Skye Nicolson: Beyond The Ropes

Skye Nicolson: Beyond The Ropes

“I feel like Skye on Sky has been a long time coming,” Skye Nicolson said on Tuesday. The two-division world champion was the surprise guest. The surprise announcement at the Most Valuable Promotions press conference in London. “It’s exciting to finally get to use it. Obviously [I’m entering a] huge fight on August 29th. All focus on that, but obviously very, very thankful to Matchroom and MVP to form this alliance and make this happen.”

It was a day of surprises that nobody saw coming. Earlier in the day, MVP and Matchroom announced their working partnership. A few hours later, Nicolson officially became an MVP fighter.

Nicolson lost her WBC world featherweight title last March to Tiara Brown, and despite winning four successive fights since losing her unbeaten record, the Australian has struggled to get the fights her lofty ambitions desired. The rematch with Brown never came, and an undisputed showdown with Ellie Scotney at super-bantamweight failed to materialise. For context, Brown and Scotney are with MVP. Being aligned with the promotional company that has virtually every female fighter of note can only guarantee Nicolson that the marquee names will now appear on her resume.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the big fights, and I feel like this is the place where we can make the big fights happen,” the 30-year-old said on Tuesday. “Women’s boxing is entering a new era, and I feel like I want to be at the centre of that. I feel like MVP has created a platform for women’s boxing, and this is where it’s happening, and I feel like I’m a face that can be a very big part of that.”

The MVP journey will start on August 29th in Birmingham. Nicolson will defend her WBC world super-bantamweight title against Miyo Yoshida on a show headlined by Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron. If, as expected, Nicolson retains her belt, much bigger fights will surely come her way.

Mikiah Kreps and Ramla Ali will soon clash for the vacant IBF and WBO world super-bantamweight baubles. Nicolson will undoubtedly have eyes on the winner. That undisputed status that has so far eluded her will surely now be the target in the coming months. A move back up to featherweight to chase that rematch with Brown or that much-anticipated fight with Ellie Scotney can’t be ruled out. Nicolson has gone from being on the outside looking in to having both feet firmly in the door. The importance of that move to MVP to her career can’t be overstated. Whoever or whatever is next, Skye Nicolson is now in the right place at the right time.