March 29, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Skye Nicolson poses for a photo at the Las Vegas sign ahead of her bout versus Sarah Mahfoud on April 6, 2024 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mandatory Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom.
NICOLSON FLYING THE FLAG FOR AUSTRALIA IN LAS VEGAS
SKYE NICOLSON IN LAS VEGAS IMAGES: Click here to download images of Nicolson in Las Vegas
Australian star aiming to be crowned the newest World champion from Down Under
Skye Nicolson says she is fighting not just for her first World title but to continue to raise the profile of women’s boxing in Australia as she takes on Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight belt at Bleaulive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN.
Nicolson (9-0 1 KO) has already won honors for her country in the amateurs, with Commonwealth gold placed around her neck at her home games in 2018, and in her tenth pro fight, Nicolson can add a World title strap to her collection if she can see off former World ruler Mahfoud (14-1 3 KOs)
The 28 year old’s title tilt comes off the back of a chastening weekend in America for Australian fighters in World title bouts, with Tim Tszyu surrendering his crown in a bloody battle against Sebastian Fundora in Vegas, and Michael Zerafa and Liam Wilson getting stopped in their fights against Erislandy Lara and Oscar Valdez.
Nicolson has grand designs on landing one of the biggest fights out there against Amanda Serrano, and knows that beating the Dane to win her first World title would bring the fight closer to reality, and would provide a huge shot in the arm for the sport in her beloved home land.
“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.
“Tim has lead the way and has got Australian boxing on the map and hopefully that’s going to bring big fights to Australia. That’s what I want to do as well and for me, the dream is to fight for undisputed against Amanda Serrano in Australia.”
Nicolson’s clash with Mahfoud is part of a big night of action in Las Vegas, led by a double-header with two of America’s brightest stars as Richardson Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title and Diego Pacheco defends his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman.
British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto. Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.
FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM HITCHINS VS. LEMOS IN LAS VEGAS
Huge night of action for some of Matchroom’s biggest talents on Saturday night
Richardson Hitchins
This is my fourth fight with Matchroom and second headlining, my life has changed tremendously since that guy that was sat at the table going back and forth with Montana Love at that first time. I was saying that I was the best fighter on that card and that I should be headlining, and I have worked hard and spoken that into fruition.
At this point I can say that I have been here already, even before I was signed with Matchroom, I’ve said it numerous times before – I’ve beat former World champions, guys that were big punchers, guys that were undefeated; he has never been here. This is a whole different level. He’s never been punched in his face; I’ve been punched in my shit hard coming up. Everybody he’s fought had terrible records, it’s different when you get in with me, it’s a different type of game. Power isn’t going to win him this fight, being aggressive and trying to go to the body, that’s not going to win you this fight. It’s going to take him having that mind, experience and skill set to try to compete with me.
I expect Saturday night to be a whitewash, and for me to show that I’m on a whole different level. The only thing that can save him in this fight is his heart and if he can take a punch, and I’ve seen him hurt with bums. I’ve never been down in my career and never been hurt, thank god, but we’ll see what happens on Saturday but I just feel that I’m on a whole different level, up there with the Devin Haney’s, Subriel Matias’, Shakur Stevenson’s, the top level guys; I’m the cream of the crop type of talent and you have to start talking that like because I go out there over and over and prove it, I dominate.
If this guy comes out the way he’s been coming out in his last fights, like the way he fought Lee Selby, it’s not going to go good for him. Lee hurt him in the third round, and I ain’t Lee Selby – he was 35 years old and coming up from 126lbs. This guy has never fought anyone, I’m going to step on him on Saturday and I won’t lie Eddie, I’m robbing you, this is free money, it’s easy, you are just making my bank account look bigger.
I don’t just come up here and talk shit to amuse the fans, I’ve proved myself already. It’s time to get to that world stage. I’ve proved myself with the Jose Zepeda’s, Argenis Mendis’, John Bauza’s – I’ve proved myself and I’m going to keep proving myself every time I go out there.
