas and trying
to get sparring.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And that's stressful, right, because you just want to focus
on the fight. That's what you do, right, That's what
you want to focus on. But unfortunately, you know you
don't have that. You can't. You've got to be thinking
about everything. Is this your biggest fight yet?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yes, this is my biggest fight.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Don'ant to put the pressure on, but it really isn't.
I mean, this could be a historic opportunity.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Oh one hundred percent. That's all I've wanted is I've
always wanted to unify and be undisputed, and I want
to be I want to be that one that breaks
the records.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So how do you then keep the magnitude of this
opportunity kind of in check? How do you just focus
on the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I've just got a good I've got a good team. Yeah,
I've got a really amazing coach and a manager who
really just always keeps me in line and on check.
And I have great family who just help me with
my children and they just allow me to focus on
my sport. But it's challenging because sometimes I've got to
(07:25):
work and try to juggle it all together. But we
make it happen, and I find ways.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
When you get to England, this is going to be huge,
this fight. There's going to be so much publicity around it.
You know, the fights themselves are these huge events and things.
Is that distracting or do you enjoy that? Do you
enjoy walking into that environment?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I love it. I enjoy walking into that environment like
I'm already prepared and my focus is only the fight,
So you know, I you know, I allow all the
publicity just to come, and I know that's part of
being an athlete, So it doesn't bother me as long
as I don't lose focus off the fight.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And then when you're in the ring. You know, obviously
there's going to be a lot of support there for Ali.
But that doesn't phase you either, does it.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
No, that doesn't phase me because I definitely been overseas
and already had that. But I just focus on me,
and you know, the people that are throwing criticism, I
just smile away because you know, a dangerous fighter is
a happy fighter. Me.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You've had the most incredible journey to get to where
you are and the success that you've you know that
you've earned. What do you want people to take from
your journey?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I know that you've been a victim of violence, You've
you've been homeless, you're you know, you've got your kids
and things. What do you want people to take from
what you've managed to do?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I want to I want people to know that no
matter what walk or life you come from, you are great.
You are amazing, You are beautiful and have a voice.
That's what I want people to know. And you know,
look at me and be like whatever, I've been through
that walk and it doesn't matter how bad you walk,
you can always get up and how badly are you
(09:10):
willing to fight? So that's it's the determination and I
refuse to say no. I'll always challenge myself. If someone
says I can't, I'll be like, oh well, I'll prove
you wrong. And as long as I give it a go,
that's greatness.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Because it's a really brief thing sometimes to say yes
to things, even when life is okay and good. It's
really hard to do it when things are a bit tough,
isn't it?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
It is, and it's just for me. I just want
to normalize that it's okay not to be okay. Yeah,
it really is.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
How have you got to where you are? Who has
helped you get to where you are?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
My bi guess help and support has to be my coach,
Isaac Peach and Alena Peach. They're definitely supported me back
to me and they have allowed me to be me.
My coach tells me all the time, you change for nobody,
you be you, and I've always held that and I'll
always remain me.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
What do you love about boxing?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
What I love about boxing is that it's very challenging,
but also it's taught me how to walk life. You know,
it's built confidence, it's helped me with my mental health,
and the biggest thing is it's really opened the door
for what I rarely want to chase, and that's fighting
for our next generation, allowing our kids to have a voice,
(10:32):
and they're normalizing that it's okay not to be okay
for our kids, you know, giving that opportunity for our
kids to be who they are. We're always trying to
put these expectations on our children when really we're not
actually listening to them and allowing them to be what
they want to be and who they want to be,
(10:52):
allow them to be their identity and be true to
who they are, and support them in that. We get
so fixated and what we want for them instead of
what they want for themselves.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And that's my biggest congregation. Yeah. Absolutely, And what about
just boxing in general? Is it is it growing as
women's boxing growing in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
It's slowly growing in New Zealand. Woman's boxing not as
quick as what I thought it would be, but it
is slowly growing. But overseas it's a lot more bigger
woman's boxing, you know. So it's a lot bigger overseas,
but I'd love it to grow here. You I don't
even want women to be fighters. I just want them
to have self love, and self care where box and
(11:39):
that's what boxing gives. It's a safe place to lash
your anchor and how to control it.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Oh Mia, it's been so nice to meet you. I
really appreciate you coming through coun't wait to see how
how you go on Celebrity Treasure Island. Really appreciate your
time this morning. Thank you for having me, and of
course best luck, best of luck for October. We will
all be watching. This is terribly exciting.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
For more from the Sunday session with Fred Jessica Rudkin,
listen live to News Talks a B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now some very exciting news this week This week for
Kiwi boxing sensation Miya Moltu. For more than a year,
Maya has been chasing a fight against the best IBF,
WBO and Ring Magazine World super bantamweight champion Alie Scotney,
and she has got her wish. The fight scheduled for
next month, but before then, Miya is one of the
(00:34):
contestants on the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island, albeit
a rather reluctant one. I've heard CTI season six starts
tomorrow night, and Miya is with me now in the studio.
