Skye High: British-based Australian Skye Nicolson outclasses Sarah Mafoud to win vacant WBC Featherweight title

THE RESULT: British-based Australian Skye Nicolson picks up the vacant WBC Featherweight title defeating Denmark’s Sarah Mafoud by unanimous determination. Two judges awarded a shut-out (100-90) to the previous Olympian whereas the third noticed the bout 99-91 in her favour.

KEY MOMENTS: Nicolson’s left hand within the first two-rounds was the eye-catching shot between the 2 fighters. Mafoud’s techniques of steaming in performed proper into her opponent’s arms who judged the gap to choose off the Dane. Nicolson asserted a dominance which left Mafoud wanting defeated as she sat down on her stool on the finish of the fourth. Mafoud landed nothing vital all through the competition.

RECORDS: Nicolson strikes into double figures, 10-0 (1). Mafoud, who suffered her second loss, drops to 14-2 (3).

TALKING POINT: Amanda Serrano. The Puerto Rican star holds the remaining three belts and vacated the WBC title due to her insistence that she fights over 12×3 minute rounds as an alternative of 10x3s, a requirement the WBC weren’t prepared to give into. If Nicolson is to safe an undisputed combat towards the 35-year-old, then one thing has to give.

QUOTABLE: Nicolson, who held the WBC Interim strap going into the combat, defined to DAZN’s Chris Mannix why she refused to be upgraded to full honours after Amanda Serrano vacated the title. “I wasn’t going to be deprived of this moment, I wanted this moment in the ring.”

Speaking about Serrano and her want to now compete over 12 rounds, the brand new champion mentioned: “I’m ready when she’s ready. I want the belts. It’s nothing personal with Amanda but I’m ready when you are. I find it funny she waited until I was her mandatory to decide that’s what she wanted to do. I respect the WBC’s rules that’s why I boxed for the WBC belt but if the only way to fight Amanda Serrano is over 12×3 minute rounds [then] talk to my team [and] we’ll make it happen.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Nicolson would love nothing greater than to face Serrano however extra financially rewarding bouts, equivalent to a rematch towards Katie Taylor, might lie forward for the latter. An various choice for Nicolson within the meantime could possibly be the WBC’s quantity 5 contender Raven Chapman. At a current present the 2 confronted off which added to their rising rivalry.