I will beat whoever you put in front of me. Subriel Matias, Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Pitbull; whoever you put in front of me, I will get the job done. When you get in there with me, fighters don’t look the same. I’m not one of the guys Lemos has fought, Devin has fought; I’m not going to just receive punches or just be there; there’s going to be some shit coming back at you, there’s going to be a lot of thinking that you are going to have to do in there. My focus is on Gustavo Lemos, not Devin Haney, we’ve got to get past Saturday night just like I’ve had to get past all the other fights I’ve had.
Gustavo Lemos
We’ve had some great support from Argentina, and we’re fully prepared for this big fight and great opportunity.
Hitchins is in front of me and in the way of my path at the moment, so we hope we can get through this, and we hope that the public and fans enjoy the show on Saturday.
We have come to win, and I do my talking inside the ring. It feels like my opponent likes to do a lot of talking outside the ring but let’s see if he’s still speaking inside the ring, that would be beautiful if he’s still speaking inside the ring.
Diego Pacheco
I want to thank God, my team, Matchroom, DAZN, and everyone for this amazing opportunity to be here once again in front of all you guys, it’s a blessing. I’m super confident in the work that I’ve put in for this camp, I’m getting better, I feel the sharpest I’ve ever been right now, I’m just ready to go on Saturday night. I’m 20-0 and ranked in the top ten in every sanctioning body, so I am just ready and excited for everything that is to come. I’ve got a tough opponent in front of me on Saturday night, I’ve prepared for that and I’m ready for it.
I’m locked in on the guy in front of me. I have to get past him before I can think about the future fights and that’s what I’m focused on and what I’ve been working for. I’m extremely motivated and excited for this fight and to be able to showcase my talent again in Las Vegas, it’s an amazing opportunity and to have a lot of talent on the undercard too, I’m so happy to be here and ready to put on a great show for everyone.
Shawn McCalman
I can say me and my team we walk into this very confidently, we accepted the fight with no doubts and we’re just continuing to present ourselves that way; confident and calm and we’ll go into the fight the same way.
It’s a big fight and opportunity, one that I believe I’m ready for and will capitalize on come Saturday night.
Galal Yafai
It’s good to be here in Las Vegas, you’ve put me on some great shows like New York and now Las Vegas, this is another box ticked, but it’s all about winning, looking good and that’s all I care about.
I’m sick of my opponents because they are all tough! But I just have to do what I do. He’s tough, he’s good, he’s got a big fan base, but I don’t care about any of that. I’ve got to go out and do what I do.
I always look at the other fights. Sunny Edwards is a good fighter. I dont want to try and mention his name this week to try and get some clout because I know what he’s like. Let me get through this fight and then I can think about them fights after.
Agustin Mauro Gauto
I have to thank my promotional team and Matchroom as well for the opportunity. It’s true that I’m a very experienced fighter but I also know that he’s very experienced in terms of the amateur field, so we’re very prepared for this fight.
On Saturday you are going to see a surprise result, but what I will say is it will be a great fight without doubt.
I want to thank all the Argentinian fans, I’m really delighted and grateful for the support, but now it’s about becoming known in America and making a name for myself here.
As soon as Serrano wasn’t going to be the person I was going to be fighting for this belt, Mahfoud was obviously the next option, the next best, and we want to fight the best, and beat the best to show that I am the best. So I am very excited for this fight.
It’s a great privilege to be fighting for this belt, my amateur career was my amateur career, but I want my pro career to be its own and I’m really ready for this.
I’m turning around Australian boxing this weekend 100 per cent.
I’m going all the way on Saturday and I’m really looking forward to this fight with Skye.
I don’t know if it was success against Armando Serrano, I lost the fight, but I am here to become World champion again. I learned a lot from the Serrano fight, and I am coming back stronger, and I’ve worked hard to be here.
I’m so happy to be here in Las Vegas, it’s the biggest experience of all, everything is so big, and the fight is going to be big too.
Marc Castro
I feel good and I’m thankful to be here. We’re looking to get the win over Abraham on Saturday.
