Long made her professional boxing debut against three-time New Zealand amateur national champion Nailini Helu on 18 June 2016. This was the beginning of change in New Zealand regarding women's boxing as this was the fourth women's heavyweight boxing fight in a space of 10 years. After this fight, women's heavyweight boxing fights became more frequent. This was also deemed as a New Zealand heavyweight title fight eliminator, where the winner will go on to fight for the New Zealand title. Long lost the fight by unanimous decision. A few months later Long took on another former New Zealand amateur national champion Cheyenne Whaanga on 24 September 2016. This was Whaanga's only fight of her career. Long lost by unanimous decision. A couple of weeks later, she took on Hamilton boxer Tash Pakai on the show that her trainer Terry Tuteru promoted on 8 October 2016. Long knocked her opponent down in the second round and won by unanimous decision.
