Featherweight contender Skye Nicolson 9-0 (1) is looking forward to her first world title tilt when she faces Sarah Mahfoud 14-1 (3) for the vacant WBC strap at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday night.
The bout will take place on the undercard of the junior welterweight contest between Richardson Hitchins and Gustavo Daniel Lemos that will be broadcast live on DAZN.
Australian southpaw Nicolson, 28, sees a victory over Denmark’s Mahfoud, 34, as a steppingstone to a shot global superstar Amanda Serrano 46-2-1 (30), who The Ring ranks at the number four female boxer pound-for-pound in the world.
Nicolson’s fight will kickstart an exciting five week stretch for Australian female boxers. Super flyweight Linn Sandstrom 8-2-2 (2) will challenge Clara Lescurat 10-0 (4) for the WBA title at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on April 24 on the undercard of Nikita Tszyu vs Danilo Creati, while Cherneka ‘Sugar Neekz’ Johnson 15-2 (6) will be the chance to become a two-weight world champion when she drops down to bantamweight to face WBA 118-pound beltholder Nina Hughes 6-0 (2) at the RAC Arena in Perth on May 12. That fight will take place on the undercard of George Kambosos Jr vs Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Along with leading the charge on an international level – this will be Nicolson’s ninth fight abroad and fourth in the United States – the Gold Coast-based former amateur star relishes being a role model for younger fighters.
“We’ve had a few female world champions in Australia and I excited to be part of that movement and to be one of the girls that the younger generation are looking up to and aspiring to be like,” said Nicolson.
“I know I have an important job as a role model, not just for kids in Australia but around the world. A lot of athletes have an important position in shaping the lives of girls and boys and I take that responsibility seriously.
“I follow a lot of the young girls boxing in Australia like Ella Vasen, Sienna Murray, Maia Laird and Tiana Rew and they are killing it. The growth of female boxing is huge, women’s boxing is in its infancy and where it’s going to be in the next ten to 20 years is very exciting and I’m really proud to be part of that development.
“The Australian boxing community just wants to get more eyes on the sport, that’s really been Australia’s struggle. We’re a big country with a small population and it makes it really hard to get the backing and support that the athletes need. The stuff that we’re doing her around the world is aimed at growing the sport in Australia, to bring big fights there.”
Nicolson looks to recently defeated former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu as an example of what Australian boxers can achieve.
“Tim has lead the way and has got Australian boxing on the map and hopefully that’s going to bring big fights to Australia,” Nicolson said.
“That’s what I want to do as well and for me, the dream is to fight for undisputed against Amanda Serrano in Australia.”