Good morning, good morning, so good to have you with me.
Were you a bit of a reluctant contestant for Celebrity
Treasure Island?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Did they have to twist your arm to do it?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Kind of? Yes?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, okay, so you were sort of. I'm not so.
Had you ever seen the season? Have you ever seen
the show?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Oh? Yeah, I watched the last show because of Tudio
and Tom.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes. Oh good, so you kind of knew what you
were getting into.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Not really. I just watched little bits of episodes of it,
like snippets, but never watched the full show. So I
watched the games. I remember it's funny as but I
had no idea what was it about to happen?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh that is that's brilliant and maybe a good way
to go into it, because it is quite an experience,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah it is. It's definitely an experiences, definitely challenging, and
definitely I thought reality TV was just like, you know,
you only do it when the TV's on.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I love it, I love it, But actually you were
expected to do things quite often all the time. Yeah,
you know, like you're just yeah, they're telling you what
you have to do, and you have to do it, and.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, we're constantly on the go, and it's like you're
never resting. It's like the only time you rest is
when they're gone and that's that nighttime.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Oh my god, what did you think? So what did
you think it would be like? Did you have any
idea what it would be like?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I thought it would just be like one game a day, Yeah,
and then we get to chill and have fun and
use a proper toilet in the shower. But no, it
wasn't like that, And I thought, oh, yeah, off off
the screen is we can eat normal food.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
But no, so it was rare. So that is really interesting.
So what we see is what we get that you
don't get to go and sleend the night in a
motel and use a shower or a toilet. We you
are is where you are until you leave.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, it's definitely you're sleeping on those horrible bunks and
it's freezing cold.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
But you were quite surprised, like people really did struggle
a little bit with the conditions.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah, it was like adapting to the conditions and like
the new environment was very different and we had to like, literally,
we're staying with these people twenty four to seven and
we got no phone, no communication. We don't even know
that the time is because we're not allowed to know.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
There's some quite strong personalities in this season. I can't
wait for the season. It looks so good. How did
you find that sort of getting to know all these
people and trying to play the game against them?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh, I found it quite amazing, Like I got to
know everyone and on a personal note, but also on
just being on the island, because that's all you've got
is your team, and you're not allowed to communicate with
anyone else. You can't even communicate with the other team.
You can't even communicate with the people behind the scenes.
(03:45):
You're only allowed to communicate with your team. So that
was very challenging, but also at the same time, it
was really nice because I got to know them on
a whole other level and it built like a family
vibe because they were all I was left with. And
you know, there was different definitely different personalities. There was
a it was clashing, but for me, I was more
(04:09):
of a supporter and encouraging and I just wanted to
give everything to go and I wanted to get to
know everybody because it was definitely out of my comfort
zone because I struggled to trust people. So it gave
me a new motivation to be like, Okay, let's get
out of your comfort zone and let's get to know
these people for who they are.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Oh good on you, Good on you. How'd you find
the physical challenges that they throw at you?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I love the physical challenges. They were my most funnest.
Like I, I was the one that always wanted to
give everything a go. I was just like I didn't
really care about winning or losing. All I cared about
was giving one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And that's something that you're going to do on October
the twenty sixth, aren't you. This is so exciting that
you're able to challenge England's Alie Scottney for these titles.
How excited are you?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh? I'm so excited. I can't wait. I'm like itching
inside me and I want to burst and explode, and
I'm just it's finally here.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I was laughing once just talking just before we came
on here. When I mentioned it, you just couldn't stand still.
We're just moving the whole time. So what do you
do now? How do you go about preparing for a
fight like this?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
So I've got to go overseas because there's just there's
no sparring or anything here. For me, it's quite hard
and everyone I just don't have that support here where overseas,
I've got more of a challenge for sparring and it
will definitely benefit me and up build my skills and stuff.
(05:40):
So that's the most challenging. So it was I was
quite stressed at the start. As soon as I found
out that I was fighting, I was quite stressed and
very upset and emotional because I was just full of
joy and pride, but at the same time, I was like,
how am I going to get there? Because we literally
have to do this all on our own and come
(06:01):
from our own pocket. So that was a stressful thing.
But I'm lucky. I've got a lot of people who
I reached out to and are willing to support and
back me. So I've got sponsors that are willing to
sponsor me. But it ain't easy, because you know, that's
the hardest but is trying to get overseas and trying
to get sparring.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And that's stressful, right, because you just want to focus
on the fight. That's what you do, right, That's what
you want to focus on. But unfortunately, you know you
don't have that. You can't. You've got to be thinking
about everything. Is this your biggest fight yet?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yes, this is my biggest fight.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Don'ant to put the pressure on, but it really isn't.
I mean, this could be a historic opportunity.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Oh one hundred percent. That's all I've wanted is I've
always wanted to unify and be undisputed, and I want
to be I want to be that one that breaks
the records.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So how do you then keep the magnitude of this
opportunity kind of in check? How do you just focus
on the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I've just got a good I've got a good team. Yeah,
I've got a really amazing coach and a manager who
really just always keeps me in line and on check.
And I have great family who just help me with
my children and they just allow me to focus on
my sport. But it's challenging because sometimes I've got to
(07:25):
work and try to juggle it all together. But we
make it happen, and I find ways.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
When you get to England, this is going to be huge,
this fight. There's going to be so much publicity around it.
You know, the fights themselves are these huge events and things.
Is that distracting or do you enjoy that? Do you
enjoy walking into that environment?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I love it. I enjoy walking into that environment like
I'm already prepared and my focus is only the fight,
So you know, I you know, I allow all the
publicity just to come, and I know that's part of
being an athlete, So it doesn't bother me as long
as I don't lose focus off the fight.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And then when you're in the ring. You know, obviously
there's going to be a lot of support there for Ali.
But that doesn't phase you either, does it.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
No, that doesn't phase me because I definitely been overseas
and already had that. But I just focus on me,
and you know, the people that are throwing criticism, I
just smile away because you know, a dangerous fighter is
a happy fighter. Me.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You've had the most incredible journey to get to where
you are and the success that you've you know that
you've earned. What do you want people to take from
your journey?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I know that you've been a victim of violence, You've
you've been homeless, you're you know, you've got your kids
and things. What do you want people to take from
what you've managed to do?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I want to I want people to know that no
matter what walk or life you come from, you are great.
You are amazing, You are beautiful and have a voice.
That's what I want people to know. And you know,
look at me and be like whatever, I've been through
that walk and it doesn't matter how bad you walk,
you can always get up and how badly are you
(09:10):
willing to fight? So that's it's the determination and I
refuse to say no. I'll always challenge myself. If someone
says I can't, I'll be like, oh well, I'll prove
you wrong. And as long as I give it a go,
that's greatness.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Because it's a really brief thing sometimes to say yes
to things, even when life is okay and good. It's
really hard to do it when things are a bit tough,
isn't it?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
It is, and it's just for me. I just want
to normalize that it's okay not to be okay. Yeah,
it really is.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
How have you got to where you are? Who has
helped you get to where you are?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
My bi guess help and support has to be my coach,
Isaac Peach and Alena Peach. They're definitely supported me back
to me and they have allowed me to be me.
My coach tells me all the time, you change for nobody,
you be you, and I've always held that and I'll
always remain me.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
What do you love about boxing?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
What I love about boxing is that it's very challenging,
but also it's taught me how to walk life. You know,
it's built confidence, it's helped me with my mental health,
and the biggest thing is it's really opened the door
for what I rarely want to chase, and that's fighting
for our next generation, allowing our kids to have a voice,
(10:32):
and they're normalizing that it's okay not to be okay
for our kids, you know, giving that opportunity for our
kids to be who they are. We're always trying to
put these expectations on our children when really we're not
actually listening to them and allowing them to be what
they want to be and who they want to be,
(10:52):
allow them to be their identity and be true to
who they are, and support them in that. We get
so fixated and what we want for them instead of
what they want for themselves.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And that's my biggest congregation. Yeah. Absolutely, And what about
just boxing in general? Is it is it growing as
women's boxing growing in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
It's slowly growing in New Zealand. Woman's boxing not as
quick as what I thought it would be, but it
is slowly growing. But overseas it's a lot more bigger
woman's boxing, you know. So it's a lot bigger overseas,
but I'd love it to grow here. You I don't
even want women to be fighters. I just want them
to have self love, and self care where box and
(11:39):
that's what boxing gives. It's a safe place to lash
your anchor and how to control it.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Oh Mia, it's been so nice to meet you. I
really appreciate you coming through coun't wait to see how
how you go on Celebrity Treasure Island. Really appreciate your
time this morning. Thank you for having me, and of
course best luck, best of luck for October. We will
all be watching. This is terribly exciting.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
For more from the Sunday session with Fred Jessica Rudkin,
listen live to News Talks a B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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