Nicola Hopewell: A Year of Progress

Nicola Hopewell: A Year of Progress

“At the end of my career, I don’t want no regrets.” It was back in September last year when Nicola Hopewell uttered those words to me. The Worksop super-flyweight hopeful was unbeaten but still fighting for and licensed with BIBA. Even back then thoughts would have been there to leave for pastures news.

As time passed, those flickering thoughts would only harden, the temptation to move her career over to the British Boxing Board of Control was too hard to resist. The difficult and painful decision, even harder for some to accept and understand, was eventually reached and Hopewell got the process started in applying for a British Board of Control licence. It dragged on, in truth far longer than it needed to, and when the formalities finally concluded, her journey in a new world began.

After nearly a year of kicking her heels in frustration on the sidelines, Hopewell belatedly got her career back up and running again. A regular visitor to Bramall Lane, but this time it was to fight there and not as a supporter of her beloved Sheffield United. Claudia Ferenczi a familiar name to virtually every female prospect was impressively stopped in the 6th and final round of her professional debut proper in August. Hopewell did as she pleased with the tough Ferenczi, and she showed real potential in her debut win.

Buchra El Quaissi a Spanish import who came with real ambition gave Hopewell six valuable rounds of experience in October in Doncaster. It was a real learning fight for Hopewell against an opponent who came to upset the odds. The referee scored it 58-56 to Hopewell, from ringside I had it a little wider, but the Worksop fighter will have learned plenty from her experienced opponent. The sort of fight that will serve her well going forward. There were mistakes against the Spanish veteran but also plenty to be encouraged by. Those mistakes can be corrected, but the talent shone through nevertheless.

Hopewell will have her third professional fight and continue her tour of South Yorkshire on February 10th in Rotherham. There is no rush with Hopewell, at 31, she has time to develop further and any temptations to push before she is ready need to be ignored. A little step up from her first two opponents would be sensible before thoughts turn to tougher assignments after. A fight with the tough and durable Gemma Ruegg would be a nice little indicator for fight number four as to how far Hopewell can really go. Both Hopewell and Ruegg have shown an interest in that fight.

A British title in the women’s side of the sport is long overdue, and I have said before the super-flyweight ranks would be a good place to start. There is enough talent in and around the division to more than justify the inception of a Lonsdale belt. Within the next year or so Hopewell could very well be involved in intriguing domestic fights with the likes of Shannon Ryan, Lauren Parker and Emma Dolan. A fight with the Carl Greaves managed Dolan has already been the subject of preliminary talks. A fight with Dolan would be a good fit for a Boxxer card in 2023, with the winner potentially meeting Shannon Ryan on another Boxxer show. Hopewell has options and plenty of them both domestically and internationally.

Hopewell acknowledges it has been an up-and-down year for her:

“I think it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster with the slow start, but now it feels great to finally be under the British Boxing Board of Control. I’ve now had two great fights with two good wins and I’m ready for my third fight in February.”

The early months of 2022 were difficult in many ways. The fallout from her departure from her old world wasn’t pleasant at times, and the often unsavoury and unnecessary comments from some were regrettable and avoidable. The delay in her new boxing life only added to the frustration and misery of those early months. But things are now on the up for Hopewell. There is a noticeable change in her, happier and more confident in herself than she has ever been, and Hopewell can look forward to 2023 with much hope.