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Uncut Diamond Daniella: A powerful story of grit and determination that transformed women’s boxing

Released at 9:13 am on 7 October 2024

Smith became IBF Welterweight Boxing Champion of the World at the age of 38, but in a sports-mad country her story has remained untold, until now. 

Photo: Supplied

Smith narrates her own story as a single mother from Kaikohe, who against the odds overcame male prejudice to become one of the best. Known in the ring as Diamond Daniella, she dreamed and won big, but then somehow lost herself. After taking the world title, she watched her own world come undone and had to learn how to build it back up.
 
Across five episodes she tells a story of pure grit, where fighting in the ring was only part of the struggle. Throughout her journey to become Welterweight Boxing Champion Daniella also had to overcome isolation and discrimination, poverty, and disdain to make this implausible dream come true. Legends Monty Betham, Shane Cameron and Mea Motu join her to tell this tale – a story about the transformation of women’s boxing in New Zealand.
 
Smith says that telling her own story in this podcast was an important way to reflect on her achievements and the journey it took to get there.  

“I first walked into a boxing gym 27 years ago and instantly fell in love with the sport, the people and the challenges. Little did I know, this would be the longest love affair of my life. In this time, I competed against boxers from every continent in the world (bar Antarctica). Like all love affairs there are many challenges and boxing forced me to take on so many different roles to achieve my dreams; fighter, coach, manager and promoter just off the top of my head.

“Twenty-seven years later and I just can’t shake this sport and the love I have for boxing. So, I welcome you to my world, to join me to take a walk down memory lane and share a part of me, share my story, a story I have never told before.”

Uncut Diamond Daniella is available on Thursdays from 10 October on rnz.co.nz/podcasts and on podcast platforms, and broadcast on RNZ National at 7am on Sundays from 13 October. With thanks to Ngā Taonga, Whakaata Māori and Radio Waatea for archive audio.

Watch the trailer