Kosport Magazine: Skye Nicolson Dominates Sarah Mahfoud to Capture WBC Featherweight Title
On Saturday night at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Skye Nicolson (10-0, 1 KO) put on a dominant performance against Sarah Mahfoud (14-2, 3 KOs) to capture the WBC featherweight title. The bout, which was part of the undercard for the Richardson Hitchins-Gustavo Lemos main event, was fought over 10 two-minute rounds, the standard for women’s boxing matches.
The judges’ scores were unanimous in favor of Nicolson, with Steve Weisfeld giving Mahfoud the lone round in her favor. In her post-fight interview on the DAZN broadcast, Nicolson stated, “I know what I can do, and I want to keep proving that to the rest of the world.”
Nicolson, coming off her first career stoppage win, fought a disciplined and conservative fight. She used her reach advantage of three-and-a-half inches to keep Mahfoud at bay with her jab, making it difficult for Mahfoud to land any significant shots.
Despite Mahfoud’s efforts to get inside with quick bursts, Nicolson was able to evade her attacks with ease. On the rare occasions when Mahfoud did manage to get close, Nicolson initiated a clinch to avoid getting caught with short punches. Mahfoud, a quality fighter, was made to look completely helpless.
Nicolson gained confidence in the second half of the fight, pressing forward with hard left hands and even taunting Mahfoud at times. In the final seconds of the 10th round, Nicolson upped the showboating, wiggling her arms and legs. It was clear that she was fully in control of the fight from start to finish.
Amanda Serrano, the owner of the other pieces of the featherweight title, has mandated that her future opponents fight her in 12 three-minute rounds. Nicolson dropped the WBC belt she had just won because the organization would not sanction her for fights at the same parameters as men’s championship bouts. However, Nicolson stated, “I respect the WBC’s rules – that’s why I’m still boxing for the WBC belt. But if the only way to fight Amanda Serrano is over 12 three-minute rounds, talk to my team. We’ll make it happen.”
Kosport Magazine: Marc Castro Wins Wide Decision Over Abraham Montoya
In the first fight on the broadcast, Marc Castro (12-0, 8 KOs) comfortably outpointed Abraham Montoya (22-6, 14 KOs) by scores of 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93. The first round was a wild one, with both fighters exchanging hard flurries. However, Castro’s energy appeared to dip in the following rounds as he focused on boxing Montoya.
Castro’s corner encouraged him to use his speed and distance management, which he did successfully. Montoya, known for his rock-solid chin, was unable to capitalize on any openings to counter Castro’s wide, looping shots due to his slow hand speed.
Despite Montoya’s occasional heavy shots, Castro’s quickness advantage proved to be the deciding factor. In the end, CompuBox recorded Castro finishing the fight with a 223-166 connect percentage, landing at a 34 percent clip to Montoya’s 24 percent.
Kosport Magazine: Summary
Skye Nicolson put on a dominant performance to capture the WBC featherweight title, while Marc Castro comfortably outpointed Abraham Montoya. Nicolson’s reach advantage and disciplined fight style proved to be too much for Mahfoud, while Castro’s speed and distance management secured him the win. Both fighters are looking towards future challenges, with Nicolson willing to face Amanda Serrano in a 12-round fight if necessary. Kosport Magazine will continue to cover all the latest news and updates in the world of sports. Stay tuned for more exciting fights and results.