Skye Nicolson: A Year of Progress

Skye Nicolson: A Year of Progress

‘Some may not like her style, but they must also see that she must be an absolute nightmare to fight.’ 

They were my post-fight words that followed on the night that Skye Nicolson recorded the first stoppage victory of her professional career last month in Dublin against Lucy Wildheart. It was impressive, and the best version of Nicolson that we have seen so far on her professional journey.

It was another demonstration of her unique style. Another little warning to her future rivals that everything might quite not be as it seems. The narrative has long been that Amanda Serrano would simply walk through Nicolson and the Australian would just become another name on that long impressive resume of the future Hall of Famer. But Nicolson sees it differently.

The WBC Interim featherweight champion has long chased an opportunity to share a ring with the former undisputed champion Serrano and test those unique skills against the legendary Puerto Rican. In an era of avoidance and manipulation, the stance of Skye Nicolson should be applauded. But at least for now, that ambition will have to wait.

Serrano has recently vacated her WBC featherweight title in that long-lingering row over three-minute rounds. Serrano cited the WBCs’ refusal to change as an attack on not evolving in the name of equality. The WBC claims it’s for safety reasons. Either way, Nicolson is now forced into another route.

The likelihood is that Nicolson will fight for the now vacant WBC bauble against long-time prospective opponent Sarah Mahfoud in the early stages of next year.

Nicolson enters the new year on the back of another year of progress. Four fights. Four wins. A mini-evolution of her style that has been highlighted perfectly in her last two fights against Wildheart and Sabrina Maribel Perez. Trips to Dublin and Mexico that have seen a little more aggression added to her patented elusiveness. But Nicolson knows where her strengths lie. She won’t change too much. In truth, there is no reason to. How can you beat someone if you can’t hit them? Why take away your biggest weapon?

The next twelve months will see Skye Nicolson move to the next stage of her career. She is now nine fights in, fight number ten will see her fight for a world title proper. Mahfoud will be no pushover. But Nicolson will surely be favoured to claim her maiden world title. If she does, the search for Amanda Serrano will begin once again. At least for this observer, that fight is of much intrigue. I think even Serrano will know that.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing