World champion boxer Mea Motu will come up against the weight of the world's most populous nation when she defends her IBO super bantamweight world title in December.
Her opponent, 22-year-old Chandni Mehra, is the first Indian woman to fight for a professional world title, telling the press gathered at D&L Events offices today "it's like a dream come true".
"It's the first time for an Indian female professional boxer to get this opportunity so it's a very, very big thing. In India it's a very proud moment for all of us."
Mehra was an accomplished athlete and brown belt in karate but a Bollywood film based on the life of India's six-time amateur world champion boxer Mary Kom changed her life in 2014, inspiring her to step into the ring.
The lure of the Olympics helped Mehra's decision to switch codes and gave an "Indian girl" partaking in combat sports some legitimacy.
"It was not easy for me to [choose] boxing as my career but my parents, my family, my friends supported me a lot, especially my mum. She's the reason I'm here today."
On paper it looks like 33-year-old Motu, with a record of 17 – 0, has the upper hand over Mehra, but the Indian's record of 14 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw includes a knockout victory in her most recent fight.
While a KO is relatively rare in female boxing, Motu isn't fazed.
"Nah, I think good on her. You know, it doesn't matter. I just focus on myself and it just makes it more exciting to get in the ring."
The Northlander's coach Isaac Peach is more wary of over confidence.
"I want Mea in hard fights, I don't want her in easy fights. If Mea's not on her game she will not win this fight, so we're going to be at our best and we're going to do a good job."
While Motu is recovering from a dislocated shoulder suffered in her recent successful world title defence, the team at Peach Boxing are not taking it easy.
"If the shoulder fails it'll be now because we're pushing her to an extent that it should fail," Peach said.
"I'm not prepared to look after the shoulder until fight time because then it could stuff out so we're smashing it."
Peach went on to describe camp as "horrible".
"Tuesdays are the worst days. My wife does Tuesdays and she basically drowns them in a sense that the fitness and the hurt that goes in, they end up lying on the ground. Physically they can barely move so Tuesdays are awful."
Motu said she's the strongest she's ever been, both physically and mentally. And in her usual excitable manner is amping about taking the fight up north to Whangārei's McKay Stadium on December 2.
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