We’re moving as a unit, Eddie Hearn, Keith Connolly, my dad, and we’re ready to go capture my first belt.
I expect him to be ready, he always comes ready, so I’m prepared for it.
Abraham Montoya
You can expect the best version of me – I’m come for another victory in my career.
The win over Lopez was an opportunity that I got to fight in my home city and one we took on with full gusto, as I will for this fight. We’ve prepared really well and we’re ready for whatever comes in the ring.
YAFAI: I’M GAINING THE EXPERIENCE TO BEAT THE TOP BOYS
Olympic gold medal man banking knowledge for World title tilt
Galal Yafai believes that he’s banking the experience needed to rip the World titles from the champions, and that continues on Saturday when he defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN.
Yafai (6-0 4 KOs) won the title he puts on the line in Sin City on his professional debut in February 2022 in London, six months after winning Olympic gold for Britain at the Tokyo games.
The Birmingham man has cruised to 6-0 in the paid ranks and successfully defended his International strap four times to date. Those wins have led the 31 year old to be handily positioned at #7 in the WBC rankings, the same spot he occupies with the WBO and IBF.
Jesse Rodriguez has vacated the world titles with the latter two organizations, piquing the interest of those contenders that are well placed in the rankings, and that means that Yafai has yet more incentive to perform to his best against Gauto (21-1 15 KOs) as he looks to perfectly time honing his ring craft for when his World title shot arrives.
“The pro game is different, longer rounds and the gloves are smaller, but it’s boxing to me,” said Yafai. “I’ve just got to get through them all and get to the top as quickly as I can because people aren’t patient, and I’m a bit impatient too.
“Rankings don’t really matter to me in the long run. No-one is going to say to me ‘Galal, you were ranked top five in the WBC’ when I finish my career. It’s either I am going to be a World champion or I’m not, that’s the main thing to me. It’s nice to be ranked high though and people want me to fight the top guys.
“I’ve had five fights, and I could jump in now with the top boys, but I don’t want to do that and not have the experience. People will say ‘he should be fighting him, him and this guy’, but people say anything, I just have to do what I am doing and get to the top and beat them.
“I need experience. On my day I can beat the top boys, but I want to give myself the best chance, I don’t want to go in there and fight them too soon and just be too short. But saying that, I’m still good enough to beat them.”
Yafai’s clash with Gauto is part of a huge night of action, led by a double-header featuring two of America’s best young talents as Richardson Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title and Diego Pacheco defends his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman
Skye Nicolson provides the World title action on the card, looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap, Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.
NICOLSON: 12 x 3 ROUNDS FOR SERRANO? SIGN ME UP!
Australian star would take on Puerto Rican over longer distance – but first faces Mahfoud for WBC strap in Las Vegas
Skye Nicolson says she is open to facing Amanda Serrano over 12 three minute rounds if that gets the fight on – and the Australian is targeting a comprehensive win on Saturday night over Serrano’s old Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight belt at Bleaulive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN to stake her claim for the mega showdown.
Nicolson (9-0 1 KO) is fighting Mahfoud (14-1 3 KOs) for the WBC strap that Serrano vacated in December, a move Nicolson has previously stated was due to the seven-weight champion not wanting to face her, and not down to wanting to fight over the 12 three-minute round distance.
The Australian star has landed the World title fight she’s been craving, albeit against tough Dane Mahfoud instead of the Puerto Rican, with that duo previously meeting for undisputed in September 2022, with Serrano prevailing on points.
Although Nicolson has put the Serrano fight to one side to focus on the task at hand, the 28 year old can’t help that it’s a fight that she’s asked about all the time – and aims to deal with Mahfoud in better fashion than Serrano to prove she’s ready to take on the living legend.
“I can only fight who they put in front of me,” said Nicolson. “Serrano is the dream fight, and to have been boxing for undisputed in my tenth fight would have been legendary, but it didn’t happen. It is what it is, I’m not looking past Sarah. I’ve got a good opponent in front of me and it’s for the best belt in boxing in my opinion, so I am fully focused on the job in front of me and we’ll see what’s next after that.
I hope the Serrano fight happens, I am ready and waiting. I want the best; I feel like I am constantly saying it but it’s true. I wanted the Serrano fight in my eighth and ninth fights, I have Sarah for my tenth fight, so maybe it’s Serrano in my 11th fight, who knows? I want the belts, so I am going to keep pushing for that.
“12 x 3s suits my style. I’m a patient fighter, I love the longer rounds so for me it makes sense. For women’s boxing, I personally don’t agree with 12 x 3s; I think the depth of women’s boxing, 10 x 2s has been really good for the growth. It’s kept it exciting, and you’ve seen the women’s fights steal the show time and again and I think that’s down to the two-minute rounds. So, for me, I love three-minute rounds, but for women’s boxing, not so much – but if the only way to fight Serrano is over three minutes, sign me up.
“The Serrano fight for Sarah was 97-93, 97-93 and 99-92. That’s not happening, that’s all I will say. The way I am boxing right now, I don’t see the fight going the distance. If it does happen to go the distance, it’s 100-90.”
PACHECO: I AM ONE OF ONE
Soft-spoken but hard-hitting Super-Middleweight star believes his time to dominate is coming
Diego Pacheco says his god-given talent makes him stand out as the future king of the Super-Middleweights, as he prepares for the defense of his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman on Saturday night at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN.
Pacheco (20-0 17 KOs) is as soft-spoken outside the ring as he is hard-hitting inside it, but as the 23 year old continues his unstoppable rise up the 168lb rankings, his name is increasingly mentioned alongside his fellow contenders.
The new father has always let his fists do the talking, but sitting as he does in the top five of three of the governing bodies, Pacheco knows that there are major names and fights on the horizon, providing he can see off McCalman (15-0 7 KOs) on Saturday.
“I’m one of one,” said Pacheco. “God gave me an amazing talent, amazing reach and height, abilities to move in the ring, abilities that other fighters are lacking, so my time is coming.
“Everything is at stake on Saturday. He’s a tough, undefeated opponent but I feel amazing, I’m getting better and stronger with every fight, smarter, and I’m confident in the work we’ve put into this camp. I’m excited to be back and ready to put on a great show against another undefeated opponent and showcase why I belong here and keep doing what I have been doing which is shining, putting on great performances and showing my dominance in the ring.
“Right now, I am top five in the world so anyone in the top ten that would get me closer to the World title, that’s who I want to fight. There’s a big fight there with Edgar Berlanga, Christian Mbilli is another good fighter in the top ten, there’s Erik Bazinyan – I’d like the chance to share the ring with any of them, they’re all great fighters and that’s the only way to get to the World championships, I know that, my team knows that, and that’s what we’re ready for. I have people around me that know the business more and are experts in grooming World champions, so my job is to prepare as much as I can and hopefully these fights get made and I get to show the world what I am made of.
“He’s a good fighter, I’ve seen a few of his fights, he has some skills and some power. But I’ve seen thousands of guys like him and I just feel I’m on a way different level than he is and I’ll show that on Saturday.
“I’ve been a power puncher since I was 12 or 13, I was always dropping guys to the body and to the head. I used to love going to the body and you guys have seen that now. I was putting on these highlight reel KOs since I was a teenager, and now I am 23 it just comes to me, I’m not forcing the knockout; I’m patient, boxing and using my distance and the knockouts just come. I frustrate my opponents by outboxing them, make them jump in or make silly mistakes and I catch onto them and make them pay.
“Every fight gets more challenging, but I’ve stepped up and shown why I belong here. It’s because I put in the work and god gifted me a talent and I do my part, the rest is up to him, and that’s what you have been seeing, the hard work and the outcome is there.
“Shout out to Raymond Ford, that was a great fight he put on for the World championship, extremely proud and happy for him and I’m looking forward to doing the same thing. I’m very close to it, I can feel it, that next year or the year after, I will be a World champion.”
Pacheco’s clash with McCalman is part of a huge night of action, with Richardson Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title.
