Skye Nicolson: So Excited To Show The World What I Can Do On Saturday And Stamp My Name

SAN DIEGO – Skye Nicolson is among the few boxers left to have not yet fought in front of fans since the pandemic.

Her first such occasion in more than two years will come in enemy territory.

The anticipated pro debut of Australia’s Nicolson comes more than seven months after advancing to the quarterfinal round of the women’s featherweight bracket in last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Her first opponent is locally-based unbeaten southpaw Jessica Juarez (3-0, 1KO), born and raised in San Diego and who will undoubtedly serve as the crowd favorite this Saturday at Pechanga Arena.

“I love it, I love the challenge,” Nicolson told BoxingScene.com. “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve boxed with fans in attendance, so it doesn’t bother me who they will be cheering for. It will just be good to feel that energy again. I box well under pressure and in high pressure situations. I'm just so excited to show the world what I can do on Saturday night and stamp my name.”

Nicolson proved that throughout her celebrated amateur career, which included a Bronze medal at the 2016 World Amateur championships as a light welterweight and a Gold medal in the 2018 Gold Coast Games as a featherweight. Her last fight in her home country came in 2019, prior to embarking on the road to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Nicolson did so after advancing to the final round of the 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Amman, Jordan. Her final fight took place March 10, 2020, just before the start of the pandemic and her last ring appearance before the delayed Tokyo Olympics more than 16 months later.

The year-long delay prompted several qualifying amateurs to instead turn pro. Nicolson could have done the same but preferred to wait it out after having missed out on 2016 Rio. She instead waited it out, which allowed her to make national history. A victory over South Korea’s Ae Ji Jim in the Round of 16 saw Nicolson become the first female boxer from Australia to win an Olympic bout, only to fall just short to eventual Silver medalist Karris Artingstall (Great Britain) in the quarterfinal round.

The decision to wait for the delayed Olympics followed by her forthcoming pro debut allowed Nicolson to truly follow in the footsteps of her later brother Jamie, who she never met. Jamie Nicolson represented Australia in the 1992 Olympics before turning pro later that year. The journey lasted just two years before Jamie and younger brother Gavin died in a 1994 car crash, one year before Skye was born.

“I feel close to [Jamie]. It’s a little bit eerie… and awesome,” Nicolson noted prior to the Olympics. “I feel like I knpw him so well. Boxing has brought us closer. I’m doing everything he did. It’s surreal.”

Her pro debut even comes at the weight at which Jamie competed during his all-too brief career. It’s potentially a one-stop occasion, as Nicolson and Juarez will meet at a contracted weight limit of 129 pounds, with the hope of settling in as a featherweight once she’s further along in her career.

“I think these fights will be a good trial for where I will compete as a pro,” notes Nicolson. “I boxed at 57 kilos, featherweight as an amateur. So, we’re naturally looking at featherweight.”

Of course, she has to prove herself this weekend. Not only does the fight take place in her opponent’s hometown but comes in the presence of royalty.

Fight week included the arrival of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (57-1-2, 39KOs), who Nicolson had the chance to meet ahead of the pound-for-pound king’s press conference to formally announce his May 7 challenge of WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11KOs). Fight night for Nicolson will come as the opening undercard bout of a show whose main event—which airs live on DAZN—features legendary former four-division champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) in a scheduled 12-round junior bantamweight bout versus WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar ‘El Rey’ Martinez (18-1, 14KOs; 2ND) who moves up in weight.

“It’s a little bit mind blowing, to be honest,” admits Nicolson. “I’m here now and surrounded by all these amazing people. It’s so inspiring to see Canelo here during fight week, it just signals the bells."

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox