Naz Khanjani and Bella Henry set for boxing showdown

  • 21/09/2016
Naz and Bella are ready for the ring (Newshub,)
Naz and Bella are ready for the ring (Newshub,)

After illness knocked out her first chance to get into the boxing ring, Bachelor NZ contender Naz Khanjani is back and ready to fight.

She'll take on Paul Henry's daughter, Bella Henry, on Saturday October 1 - ahead of Joseph Parker's fight against Alexander Dimitrenko at Auckland's Vodafone Events Centre. 

In June Bella challenged Naz to a bout, saying: "You want a nose job? Well I'm going to give you one."

On Wednesday the two appeared amicable as they spoke to Paul Henry, but they had different opinions on how friendly they should be.

"I think you have to remain really neutral in the ring, and I think if you hated each other it'd be really easy to get distracted," Bella said. 

Naz, however, said she thought if you really like someone it would be "a bit harder to punch them in the face".

Naz said she had been on "a real emotional rollercoaster" since agreeing to the fight, but was sure she'd be able to cope with the pressure.

"Life's all about taking risks, grabbing every opportunity you can and just going for it," she said. 

"There have been a few days where I ask myself - why did I sign up for this? It is tough, but we're tough girls!"

"No one wants to be punched in the face," Bella said. "No one wants to get hit, it's horrible! But we are obviously so strong it doesn't matter what kind of people we're seen as, because this is such a big deal."

Naz agreed, saying: "We're both winners for even stepping into the ring and giving it a go."

She had previously challenged notorious social media provocateur Pebbles Hooper to a fight, with Pebbles brushing off the offer as "ridiculous" and claiming promoters couldn't afford her.

Mai FM radio host Lily Taurau was eventually selected as Naz's opponent for a fight in July, but Naz was forced to withdraw due to a kidney infection.

Bella is now relishing the chance to get in the ring for a showdown with the notorious Bachelor runner-up.

Newshub.