Rookie to boxing champion in two years
Two years ago when Geovana Peres gloved up for her first charity boxing match, she never dreamed she would eventually be crowned national champion in what has been a life changing sport.
At 40, Peres is stronger than she has ever been and is about to try to add a second national crown.
Peres beat Nailini Helu - formerly ranked in the world’s top 10 - for the New Zealand National Boxing Federation’s light heavyweight title earlier this year and will fight Northland’s Trish Vaka for the New Zealand Professional Boxing Commission’s heavyweight belt on October 13.
While it sounds a fairytale that Peres is the best in New Zealand after taking up boxing only two years ago, she doesn’t find it at all remarkable as she knows how much hard work she has put in.
Despite a fulltime job, Peres trains every day - often twice a day. She doesn’t give it a second thought and says it is the lifestyle she would choose over any other.
‘‘I don’t socialise, I’m very private and I don’t like loud places. It’s a life of sacrifice, but it is very worth it in the end.’’
Peres doesn’t ‘‘drink a drop of alcohol’’, is on a strict diet and follows an uncompromising training regime. Outside of the gym, it’s rest.
An Auckland resident, Peres moved from her home in Brazil seven years ago in search of a new start in ‘‘beautiful New Zealand.’’
When she was approached to fight in 2015, Peres was going through a time of professional hardship, couldn’t get fulltime work and was struggling to find purpose.
‘‘I thought okay I’ll carry this out and let’s see how far this will take me.’’
After her first fight, she jumped into amateur boxing, then elite and when the rule book said she was too old for that, her coach Terrence Reid Batchelor bumped her up to professional and they haven’t looked back since.
Boxing has changed every aspect of Peres’ life. She says the sport takes on a sort of spiritual journey for her when she steps inside the ring.
‘‘The mental challenge that it gives to you - boxing changes your life. You become more selfcontrolled and disciplined. You have to keep pushing yourself to keep going.
‘‘I can’t explain it to be honest, it’s a feeling only a few people like to feel. Boxing takes me to another dimension. I don’t feel pain, I can’t see or hear anyone around me.
‘‘It sounds spiritual. It does this to me, I am not sure it does this to others.’’
Boxing has taken over Peres’ life so much over the last two years that she recently parted ways with her girlfriend and decided to concentrate fully on her ‘‘number one’’ - boxing.
As a female boxer she has paved her own way and has never given a second thought as to whether it appeared to be masculine.
‘‘I always wanted to do what I want to do and I never let anything stop me doing it, so if boxing is male-dominated - so what.’’
Peres is quietly spoken and doesn’t have a hint of an ego.
‘‘I like to keep my things together, I’m not the kind of person to expose myself or talk highly of myself. You can’t go out and say you’re the best, because we are always learning every single day. I go quietly and I will go as far as I can go with boxing.’’
Such is her determination, Peres has aspirations to be the world champion in her class.
‘‘I train very hard for that fight and everything can happen on the night. Every fight I prepare the best for. I never get into my comfort zone. I am always pushing myself and I set high standards.’’