Nicola Hopewell Returns With a Win

Nicola Hopewell Returns With a Win

Nicola Hopewell returned to action on Saturday night in Bradford. Hopewell had her first fight back since losing her unbeaten record to Emma Dolan in October in a failed bid for the Commonwealth super-flyweight title.

Hopewell improved her resume to 4-1 courtesy of a dominant 60-54 points victory over the Hungarian import Kata Pap. The Worksop fighter got back to winning ways in her six-round contest and will now look to fight her way back into title contention. Hopewell boxed and adapted well, despite the constant survival tactics of her opponent, in beating Pap and did threaten the stoppage at times, but going the distance and spending a little more time in the ring will serve her well going forward.

“I was like a different fighter from my last fight,” Hopewell says of her ‘comeback’ win.

Two things have held Hopewell back somewhat since she turned professional in 2022. Relative inactivity, through no fault of the fighter, and fighting at the wrong weight. The loss to Dolan highlighted that perfectly. A fight that was a learning process in many ways. I do think that loss to Dolan will be the making of Hopewell as her career advances further.

Hopewell has said she will move to flyweight as she searches for a way back into the title picture. She made the flyweight limit for the fight on Saturday and has boxed previously at that weight also. Post-fight, there were even hints that she could drop down to light-flyweight. But regular ring activity is something Hopewell will hope comes with her move to a new fighting weight. The Worksop fighter is hoping to be back out next month in Sheffield.