Skye Nicolson provides the World title action on the card, looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap and British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto.
Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.
HITCHINS: I WOULD FACE MATIAS NEXT
Unbeaten Brooklyn has no issues with challenging IBF champion – but has to see off Lemos in Las Vegas eliminator
Richardson Hitchins says he would jump at the chance to meet IBF king Subriel Matias as he prepares to hit the scales ahead of his final eliminator with Gustavo Lemos for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title at Bleaulive at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6, live worldwide on DAZN.
Hitchins (17-0 7 KOs) can take a giant step towards landing a World title shot with victory over Lemos (29-0 19 KOs) in Sin City, and the Brooklyn ace is determined to show fans and rivals alike that he is here to stay as an elite-level headliner.
The 26 year old meets the unbeaten Argentine for the honor of being next in line to meet IBF king Subriel Matias, with the Puerto Rican monster defending his title against Australian Liam Paro in a homecoming defense on June 15, live worldwide on DAZN.
Hitchins has designs on sitting ringside at the Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu in Manati knowing that he’ll be next for the winner, and although the IBF 10 pounds check-weigh is always a consideration with the IBF and a showdown with WBC king Devin Haney also whets his appetite, the Brooklyn star would gladly tackle Matias for the belt to prove he’s ready to dominate a division that is rapidly becoming the most exciting in the sport.
“I am not going to lie, I do prefer the WBC route – but if the opportunity presents itself for the World title, and on Saturday I feel good, why not the IBF?’ said Hitchins. “It’s a big fight with me and Subriel Matias, everyone would be interested in that, so let’s see what comes to the table.
“I have a fight to focus on, Devin has a fight to focus on, I’ve got a tough Argentinian in front of me and things that I have to go out and do. I want to show on Saturday what I’ve always been showing; that I am a great fighter, a dominant fighter. I’ve shown that time and again, it’s the same old story. People say that it’s going to be a tough fight for me, they’ll be surprised if I can make it look easy, but then I go out there and do that again and again.
“If I am in a tough fight with someone that’s never been in with anyone of the calibre of me, imagine what type of fight it’s going to be for the guy fighting me. Boxing is all about distance and timing, knowing what shots to pick, where to be, it’s a sweet science and I think I am one of the young masters of it.
“Everybody had a lot of shit to talk about my last fight against Jose Zepeda so no-one should miss this one because the fans have made me put on not a dominant performance, because I’ve already done that, but a punishing dominant performance. I can’t let Lemos get away with any mistakes, any mistakes he makes, he’s got to pay. I feel like this is going to be another performance like John Bauza, it’s going to show that you put a guy in front of me that isn’t at the top of the sport, period, I’ll show his levels.
“I don’t know much about him so I can’t say if this is the toughest test of my life. I’ve been at the high level for a long, long time, since the amateurs and moved in the pro ranks where I’ve had to prove myself early. Zepeda talked about experience before our fight, but I told him, I have experience. People were building up the fight because he’d fought for the World title three times, but I had already beaten a World champion, a guy that had done what Zepeda was trying to do.
“So when people were saying that it was going to be a tough test, when I got in there on September 23, he was one of the easiest fights of my career that I can remember, from pro debut to now. That’s a testimony to how much I’ve grown as a professional and a fighter, I made that fight clearly easy, so we’ll see what happens with Lemos, he’s a guy that hasn’t fought anyone with any craft or skills, so when he gets in there with me, it’s going to be a whole different ballgame because he’s not just that he’s going up in levels, he’s fighting one of the best young boxers in the sport – period.
“When you get in the ring with me it’s way different from standing in front of anyone else, and he’ll see that. He’s tough, he’s Argentinian, he’s going to try have his way but it’s my job to neutralize that. I can be anything I need to be to be victorious on the night.”
Hitchins’ clash with Lemos is part of a big night of action in Las Vegas as fellow rising contender Diego Pacheco defends his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman.
World title action on the card comes in the form of unbeaten Australian Skye Nicolson looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap, while British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto.
Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.
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