Uncut Diamond Daniella
Daniella Smith – the most famous NZ sportswoman – that you’ve probably never heard of. A single mum from Kaikohe who rose to become boxing champion of the world.
Episodes
In a sports-mad country - why has no-one heard of Daniella Smith? One-time Welterweight Boxing Champion of the World. The single mother from Kaikohe overcame male prejudice and all the odds to become the very best. Daniella dreamed and won big, then lost herself. Taking the world title, then watching her own world fall apart.
So, who’s going to tell my story? Daniella dismisses all the other contenders and takes over the mic. Telling how she rocked up to the Maritime Boxing Gym – a male bastion in the late 90’s – welcomed in, she found whānau and her future as a fighting wahine.
Content warning: contains discussion of sensitive themes like suicide.
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One fight and Daniella was hooked. 40 amateur bouts and five gold medals later she was ready to turn professional. Boxing experts were comparing her to one of the American greats – The Coalminers Daughter, but how would she go in the ring when the stakes got higher.
Two greats would inspire Daniella to greatness. The first, a household name – Sugar Ray Leonard, who told her to make boxing her life. The second – rugby league legend Monty Betham - chasing her around Auckland Domain like a man possessed. In this episode, Daniella describes sacrifices she had to make to achieve her dreams.
Daniella’s won the fight of her life against Jennifer Retzke for the IBF Welterweight World Championship. Her heroic arrival back to Auckland is overtaken by a deep sense of sadness. She struggles to accept her sudden fame and hard-won success. Then a moment of reckoning - Daniella, the world champ, has to get on a plane to South Africa to defend her title. One fighter will end up on the canvas.
Daniella Smith has poured everything into her dream of becoming the best boxer in the world. And made it. But what now? Retirement, one of her old boxing foes says, is to stop being a fighter and go back to being an ordinary woman. How will she cope? Working with women who've experienced domestic violence triggers some old memories. Then out of the blue - a trip to Las Vegas.
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