Nicola Hopewell: “I want to showcase my skills and reach a bigger audience on either a Boxxer show or a Matchroom show.”

Nicola Hopewell: “I want to showcase my skills and reach a bigger audience on either a Boxxer show or a Matchroom show.”

By Lewie Laing

“I don’t mind what platform I’m on, I just want that opportunity to showcase my skills. An Ebanie Bridges undercard when she’s back boxing would be great.” Nicola Hopewell told FightPost, focused on progressing her career in the next twelve months. 

Rising super super-flyweight prospect Hopewell was in good spirits in her latest conversation with FightPost, fresh from her last outing, a points win over Bulgaria’s Ivanka Ivanova. It takes Hopewell’s professional record to 3-0 having made her debut just seven months ago. It was a performance Hopewell and her team were pleased with, work in the gym is clearly paying dividends.

“It was amazing. I think it was my best performance so far. I did everything I was supposed to do and listened to my coach whereas last time, it was a bit messy. In my second fight I was fighting my opponent’s fight, my coach was saying one thing but I just got dragged into her fight. This time I did everything we worked on. I was really happy with it. 

“In camp between my second and third fight, we worked a lot on replicating fight night in sparring. Working on listening to my coach in the corner and then taking those instructions into the next round and not getting caught up fighting my opponent’s fight.”

Hopewell is hoping for a fourth fight date sooner rather than later but is still keeping active in the gym, regularly sparring with fellow prospect, Amy Greatorex. The two up-and-coming fighters share more than just rounds of sparring together right now, both navigating the murky waters of professional backing away from the bright lights and PPV nights, and Hopewell admits, it is hard going.

“It’s like having another job on top of the day job. No one sees behind the scenes, all the work that we do and how much is on our shoulders. Selling tickets, finding sponsors, working the day job, fitting in training, and financial worries, it can be hectic. It’s all about using your time and using it wisely, organising your time. If you have a day off or a rest day, then I use that to do other things, just to keep on top of it all.”

Hopewell has seen her stock rise in recent times, with another win and a growing fan base across social media, her name is beginning to get around and reach those in boxing that can take her to new heights. While Hopewell is thankful for the opportunity to be fighting on GBM Sports shows, which are broadcast live on YouTube, it is no secret that the big platforms are where Hopewell wants to be.

Standing in Hopewell’s corner is IBF bantamweight world champion, Ebaine Bridges. In what may be a first of its kind, Bridges, an active fighter herself, is sponsoring Hopewell along with fellow female fighter, Stevi Levy, wanting to see her friends go as far as possible and Hopewell is grateful for the support.

“I don’t mind what platform I’m on, I just want that opportunity to showcase my skills. An Ebanie undercard when she’s back boxing would be great. I want to showcase my skills and reach a bigger audience on either a Boxxer show or a Matchroom show. Don’t get me wrong, the GBM shows are a good platform because they are broadcast on YouTube, I’m really grateful and they are bigger than your normal small hall shows, a big production really. But I’ve made no secret that I want to be on the biggest platforms with the biggest opportunities. 

“Ebanie has always supported me and I’d put a post out looking for sponsors, she reached out and said she would love to do something for me, to benefit me and I’m really grateful for it. We’ve been friends for a while, and it’s great to have her backing with what she is doing in the sport.”

Women’s boxing continues to be the ever-simmering pot, regularly spilling over, giving us fights involving the best fighters fighting each other, look no further than undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor moving up in weight to take on the undisputed light-welterweight champion, Chantelle Cameron next month. Taylor was due to fight Amanda Serrano in a rematch of one of the fights of 2022, but it was postponed due to Serrano picking up an injury. Instead of sitting around waiting or just defending her titles in a tick-over fight, Taylor is going for all the marbles once again, at a higher weight. While men’s boxing continues to punch itself in the face, letting over-inflated egos and social media spats take precedence over actually fighting. the women are putting on the biggest fights possible, chasing greatness and letting their actions do the talking. 

Hopewell is eager to play her part in big nights fighting for the sport’s grandest of prizes but she also knows it is one step at a time in this game.  She leaves the matchmaking in the hands of her trusted team and is happy to follow their lead but is keen on moving at pace and with no British title to go after, wants to see international titles at the very least, within the next twelve months. 

“I would like to start progressing now, boxing in front of bigger crowds and gaining that fight week experience on the bigger shows. I think towards the end of this year, the beginning of next year hopefully there’ll be a fight for an international title. I started on six-rounders and next fight we are looking at an eight-round fight. Normally we start on four rounds so I’m already ahead of things and want to keep moving forward. I trust my team, and what they say, I will go with.

“A world title is my overall aim. If you’re in this sport and train as hard as we do, you have to aim for the very top. Whatever opportunity comes my way, I’ll happily take what comes because one win can open up so many doors. I’m not scared of fighting anyone, the right fight at the right time on the right platform, as long as it all works out. We all fight each other in the women’s game and if you lose, you bounce straight back.

“Between flyweight and super-flyweight, there are a lot of girls from Britain now so there are some good fights there. It is a shame there is no British title for women because that would bridge the gap and be a stepping stone between turning pro and fighting for international titles and world titles.”

One of those women who fall into the category mentioned above is fellow prospect and Matchroom fighter, Maisey Rose Courtney (2-0). A fighter who Hopewell holds an amateur win over and someone that could be a future opponent. Hopewell is in no rush to share the professional ring with Courtney just yet, knowing in boxing, it’s all about the business and building the narrative when there is an amateur story in past. 

“Me and Maisey is certainly something in the future that could be built up. There’s a back story with the amateur fight we had so there is a fight and a back story to build on further down the line. She’s on four-rounders at the moment and I’m moving to eight-rounders but once we build our careers, that’s something we can look at. It has to be for something though, to mean something.

“You wouldn’t put me and her against each other just yet, what’s the point. If we both build out careers and keep winning, that fight will be so much bigger at the right time.”

Boxing was not always the aim for Hopewell, starting in a boxing fitness class and going with the flow, which has led her to where she is today. Quite often it can be boxing that finds you, and not you that finds boxing, and Hopewell is certainly someone boxing found and didn’t let go. 

Fighting in the amateurs is a world away from fighting in the professional ranks, which is why you see standout amateurs occasionally not live up to the hype when turning professional. Hopewell however, is enjoying the pro journey so far and wants to keep improving.

“I started to get fit, just a boxercise class. From there I moved on to the academy class where you learn the skills and ended up turning amateur and having my first fight, I stopped the opponent in the third round. I was only going to have the one fight but after winning that fight I just carried on, I couldn’t stop there. There is always something to learn in boxing and my coach describes me as a sponge. I take everything in, soak everything up and put it into practice. You don’t get bored with boxing, there is nothing else like it.

“I’m enjoying the pro journey more I think. In the amateurs, some of the decisions were horrendous and I only lost 9 times. I used to enjoy travelling to different countries in the amateurs but I’m settled in the pro game now and have adapted my style which is more suited to the pros.”

Boxing can be the hardest sport of them all, one in which at first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking Hopewell doesn’t belong in. It is a ruthless business outside of the ropes and inside, you need to be just as ruthless to go all the way. Hopewell’s mindset is what will carry her to the top, a dedication and obsession with setting the bar way above just winning will set her apart. This is not something that can be taught, it is something you either have or you don’t.

“I boxed a girl in the amateurs on my home show and lost. I got back in the gym straight away, focused on where I’d go wrong and fought her again, this time on her home show, and lost on a split. I went back to the drawing board again, knowing how close both fights had been, and then challenged her for a third time and beat her on a split. I wasn’t happy with that though, just winning on a split. So I fought her again and won unanimously. Just winning on a split after three fights wasn’t good enough and that’s just my mindset. I could see my progression, there are always things to improve on. Things don’t always go your way and you have to be prepared for that.”

Hopewell is chomping at the bit for her next fight date, with May or June in the running. As an amateur, she would fight numerous times a week at tournaments and is keen to be active and stay active. It helps twofold in the pro games, where fighting more regularly keeps you sharp and on top of your craft. It also means you move at a faster pace towards the top of the sport. 

“I was hoping to be out in May but I’m not sure that is going to happen. Hopefully May still, if not, then June. I’m ticking over in the gym, keeping fit and sparring, just waiting for a date before going fully back into camp. Im always in the gym but having a fight date gives you something to work towards, a goal and a purpose. I walk around at 53kg and I fight at 52kg so I’m never far from my fighting weight, quick turn arounds work for me. I’m used to fighting three and four times a week at amateur events, I like to be active and want to be out a good few times this year.”

Hopewell is fully focused on where she wants to be and just what is required to get there, while also trying to enjoy the journey. A reliable and experienced team are behind her and an ever-growing fan base continues to support her and shout her name loud. It may only be a matter of time before her name is up in the bright lights of a Matchroom or a Boxxer show.