Skye Nicolson Report Card from Las Vegas and More News and Notes
By David A. Avila
Australia’s ultra-athletic Skye Nicolson easily defeated Denmark’s Sarah Mahfoud to claim the WBC featherweight world title in a scarcely populated Las Vegas hotel setting.
“I know this is the first of many – and there will be many more and I’m very excited for where I’m headed,” said Nicolson, 28.
It was a very fine performance by the southpaw speedster who could have claimed the belt without striking a blow, but desired to fight for it the old-fashioned way at the Fontainebleau Hotel. Many empty seats were visible when the cameras panned over the theater setting.
Not to blame all the empty seats on Nicolson, but in the world of professional boxing or prizefighting, attracting crowds is a major part of the game. You are an entertainer, not just an athlete.
That leads me to Nicolson’s fighting style.
The new featherweight titlist has uncanny speed, extra-long arms, and the agility to move in and out of danger like a ninja. She could actually fire and disappear before an opponent even realizes they’ve been hit with a trio of blows such as her performances against Sabrina Perez and Lucy Wildheart.
For a while Nicolson was transitioning into a more professional style of less running and using more side steps and angle punching instead of sprinting out of range. During her first four fights she was a sprinter who occasionally punches. Then her trainer began implementing a pro style and she looked pretty good. It lasted until she ran into Spain’s Tania Alvarez who blitzed her with a nonstop attack in Madison Square Garden.
After the Alvarez assault, Nicolson reverted back to her comfort zone of sprinting around the boxing ring and out of any danger. Most fans do not like the non-contact style that results in few punches and more posing.
Against Mahfoud a total of 37 power shots in 10 rounds were scored according to Compubox figures. That’s a ridiculously low number of blows. Mahfoud landed only 20. Were they fighting or painting?
Counting jabs, Nicolson landed a total of only 50 blows. Mahfoud only 36. Those are totals for a four-round fight not 10 rounds.
“We all want excitement and I want to see her letting her hands go a bit more and stopping people. I know it’s there and I know she can do it,” said promoter Eddie Hearn, of Matchroom Boxing that promotes Nicolson.
Fans will never give up $100 to $1,000 dollars to watch Nicolson in a boxing match outside of Australia or the United Kingdom. No need to call out Amanda Serrano with those kind of punch numbers or that kind of fan appeal.
This is not the amateurs.
Still, Nicolson is one of the most athletically gifted female fighters in the world. And she also has a very good trainer. It’s time to get back to the drawing board and learn how to fight in a professional style. Many great amateur fighters learned and adapted into the pro-style and succeeded. From Vasyl Lomachenko to Oscar De La Hoya they stopped running and learned how to use angles and punch with accurate power. And, also learned how to block and slip punches instead of clinching.
“I think you’re only seeing 20% of Skye Nicolson. I’ve seen her train and I’ve watched her spar where she’s hurting girls repeatedly,” added Hearn.
Once Nicolson learns how to stop running and hitting and stands her ground, she will have leverage in her punches and begin using her speed and athleticism to score knockouts. That’s when thousands of fans will come willing to spend money to see her perform.
And that’s when it’s time to challenge Amanda Serrano who sells out arenas on her own.
Styles make fights. Though Nicolson won almost every round, she did it by avoiding, not fighting. This is prizefighting, not fight avoiding. Fans want action. Its very simple.
Fans pay money to watch Serrano’s style of aggression. They won’t pay money to watch Nicolson connect only 37 punches in 10 rounds.
Spain
Speaking of Tania Alvarez (10-1), who lost to Nicolson but scrapped for 10 rounds, the Spanish super bantamweight will be meeting Italy’s Maria Cecchi (10-2) 10 rounds at Castellbisbal, Spain on Saturday.
Alvarez, 22, is a very popular fighter out of Barcelona whose fighting style appeals to fans and will be fighting for a European title.
England vs France
Nowadays England and France are allies.
Back in the day, they had 100 Years War and the War of the Roses. Today we have England’s Ellie Scotney (8-0) facing France’s Segolene Lefebvre (18-0) in a unification match for the IBF and WBO world titles at Manchester, England on Saturday April 13. DAZN will stream the unification match.
This should be very interesting.
Both are undefeated and have solid amateur experience that led them to this moment.
Lefebvre, 30, is slightly taller by two inches than Scotney and is also slightly older. Both do not have stopping power in their punches. France’s Lefebvre has one knockout and 26-year-old Scotney none. But both are very busy when the bell rings.
More Fight News
Argentina
Aixa Adema (9-10-5) won by majority decision after 10 rounds against Gisela Quintanilla (4-3-1) on Friday April 5. The flyweight match was held in Santa Rosa.
Featherweights Leila Castillo (0-0-1) and Luz Cordoba (0-2-1) fought to a majority draw after four rounds on Friday April 5. The featherweight match was held in Buenos Aires.
On Saturday April 13, super featherweights Victoria Bustos (25-7-1) and Edith Matthysse (17-16-1) meet 10 rounds for the Argentina title at Galvez; also super lightweights Ailen Agrobert (5-0) and Rocio Gatica (1-0) meet four rounds.
Austria
Nina Pavlovic (9-5-1) defeated Nicole Wesner (18-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday April 6. The lightweight title match took place in Vienna. Also, welterweight Michaela Kotaskova (6-0-2) knocked out Erica Alvarez (5-8) in the 10th round.
Belize
On Saturday April 13, atomweights Esneidy Rodriguez (6-0-1) and Marisol Molina (13-10) meet 10 rounds for a regional title at San Pedro. Also, light flyweights Jessica Basulto (12-1) and Brenda Balderas (4-6-1) meet six rounds.
Canada
Kim Clavel (18-2) won by majority decision after 10 rounds versus Fara El Bousairi (8-4) on Thursday April 4. The light flyweight contest took place in Montreal. Also, super lightweight Marie Pier Houle (10-1-1) knocked out Marisa Portillo (20-19-3) in the third round.
On Saturday April 13. Middleweights Melinda Watpool (5-0) and Adriana Dos Santos (6-1) meet eight rounds at Pickering.
Colombia
Jenna Gaglioti (5-2) knocked out Yurleidys Hernandez (0-2) in the second round on Tuesday April 2. The super welterweight match was held in Santa Marta.
France
On Friday April 12, bantamweights Jeyssa Marcel (12-0) and Mary Aina Abbey (11-0) meet eight rounds at Nantes.
On Saturday April 12, welterweights Fanny Galle (0-0) and Francesca Taylor (0-1) meet four rounds at Limeil Brevannes.
Sabrina Flamand (3-6-1) knocked out Dragana Golic (0-17) in the fourth round on Friday April 5. The featherweight fight took place at Cherbourg.
Germany
On Saturday April 13. Featherweights Lara Ochmann (12-2) and Katerina Dvorakova (1-0) meet six rounds at Aschersleben.
Italy
Pamela Noutcho (7-0) beat Jordan Barker (7-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday April 5. The lightweight fight took place in Bologna. Also, featherweight Biancamaria Tessari (1-0) beat Slobodanka Jovanovic (0-1) in six.
On Saturday April 13, super bantamweights Christina Garganese (1-1) and Audrey Chibani (0-1-1) meet six rounds at Puglia.
Japan
Minimumweights Misato Sawaki (0-0-1) and Kokono Tado (0-1-1) fought to a majority draw after four rounds on Sunday April 7. The match took place in Kariya.
Akane Fujiwara (6-3-1) beat Kimika Miyoshi (17-15-2) by majority decision after six rounds on Monday April 1. The Japanese featherweight title fight was held in Tokyo.
On Saturday April 13, bantamweights Mami Otsubo (0-1) and Yuho Kato (0-0) meet four rounds at Kariya.
On Sunday April 14, atomweights Noa Sakamoto (5-1) and Aori Matsuo (3-1-1) meet six rounds at Osaka.
Panama
Anahomi Gimenez (4-1) knocked out Leydis Zarco (0-2) in the first round on Thursday April 4. The super flyweight match was held in Panama City.
South Korea
On Saturday April 13, minimumweights Eun Young Lee (0-2) and Si Ra Kim (0-0) meet four rounds at Incheon.
Spain
On Saturday April 13, super bantamweights Tania Alvarez (10-1) and Maria Cecchi (10-2) meet 10 rounds at Castellbisbal.
On Saturday April 13, light flyweights Minerva Gutierrez (3-4) and Florencia Villarreal (1-3-2) meet six rounds at Llanera.
Natalie Zimmermann (12-0) defeated Orsolya Moldovan (1-2) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday April 6. The lightweight fight was held in Pobla de Vallbona.
Thailand
Pannaporn Kaewpawong (4-0) knocked out Somwang Sawinchai (3-10-1) in the second round on Thursday April 4. The super bantamweight fight was held in Pathum Thani. Also, featherweight Pattarawan Thaosuwan (13-5) knocked out Saowalak Phosree (0-2) in three; flyweight Natthanan Sangiamchit (1-0) knocked out Chawala Wangarsa (0-5) in two; featherweight Wanasanan Onoot (2-0) beat Arisa Camna (0-7) in six; super flyweight Ranee Klinratree (3-5) knocked out Saranporn Suksawat (0-2) in three; and Wichuda Chaotrakan (3-0) beat Kanyanat Chotchun (5-7) in six.
United Kingdom
On Friday April 12, welterweights Bree Burbeary (4-0) and Vaida Masiokaite (8-23-5) meet eight rounds at Rotherham. Also, featherweights Ebonie Jones (4-0-1) and Jamillette Vallejos (2-13-2) meet six rounds.
On Saturday April 13, super bantamweights Ellie Scotney (8-0) and Segolene Lefebvre (18-0) meet 10 rounds for the IBF and WBO world titles at Manchester, England. Also, lightweights Rhiannon Dixon (9-0) and Karen Carabajal (22-1) meet 10 rounds for the vacant WBO world title.
USA
Skye Nicolson (10-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Sarah Mahfoud (14-2) on Saturday April 6. The WBC featherweight world title match was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stephanie Han (7-0) won by unanimous decision after eight rounds versus Wendellin Cruz (6-12-1) on Friday April 5. The lightweight fight took place in Bethlehem, Penn.
Chiara Dituri (8-1) beat Cara McLaughlin (1-10) by decision after six rounds on Tuesday April 2. The super featherweight fight was held in Nashville. Also, lightweight Lindsey Ellis (1-0) knocked out Shaniqua Frazier (0-6) in the first round.
On Saturday April 13, heavyweights Latasha Burton (4-14) and Kayla Williams (2-5-1) meet six rounds at Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
(Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing)