Nicolson's injury leads to postponement
Skye Nicolson, Australia's reigning WBC super bantamweight champion, had to withdraw from her planned match against Miyo Yoshida in Birmingham. The bout was supposed to happen on August 30 (AEST) but was delayed because Nicolson sustained an injury during a training session.
Nicolson expressed her disappointment through a statement on social media and offered sincere apologies to her supporters and Yoshida. She assured fans that she remains committed to returning to the ring before the end of the year.
From tension to teamwork
The road to this fight was not smooth. Nicolson, who recently joined Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), had some public disagreements with MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. In April, Nicolson told Fox Sports that MVP 'need me' because of her ability to attract crowds and admitted that her relationship with Bidarian wasn't always friendly.
In May, Bidarian told nine.com.au that he was open to collaborating with Nicolson. There had been some past disagreements. This led to her becoming MVP's latest signee. 'We’ve had a history back-and-forth with Skye and MVP,' Bidarian noted. 'Some people say there was beef, what I say is beef makes good business.'
Bidarian confirmed in an interview with nine.com.au that the fight with Yoshida is still set for later this year. He stressed that the original plans remain in place despite Nicolson's setback.
Staying involved during recovery
Even with the setback, Nicolson plans to stay engaged in boxing. She is going to Orlando for the MVPW-05 event, where she will support fellow Australian world champions and other athletes.
Nicolson is looking forward to returning to the ring when she is ready. She shared her determination to recover fully and rejoin the sport as soon as possible.
Despite the injury, the August 30 card in Birmingham will continue as planned. The event will feature a major women's title bout between Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron.
Nicolson's fight with Yoshida is expected to launch a new chapter in her career with MVP. The Australian Olympian has a record of 16 wins and 1 loss. She recently joined MVP through a partnership with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing. In April, Nicolson had a brief but tense exchange with MVP. She called out Ellie Scotney, a world champion. Bidarian had questioned whether she could make the 122lbs weight limit.
Bidarian explained his interest in Nicolson to nine.com.au. Adding Skye was logical given Ellie Scotney has moved out of the 122 division. She is now focused on the 126 division. That means the 122 division is open. I think Skye has the opportunity to be the face of that division in a very dominant way. So we wanted to work with her.
Despite her absence from the August 30 event, Nicolson expressed her gratitude to her fans for their ongoing support and understanding. She wrote, 'Thank you to everyone for your continued support and understanding.'