Nicola Hopewell: “There have been comments that I have been disrespectful to my old club and coach. All I have done is thank them, I will never forget my roots and where I came from.”

Nicola Hopewell: “There have been comments that I have been disrespectful to my old club and coach. All I have done is thank them, I will never forget my roots and where I came from and I have said it numerous times.”

The trip to Bramall Lane on Friday, August 26th will be nothing new. But Nicola Hopewell will not be watching her beloved Sheffield United on the hallowed turf, she will be fighting there.

The ring walk will again be accompanied by Katy Perry blasting out Roar. But the song will not quite be the same this time. A different version for a night that is familiar but very different for the Worksop fighter.

When the vocals fade away, Hopewell will already be inside the ring. But it will not quite be the same. With a brand new British Boxing Board of Control licence firmly in hand, Hopewell will start the next chapter of her boxing career. A new start, a new world, for the Worksop fighter, it feels different this time she told me over Zoom:

“It just feels bigger this time. I did that promo interview and video with Fightzone. The fight will go on Boxrec and more opportunities will come from it as well. It just feels more exciting and bigger.”

Everything just seems right for Hopewell. Her debut will be live on Fightzone, and at the home of her beloved Blades. For the super-flyweight prospect, it’s almost the perfect beginning to her new venture:

“I couldn’t have wished for a better venue for my debut, it is one of my dream venues to box in. When I first turned pro my friend Gaz told me to write down my dream venues to box in and things like goals to tick off and platforms I wanted to fight on, like Fightzone, Matchroom, Sky, etc. And Bramall Lane was on that list.”

Hopewell left the old behind just after Christmas. The decision wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t easy. and it was done with tears and respect. but sadly, hateful and untruthful comments are still something Hopewell has to deal with. More so in recent weeks when news of her licence and upcoming fight became public.

“There have been comments that I have been disrespectful to my old club and coach. All I have done is thank them, I will never forget my roots and where I came from and I have said it numerous times. But there are some people who just can’t let it go that I have left. I left 8 months ago get over it.”

But the words won’t deter Hopewell, they are used for motivation:

“It just drives me one, because I have had it again over the last few days and I feel as though they are just doing it to wind me up. Most of them have been quiet but then I get a fight and they all come out of the woodwork. But I will just use it for drive and motivation.”

Hopewell knows she made the right decision. There are no regrets, the obvious talent will now be allowed to flourish. There has been more media interest, and additional sponsors, but the biggest difference is in Hopewell herself. I have seen her grow in the time that I have known her. As a fighter, but probably more so, as a person. Her eyes have been opened to many things, and Hopewell admits she is the happiest she has ever been in her life to date:

“I am just so much happier now. There have been so many opportunities for me. And just to do different things and go to different gyms, even the different classes like Zumba, that I am doing at Anytime Fitness which helps my footwork. I’ve met so many more people in the last few months and because of it, I have sold more tickets which is an important thing to do. When you are isolated in one gym, you don’t talk to different people.”

The mind is clear and excited. And with good reason. But the mindset isn’t the only thing that has changed. The body has also. A notable and telling difference. Stronger, fitter, sharper. Trust me, Hopewell will show a different side to her game come fight night:

“I’m smashing my PBs, I just seem to have more time to do more now. Things like hill sprints, it’s all adding to my game. I am so much fitter now.

“My pad work is so much better now because we repeat the drills we do, we do them over and over until they become natural. Everything is just falling into place now. Even Ebanie Bridges noticed it last week when we sparred in Sheffield. Ebanie could tell the things we have been working on, she was very impressed. Things like my distance control, she said I was judging distance better. My jab is just so much better now, if I throw a jab now I mean it, no more tippy-tappy punches. I’m really excited to show how much I have come on.”

Hopewell is now trained by Gil White in Dinnington, a short drive from her Worksop home. But it is the guidance from Joe Elfidh that is equally important. Free from the restrictions of being stuck in one promotional home, at least for now, it will prove beneficial for Hopewell:

“Joe can get me a fight on any show. That’s how he got me this fight, he emailed everyone because he wanted to get me out and not wait until we have another Worksop show. And because we have got that flexibility and we are not tied down to just one promoter it was just a case of who would come back to us, and obviously, Dennis Hobson and Fightzone came back to us and we were able to get on the Sheffield show this Friday.”

There is likely to be flexibility required going forward. Fights are hard to come by, and opportunities may have to be taken outside of her more natural super-flyweight division. Hopewell understands and is open to what is needed to advance her career:

“We’ve had conversations about fighting at different weights. This fight is matched at super-flyweight, but if I have to move up or down, it’s no problem because I know how hard it is to get opponents and I am comfortable at both the other weights.”

This coming Friday you sense is just the beginning. With a win, Hopewell will be out again before the year ends, a story of making up for lost time. In many ways. There is real hope for her football team this season. Equally so for the fighter herself. It promises to be a special night at a special place.