Nicola Hopewell & Gemma Ruegg Clash For The Vacant Commonwealth Flyweight Title

Nicola Hopewell & Gemma Ruegg Clash For The Vacant Commonwealth Flyweight Title

Nicola Hopewell makes her return to the ever-advancing GBM Sports platform on Saturday, 20th April, where she will make her second attempt at Commonwealth honours.

Hopewell (4-1) and Gemma Ruegg (7-10-1) will do battle for the vacant Commonwealth flyweight title at the Magna Centre in Rotherham, in a fight that could propel Hopewell onto even bigger things in her new weight division.

The Worksop fighter challenged the talented Emma Dolan for her Commonwealth super-flyweight title late last year, and despite a spirited effort, Hopewell came up short on the cards. It was a night when Hopewell and her team realised that her future belonged at flyweight.

Ruegg has fought virtually every up-and-coming prospect in and around her weight division, coming up short against the likes of Maisey-Rose Courtney, Shannon Courtenay, Shannon Ryan, Ginny Fuchs, and many others. Ruegg was last seen in January losing to Mailys Gangloff in France. The Bournemouth fighter should have shared a ring with Tysie Gallagher this past weekend but withdrew through illness. Ruegg will know a win over Hopewell changes her career trajectory. She is by far the more experienced fighter of the two, and will no doubt view the fight with Hopewell as a winnable one. I was ringside when Ruegg pushed Courtenay all the way in their fight in Leeds in 2022, and she was the fighter who seemed to be coming on after eight rounds. Another two rounds might have given Ruegg the biggest victory of her career and her current losing record is probably a little deceiving.

But Hopewell will have learned plenty from that defeat to Dolan. “I’m looking forward to this fight, and I’ve taken a lot of learning from my last few fights, and I’m really grateful to have this opportunity on another GBM show.” Hopewell told FightPost.

Hopewell got back to winning ways last month in Barnsley, and with her good friend, the former world bantamweight champion Ebanie Bridges, now residing in the same Sheffield gym, it does seem that Hopewell is far better placed to win her first professional title than she was against Dolan.

A win over Ruegg could land her a fight with the unbeaten Maisey-Rose Courtney. Hopewell holds a win over Courtney in the amateur code, and she will be looking to repeat that win should the two meet in the professional ranks later this year. The Courtney inner circle has already made several advances for a return meeting with Hopewell, including the latest being within the past week or so. Courtney has been very vocal on social media this week indicating that she wants the fight with Hopewell. But FightPost is of the understanding that Hopewell was in the final stages of arranging the fight in April before that call came in to fight her old amateur rival. But a win over Ruegg and Hopewell could get her chance to shine on the Matchroom/DAZN platform in a big domestic showdown with repeat or revenge as the obvious tagline. The sort of fight that would deserve a British title added to the mix. But having a Commonwealth title on her resume will give Hopewell plenty of other options going forward.

Hopewell saw a short-notice world title opportunity slip agonisingly away against the unified world bantamweight champion Dina Thorslund last month, but a victory over the ever-ready Ruegg will push her closer to a world title fight at her own weight. Make no mistake, the Commonwealth flyweight bauble will give Hopewell, or indeed Ruegg, if she upsets the Worksop fighter in April, leverage for some very big nights under the bright lights.