A rematch between Samoan boxer Alrie Meleisea and Maori Sequita Hemingway has been confirmed for 9 December 2022 at Eventfinda Stadium in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. 

The two first fought each other back in July 2021, with professional Rugby and Rugby League player Sequita Hemingway making her professional boxing debut against world-ranked boxer Alrie Meleisea. 

Meleisea was coming off a 19-month hiatus and was looking to be active. However, Hemingway's height was too much for Meleisea, causing Meleisea to get her first professional boxing loss. 

Meleisea is coming into this fight to make a statement, whereas Hemingway is here to prove she belongs in the world rankings. The two will fight for the first-ever Pro Box NZ Heavyweight women's title.

Even though this fight is scheduled for the first-ever Pro Box NZ Heavyweight women's title, it is also for something a lot more. Lani Daniels (Te Tai Tokerau, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Te Orewai), who has defeated Sequita Hemingway, is currently ranked 1st on Boxrec, 2nd in the WBA and 1st in the WBC. The winner between Alrie Meleisea and Sequita Hemingway could be a future opponent for Lani Daniels for a world title.

Meleisea is a New Zealand-born Samoan boxer who has fought in MMA and professional boxing. She made her professional boxing debut in October 2016, when she took a last-minute fight against world-ranked boxer at the time Nailini Helu. After picking up her first win, she went on to win another short-notice fight against Kirsty Lupeamanu just one week later. 

The Samoan boxer would have a rematch against Nailinie Helu in March 2017 with the NZPBA version of the New Zealand Heavyweight title and UBF Asia Pacific Heavyweight title up for grabs. Meleisea would pick up a massive win that night, making a statement and she would go on to successfully defend her New Zealand title against Sarah Long in November 2017. After that win, Meleisea would receive a world ranking where she peaked 3rd on Boxrec, 3rd in the WBA and 8th in the WBC. 

Meleisea then vacated her title and took a long hiatus from boxing and returned in September 2019, where she fought her rival, Sarah Long. The two ended the fight with a split-decision draw. Meleisea would get back in the ring a couple of months later in her first-ever televised fight. She defeated Ashley Campbell by Unanimous Decision. Due to Covid 19, Meleisea didn't get back into the ring again until her fight against Hemingway.

Meleisea plans to be fully committed to boxing, with plans to have a busy 2023. The Meleisea team said they wanted to begin where they left off. 

Hemingway (Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāi Tūhoe) is a professional rugby union and rugby league player and is most known for playing at the Farah Palmer Cup with the team Manawatu Cyclones. Before making her professional boxing debut, she fought in a few corporate fights, which are internationally known as white-collar fights. She did well in those fights, giving her a little bit of experience before going professional.

After defeating Meleisea, she took on a massive fight against Lani Daniels in April this year. Despite having the height, reach, and size advantage, Daniels’s boxing skill was just too much for Hemingway, giving Hemingway her first boxing loss. Despite losing to Lani Daniels, Hemingway received a world ranking, including ranked 3rd in the WBA and 3rd on Boxrec. 

Hemingway was at one stage in negotiations with Promoter Craig Thomson to put on a rematch against Lani Daniels. However, negotiations didn't go far before it got dropped. Meleisea was scheduled to fight Lani Daniels in February 2021 on the Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa Fight night. However, the fight was pulled due to poor boxing politics.

The event will be happening on 9 December at Eventfinda Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is expected to have more professional boxing on the card.