ELLIE Scotney reaffirmed her desire to become undisputed super-bantamweight champion after skillfully outpointing Mea Motu in Nottingham, starting a promising 2025 campaign with another world title victory.

The 26-year-old, who withdrew from their original October 26 date through an undisclosed injury, ended a nine-month layoff against the unbeaten Kiwi and made things look easy once more in a mandatory IBF title defense.

That was despite suffering a cut left eye early in the contest, which could've easily disrupted her rhythm, as well as engaging in the pocket when boxing in close quarters wasn't necessary.

Having toppled then-unbeaten 18-0 champion Segolene Lefebvre to add WBO world honors last April, Motu marks the second consecutive undefeated boxer that the Catford resident has conquered.

Now the IBF, WBO, Ring and newly-minted IBO world champion, there are still unifying fights to pursue in the 122-pound division -- WBC titleholder Yamileth Mercado (24-3, 5 KOs) lurks while Erika Cruz (17-2, 3 KOs) holds the WBA strap and neither Mexican titlist has boxed since early summer last year.

Theoretically, both should be easy enough to make on a Matchroom card around spring time, though she didn't shy away from a desire to add another unbeaten champion to her resume in future. Post-fight, she said:

“People have got to be willing to take the fights and willing to pay, but getting names is probably what gets you noticed. I'm looking at featherweight and Skye Nicolson's a fight I want, I'll be pushing for that too. You can see the action here, it's a fight that can be made. Eddie wants the big fights, to be willing to be paid. He wants fights that mean something, and that means something, right?"

Unhappy with her performance, not for the first time, it speaks to the perfectionist attitude she adopts as head trainer Shane McGuigan often insists she boxes better in the gym and sparring sessions than fight night.

“I thought she boxed really, really well. Well off the jab, stood there and traded with her a little bit too much at times. Motu is extremely strong, we're very happy after a long layoff."

During a watchalong with Raymond Ford and Omari Jones hours before Matchroom's Las Vegas show, Matchroom chief Hearn doubted the 26-year-old remains at bantamweight much longer and said she's tight at the weight when asked about her post-fight comments.

On that potential matchup between world champions in future, the 45-year-old said: "It's a great fight. When you're in a position and have a world title, you want to unify. Skye's got to box Tiara Brown which is tough but then she's thinking, I just want the belts, so then you've got to say well, Ellie would be a voluntary challenge - the title fight would be easier - I've never known Skye to turn down a fight, she wanted [Amanda] Serrano from like her third pro fight. Ellie and Skye, ability-wise, are both pound-for-pound top-10, maybe higher."

Former unified lightweight world champion George Kambosos Jr makes his promotional debut, while rising heavyweight prospect Teremoana Jr and Scotney's former foe Cherneka Johnson also feature on March 22. Elsewhere that night on a busy bill, Nicolson is expected to defend her WBC featherweight title against Florida native Brown (18-0, 11 KOs).

On that matchup, Hearn added: "A lot of them watch Skye and think 'I can beat her', then get in there and don't win a round. Skye doesn't throw enough punches but skill-wise, she's very difficult to beat. If you've got flat feet, which Tiara does, it's a very tough night. People don't realize she had 140 amateur fights, won Commonwealth and World gold."