Geovana Peres will defend her world title against Canadian boxer
Geovana Peres is the Brazilian-born New Zealander who won her world title in March against fellow New Zealand boxer Lani Daniels. After winning the title, her biggest test is yet to come; defending it against an International opponent. She will be going up against World number one-ranked Canadian Claire Hafner (4 wins 1 loss). Hafner is a real unknown which makes it difficult to set up a game plan for Geovana. “We are working on everything as we don’t know much about my opponent style. I have to be prepared for everything. But preparation is going as planned.” Peres said to us. “The key is to be adaptable and be prepared for anything.”
Hafner recognised as an unknown boxer because of the lack of fight footage on Youtube or Facebook to study. She is the current ABO American female Heavyweight Champion. Hafner has beaten well-known heavyweight female boxers including the former number one-ranked Sonja Fox; former WBC & IBO World title challenger and former WIBA World Champion Carlette Ewell, and current world number three-ranked Annie Mazerolle. This will be Hafner’s first major international title fight.
This fight will be a big milestone for Geovana Peres as this will be the first time she fights against an international opponent. “It feels exciting and it is another step to big and better things.” This will also be Geovana’s second time main eventing on a fight that is televised. Her fight against Lani Daniels was pre-recorded and broadcast on New Zealand’s Sky Sports 3. However, this time she will be fighting Live on New Zealand’s Sky Sports. She describes the feeling about to be live on tv in one word “Dreamlike!”.
When asked what does she fight for? she says:
“I strongly believe people have a purpose in life. Mine is somehow promoting positive changes in people’s lives through boxing. It is a way I have to connect to people from all walks of life and inspire them, make them understand that everything is possible if they commit have to discipline and if they are willing to sacrifice. Integrity and strong principles are paramount and that every day we have the chance to be a better person. I want to be a platform for those who have a dream, for women in boxing.”
Geovane Peres is well known for her accomplishments as well as being the first person from the LGBT community to win a Professional New Zealand National Boxing title, and being the first LGBT person representing New Zealand to win a world boxing title. There are only two active LGBT boxers in New Zealand including first New Zealand Born LGBT boxer (Lesbian) Diane Beazley, and of course Geovana Peres.
The event will be breaking boundaries as the fight card has a female-dominant lineup. This is the first time in New Zealand history that a televised boxing event will feature more female fights than male fights, with four professional female bouts and only one male bout; of course with Geovana in the main event. The undercard features Geovana Peres’ last opponent Lani Daniels taking on Tessa Tualevao in a rematch for the vacant New Zealand Middleweight title; Karen Te Ruki Pasene taking on the returning former Muay Thai and boxing world champion Gentiane Lupi; Trish Vaka vs Australian Desley Robinson, and finally Samoan-born Australian Herman Ene Purcell taking on Samoan-born New Zealander Viliamu Motusaga. Herman Ene Purcell was raised in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. He attended Glenfield College during his high school years.