Australian Boxing Boom: Skye Nicolson Takes the Spotlight

Australian boxing has been on a high lately, with several promising fighters making waves in the sport. However, last weekend saw some unexpected defeats for Liam Wilson, Michael Zerafa, and Tim Tszyu. Now, all eyes are on featherweight sensation Skye Nicolson to turn things around and keep the momentum going.

Nicolson, 28, will be taking a significant step up in her career as she faces off against Sarah Mahfoud at the new Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Despite the recent setbacks for her fellow Australian boxers, Nicolson remains confident and determined to make a name for herself in the sport.

“I like to see any Aussie do well,” Nicolson said. “Jai [Opetaia] is a special talent and will do some very special things in the sport. He is definitely causing some waves at the moment.”

With the likes of Liam Paro, George Kambosos, the Moloney brothers, and Jai Opetaia making a name for themselves in the boxing world, Nicolson is hopeful that this will have a positive impact on the sport in Australia.

“It is very exciting to be a part of the Australian boxing boom,” she said. “I’m hopeful that it will have a knock-on effect because we have had golden eras in the past.”

Nicolson, who boasts an impressive record of 9-0 (1 KO), has been training in Las Vegas for nearly two weeks with coaches Eddie Lam and Bradley Skeete. She last fought in September, stopping Lucy Wildheart in the ninth round in Dublin.

As a student of the sport with over 150 amateur fights under her belt, Nicolson has her sights set on reaching the top. She will be facing off against Denmark-based Mahfoud, who holds a record of 14-1 and has been competitive with top fighters like Amanda Serrano. A victory for Nicolson will put her among the ranks of some of the fighters she admires.

“I think Sandy Ryan is a very special talent,” Nicolson said, referring to the Derby star who recently impressed by stopping Terri Harper. “She has an excellent boxing IQ, but she also has that dog in her because she loves to have a tear up. She is very exciting to watch and I think she will do some big things in the 147 division.”

Nicolson also shared her admiration for Irish boxing sensation Katie Taylor, who recently suffered her first loss (since reversed) against Chantelle Cameron. “I have been a die-hard Katie Taylor fan since I was young,” Nicolson said. “I love that she is now reigning in a new weight division, which is exciting for her. There are still some pretty big fights out there for her, and I would love to see her face off against Alycia Baumgardner, who is also one of my favorites.”

With both Taylor and Baumgardner being marketable and talented fighters, Nicolson believes that a potential matchup between them would be a huge event for women’s boxing.

Summary:

Australian boxing is on the rise, but recent defeats for top fighters have shifted the spotlight to featherweight sensation Skye Nicolson. With a record of 9-0 (1 KO), Nicolson is determined to make a name for herself in the sport and will be facing off against Sarah Mahfoud in Las Vegas. She also shares her admiration for fellow fighters Sandy Ryan and Katie Taylor, and hopes to see big fights in the future for women’s boxing.