Skye Nicolson is preparing for her WBC women's featherweight title fight against Sarah Mahfoud on Saturday, which she hopes will lead to bigger and better things in the near future.
The current WBC interim titleholder, Nicolson goes for the full title against Mahfoud as part of the Richardson Hitchins vs. Gustavo Lemos card, which will be broadcast live globally on DAZN. Should Nicolson prove successful on Saturday, she's got designs on advancing the sport in her native Australia as a world champion.
“We’ve had a few female world champions in Australia and I'm 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,” Nicolson said this week. “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 here around the world is aimed at growing the sport in Australia, to bring big fights there."
Nicolson was in attendance for countryman Tim Tszyu's unsuccessful light-middleweight title bout against Sebastian Fundora last weekend in Las Vegas, and while Tszyu couldn't hold on to his WBO belt, Nicolson singled him out as a positive influence on the Australian boxing community.
Tszyu's three fights prior to the Fundora defeat took place in Australia, something that Nicolson hopes to emulate should she win the WBC women's featherweight belt.
Nicolson even has a preferred opponent in mind.
“Tim has led the way and has got Australian boxing on the map and hopefully that’s going to bring big fights to Australia," she 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.”
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