In the last few weeks, Cherneka Johnson, aka Sugar Neekz Johnson, has experienced both triumph and tragedy.
Earlier this year, the Brisbane-based boxer (who is Ngāti Ranginui) became the second wahine Māori to win a world boxing title.
Now, after winning the IBF World Super Bantam championship, she is the first wahine Māori to retain one.
Last month, during Sugar's buildup to the competition, her younger brother Levi was assaulted and killed outside a Brisbane gym.
Professional boxer Cherneka Johnson, aka Sugar Neekz Johnson. Photo: Sugar Neekz Johnson / Instagram
Sugar's clash with former bantamweight champion Susie Ramadan was gruelling and bloody and made headlines around the world.
She is determined to prove herself every time she steps into the ring, but this fight was specially dedicated to her brother.
“He wanted to be here at this fight in the corner with me... Knowing that he wanted to be there, if I was to dedicate this fight to him and do this for him, I knew he’d be watching over me and there in my corner with me.”
Cherneka Johnson of New Zealand fights Susie Ramadan of Australia during their IBF super-bantamweight boxing world title bout in Melbourne on October 16, 2022 Photo: WILLIAM WEST
The championship battle with Ramadan was "definitely one hell of a fight", she says.
“One minute I was waking up having breakfast, the next my face is bleeding like there's no tomorrow and then I'm out at the hospital getting stitches in my forehead."
During the second round, a head clash with Ramadan left blood gushing down Sugar's face. She couldn’t see anything out of her left eye, but fought on, drenched in blood.
“I could just feel the blood gushing out during the fight.
“I always knew I was a fighter at heart, and I was a warrior to push through hard times and I've just shown that to the whole world.”
Sugar has been boxing for 14 years now and reckons she’s got another 3 or 4 years of competition left in her.
“I love it, it’s my life and I’m good at it.”
Watch Cherneka Johnson v Susie Ramadan below:
