One of Aotearoa’s fastest-rising boxing stars, Keanu Naden (Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi), is preparing for the biggest challenge of his professional career when he takes on undefeated Australian Adrian Paoletti at BX-9 in Auckland on 31 July.
The cruiserweight contest at Eventfinda Stadium is shaping up as one of the most anticipated fights on the card, with both boxers entering the bout unbeaten and carrying impressive amateur pedigrees.
For Naden, the fight marks another milestone in what has been a remarkable comeback following injury.
Since returning to the ring in May, Naden has fought three times in rapid succession, stopping Alister Boyd in Auckland before travelling to Fiji, where he recorded back-to-back knockout victories over Kolinio Luvelolo and Jonasa Kavika in the same weekend.
Those victories have extended his professional record to 8 wins from 8 fights, with every victory coming inside the distance, giving the Māori boxer a rare 100 percent knockout ratio.
His explosive start to professional boxing has propelled him to third in New Zealand’s BoxRec rankings, behind only heavyweight contender David Nyika and Nikolas Charalampous, while moving ahead of former contender John Parker.
Before entering the professional ranks, Naden built an impressive amateur résumé, reaching multiple New Zealand National Championship finals, winning the 2025 North Island Golden Gloves, and representing Niue at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
Standing across the ring will be Australia’s Adrian Paoletti, who also enters the contest undefeated with a 4-0 professional record, including two knockout victories.
Paoletti has already defeated three New Zealand opponents and brings extensive international amateur experience, including a silver medal at the Arafura Games, another silver medal at the 2023 Pacific Games, and the 2024 Australian National Championship title.
Currently ranked 101st in the world by BoxRec, Paoletti sits just outside the global top 100 and knows a victory in Auckland would significantly strengthen his international standing.
The statistics underline just how evenly matched the contest is.
BoxRec’s prediction model gives Naden a slight edge at 49 percent, with Paoletti close behind on 45 percent, making it one of the closest projected match-ups on the New Zealand boxing calendar this year.
Naden will also be part of a strong Māori contingent representing Peach Boxing Gym and clubs from across the country.
Fellow Peach Boxing fighter Emma Nesbitt (Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa) will contest the WBA Gold Atomweight title and a WBA World Title Eliminator against Japan’s Madoka Wada, placing herself within reach of a world championship opportunity.
In the night’s main event, Francis Waitai (Ngāti Tamaterā) will defend the WBA Oceania Super Middleweight title against Auckland-based Cowin Ray.
Another Māori talent, Dane Edge (Ngāti Maniapoto), will compete in the BX-9 Welterweight Championship semi-final against Papua New Guinea’s John Ume, adding further Māori representation to one of the strongest domestic boxing cards of the year.
The event will also showcase rising professional and amateur talent from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific, highlighting the growing strength of boxing across the region.
For Māori boxing, the evening reflects the depth of talent emerging through the amateur and professional ranks, with athletes continuing a proud tradition established by champions who have represented Aotearoa on the world stage.
The BX-9 event takes place on 31 July at Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland, with tickets available through Eventfinda. The full fight card will also be broadcast live on pay-per-view via CSN.WATCH.
#RadioWaatea #WaateaNews #KeanuNaden #NgātiPorou #Ngāpuhi #MāoriBoxing #BX9 #BoxingNZ #EventfindaStadium #PeachBoxing #EmmaNesbitt #FrancisWaitai #DaneEdge #Hakinakina #Aotearoa #SEO
