Ellie Scotney vs Mea Motu Predictions: Scotney gives mandatory puncher her shot

Ellie Scotney will defend the IBF, WBO and The Ring super bantamweight titles against Mea Motu this Saturday, January 25. The bout will feature as chief support for Dalton Smith’s European title challenge against Walid Ouizza. The event takes place at Nottingham Arena with DAZN broadcasting live.

Here are my Scotney vs Motu predictions ahead of this highly-anticipated battle.

Ellie Scotney vs Mea Motu Odds

Motu is a live underdog at 4/1, having earned her mandatory status the hard way. The champion, Scotney, is priced at 1/6 while the draw is available at 16/1.

Fight Preview

This fight was initially supposed to take place in Manchester last October. But an injury to the champion put paid to that meeting. It is a relief that the bout has been revived as this is a real high-quality piece of matchmaking.

Motu is a worthy challenger and has earned this fight in all the ways that matter. The Pukepoto star is 20-0 and has won more New Zealand titles than any other female boxer in history. In 2023 she beat Tania Walters for the IBO super bantamweight title, which she has defended in wins over Ellen Simwaka and Chandni Mehra. While that is considered a tertiary world title, Motu now gets a crack at the real thing.

Motu rubber-stamped her credentials in her last fight with a win over Australian boxing legend Shannon O’Connell. While the trailblazing ‘Shotgun’ was 41 at the time, she had fought Ebanie Bridges for the IBF strap in recent years. Motu’s fourth-round TKO of O’Connell was a statement. A final sign-off before a world title opportunity.

Full credit to the New Zealander, she is willing to do the work here. Not only is Motu facing the true divisional champion but she is doing so on Scotney’s home turf in England.

This fight breaks down as the boxer vs the puncher in many ways. Motu has eight stoppages while all nine of Scotney’s fights have ended in decision wins. 

What wins they have been. Scotney has outpointed former or reigning world champions like Maria Cecilia Roman, Cherneka Johnson and Segolene Lefebvre in her journey to the top. It speaks to the neapolitan composition of the super bantamweight division that Scotney’s debut win over the experienced Bec Connolly represents her only bout against a British boxer.

This wide range of experience against international competitors could give Scotney an edge here. While Motu has excelled at domestic level in a way no other female fighter from her country has, she is not as well-versed at world level. Scotney has been a world champion for 18 months now and has been beating global names for longer. That could tell on fight night.

The crowd shouldn’t shake Motu, though. She has just beaten ‘The Queen of Australian Boxing’ in her own backyard. The ebullient Nottingham support will roll off her back like water from a duck. She’ll back herself and her power in this fight. 

Therefore it is up to Scotney to keep her off for 10 rounds. To disrupt Motu’s march and pick her off. She can do it. Ellie has done it against some of the best. But make no mistake, this is a real test for the Lewisham fighter.

Scotney vs Motu Full Card

Dalton Smith vs. Walid Ouizza

Harry Scarff vs. Conah Walker

Ellie Scotney vs. Mea Motu

Ibraheem Sulaimaan vs. Reuquen Cona Facundo Arce

Hamza Uddin vs. Misael Ezequiel Graffiol

Nico Leivars vs. Lewis Morris

Muhammad Mustafa Ali vs. Leonardo Baez

Scotney vs Motu Predictions

My neck is firmly remaining off the line here. I’m not pulling up any trees or throwing a feline among the pigeons with this prediction.

I see Scotney winning this by decision. The extra world-level seasoning and the quality of her opposition gives her the edge. But she hasn’t stopped an opponent in nine attempts and I don’t see Motu being the first. Scotney on points at 1/3.

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