Hamilton boxer Sheilla Yama stops Haini Mulataiaili to win IBF belt

During round two, Yama changed her tone and became more offensive with a large flurry of punches, leaving Mulataiaili with a bleeding nose.

“She was coming forward with heavy shots, and she is strong, I’ll give her that, but then I have sparred girls that are strong like her, so I’m like, I can take this,” Yama said after the fight.

Looking ahead, Yama said she would fight anyone, with her trainer and manager, Cairo George, saying he was hoping for a fight with world champion Katie Taylor and a world title shot.

Taylor is retiring soon, which would then make the IBF world title vacant and up for contention.

Before her fight on Saturday, Yama already rose in the BoxRec rankings, from 8th to 5th and is now expected to also climb in the upcoming IBF rankings.

Yama’s fight took place as part of the BX-9 event in Auckland, which also saw three other Waikato fighters, Michael Tuaiti, Emile Richardson and Hamza Perwaisy, step into the ring.

Tuaiti, of Tokoroa, took on former rugby league player Manu Vatuvei, who made his return to boxing after a health break.

Vatuvei made it look like he had not been out of the ring long, winning the fight by second-round stoppage.

Vatuvei already knocked down Tuaiti near the end of round one, but Tuaiti got up as the referee was counting him out.

Tuaiti hung on for a bit longer until Vatuvei landed some heavy shots, and the referee stopped the fight.

Vatuvei is now expected to fight Mathew Matich in Northland in August.

Meanwhile, Richardson took on Tauranga’s Nicholas Benn.

Hamilton boxer Sheilla Yama won the IBF International Super Lightweight title. Photo / CSN.Watch

Richardson was very quick in landing and escaping punches, leading to him winning the fight by unanimous decision.

George, who also trains Richardson, said he was happy with the fight.

“We knew that Benn was going to bring the pressure and bring the fight, but we knew that was going to bring the best out of Emile.

“The eight rounds were the new territory for us, but in terms of style and skills, he had seen it all before, but it was good to go eight rounds and test the waters, which he handled well,” George said.

Perwaisy made his pro debut against another debut boxer, Paul Tonga, of Napier, as part of the BX-9 Welterweight Tournament quarterfinals.

Michael Tuaiti, of Tokoroa, took on Manu Vatuvei, who won by second-round stoppage. Photo / CSN.Watch

The fight was very even, with the judges initially scoring the fight a draw after six rounds.

But as there needed to be a winner, one more round was added, and in the end, the fight went to Tonga.

The tournament’s semifinals will take place as part of the next BX-9 event on August 2, which will be headlined by Francis Waitai v Cowin Ray.

The semifinalist fights are already set, with South Island boxer Dane Edge taking on Papua New Guinea Olympian John Ume, and Australian Riley Allen taking on Tonga.

Hamilton’s Hamza Perwaisy made his pro debut against another debut boxer, Paul Tonga, of Napier. Photo / CSN.Watch

BX-9 promoter Oz Jabur said Yama was awarded the performance of the night award, which comes with a cash prize to add to her purse.

There were many boxing stars in the crowd at the event, including Lani Daniels, David Letele and Duco Events founder and manager of David Nyika, David Higgins.

BX-9 results

Super middleweight, four rounds

Corin Braddick defeats Mohammed Al-Harbi by unanimous decision

Super flyweight, four rounds

Mia Evans defeats Goli Bali by unanimous decision

Cruiserweight, five rounds

Duken Tutakitoa-Williams defeats Remus Leaf by unanimous decision

Super middleweight, eight rounds

Emile Richardson defeats Nicholas Benn by unanimous decision

BX-9 Welterweight Tournament Championship Quarterfinals, six rounds

Dane Edge defeats Leon Budgen by unanimous decisionJohn Ume defeats Alex Lual by split decisionRiley Allen defeats Zair Hussain by second-round stoppagePaul Tonga defeats Hamza Perwaisy by a seventh-round, sudden-death decision

Heavyweight, four rounds

Manu Vatuvei defeats Michael Tuaiti by second-round stoppage

IBF International Super Lightweight title, 10 rounds

Sheilla Yama defeats Haini Mulataiaili by second-round stoppage

Benjamin Watt is a retired boxing judge and New Zealand boxing writer with a decade of experience. Watt has also been BoxRec’s New Zealand record-keeper since 2014.