Papua New Guinean boxer Sheilla Yama’s rise through the professional boxing ranks began long before she stepped into the boxing ring … on the pageant stage.

In 2017, Yama was the second runner-up at the Miss Papua New Guinea pageant and later claimed the title at the inaugural World Supermodel PNG competition. 

The then-25-year-old was navigating intense scrutiny, public speaking challenges and the pressure of representing not just herself, but her people and culture.

A young Papua New Guinean woman stands in front of a wall with a number of photos of PNG women. She wears black face paint. Sheilla Yama represents Western Highlands with face paint and Oro design Meri-Kolos(Supplied)

“Contesting for Miss PNG was uplifting and challenging in a good way. It wasn’t just about walking in heels and looking pretty; it was about beauty and brains, and also a huge cultural experience,” Yama said..

“You’re not just representing yourself; you’re representing your province, your tribe, your family and showcasing your culture.”

Behind the glamour was a demanding routine that required discipline, resilience, and mental toughness — qualities that would later become the foundation of her boxing career. 

A young Papua New Guinean woman stands on a catwalk with hands on hips wearing traditional evening attire Sheilla Yama competing in the 2017 Miss Papua New Guinea pageant(Supplied)

Yama recalled the gruelling preparation involved — early mornings, rehearsals, posture training, media training, fitness, skincare routines and constant public appearances.

“Public speaking sessions (Toastmasters), etiquette … it was all structured and demanding, but worth the experience” Yama said.

“I’m glad I did it. I gained a lot of experience and sisterhood from the pageant.”

One of the toughest elements was facing the judges’ interviews, where contestants were grilled on social issues, leadership, women’s empowerment and community development.

“The interviews were intense. For someone who struggles with public speaking, I found that very difficult. I would know what to say, but once the question was directed at me, I would go blank. I still hate interviews,” she said.

“You have to think clearly under pressure and speak with purpose. The pressure was real, and every answer you gave carried weight.”

An unexpected path to boxing

Despite the discipline and exposure that came with pageantry, Yama never envisioned herself becoming a professional athlete — let alone a boxer.

“It wasn’t something I envisioned. I just picked it up while going to the gym, wanting to put on some muscle as I was very skinny. I started boxing after university,” she said.

That casual introduction would soon evolve into a professional pursuit. 

A young Papua New Guinean woman stands in a boxing pose with arms raised in fists wearing a black sports bra Yama tried out boxing when she started going to the gym(Hit Fitness HQ facebook)

Now 34, Yama traces her heritage to the Western Highlands, Oro and Morobe provinces in Papua New Guinea. She currently lives in Hamilton, New Zealand, where she balances elite level training with part-time work as a healthcare assistant.

“Professional boxing is a full-time job in itself. I go through two to three sessions a day, which can be very demanding physically and mentally,” she said.

Rising through the ranks

Yama is steadily making her mark on the international boxing scene. She is currently ranked 15th in the super lightweight division on BoxRec and holds the PBC International Super Lightweight title.

She broke into the world’s top 20 following her June 2025 victory over Louise Creaven and cemented her position with a win over Rishon Harris in November 2025.

A young Papua New Guinean has a championship boxing belt put around her waist. She smiles and has her hands up in the air Yama currently holds the PBC International Super Lightweight title(supplied)

Her next challenge comes on Thursday 26th, when she faces Tongan-born, New Zealand-based boxer Nailini Helu at the BX-9 event in Auckland. The bout has been billed as the “Battle of the Pacific”.

Although Yama is ranked as a super lightweight, the fight will take place against welterweight Helu (66.6kg), potentially opening the door to future rankings in the higher division.

“I’m excited. I’ve been putting in the hard work, so I can’t wait to put on a show,” Yama said.

Backed by belief and hard work

Yama is trained by Cairo George of Team George Boxing and Hit Fitness HQ in Hamilton, a former professional boxer known as the “Waikato Warrior”, who had 18 wins, with 10 knockouts and won national and international titles.

George believes Yama’s success is a powerful example of natural ability meeting relentless effort.

“When talent meets hard work, the combination is unstoppable. So if our journey can inspire any young Pacific or PNG girls to take up boxing, I guarantee world-class talent will be coming out of Papua New Guinea in the sport of boxing,” George said.

“I think PNG has such talented people and so much unlocked potential. Sheilla has been blessed with great natural ability, which I think comes from her PNG heritage.”

He says mentoring fighters like Yama allows him to pass on the lessons from his own career.

“The best part of mentoring is being able to utilise my own experiences and knowledge to help guide my boxers along this journey. I learned a lot during my own journey as a professional boxer.”

Two champion fighters with their belts stand with a group of people backstage at a fight event and pose for a photo Sheilla Yama with her coach and manager Cairo George (on her left), IBO champion Francis Waitai and team.(Team George Productions facebook )

As fight night approaches, preparation is intensifying.

“We’re entering the later stages of camp,” George said. “We’ll be putting in extra work … leading into fight week.”

Fighting for more than herself

Despite her growing success, Yama remains grounded. 

She grew up in a typical island household filled with spirited debates over the NRL’s State of Origin, enjoys aibika in coconut cream with Maggi stock cube seasoning, and laughs at memories that many Papua New Guineans will recognise.

“You know you’re from Papua New Guinea when your slippers go missing all the time, and sometimes only one side disappears,” she said with a smile.

For Yama, the journey from pageant stage to boxing ring has been shaped by discipline, resilience and purpose. 

Her ambitions extend beyond titles and rankings.

She hopes her story will inspire young Pacific women to step into spaces where they may once have felt unwelcome, and to believe that strength can take many forms.

Posted 1h ago1 hours agoMon 23 Mar 2026 at 12:23am, updated 37m ago37 minutes agoMon 23 Mar 2026 at 12:46am