Serrano still top dog, but…
Skye Nicolson (9-0) vs. Sarah Mahfoud (14-1)
10×2-minute rounds for vacant WBC featherweight world title
Live overnight on Matchroom show, ringwalks estimated around 1am BST
Amanda Serrano (46-2-1) still holds all remaining belts at 126lbs
WOMEN’s featherweight hasn’t traditionally been viewed as a glamour division, though long-reigning champion Amanda Serrano was seen as the staple in a weight class devoid of many world-class opponents to truly stress test the Puerto Rican.
It’s part of the reason she has juggled weight classes, going up and down to experience those challenges – her unforgettable Katie Taylor clash in May 2022 served as a fitting advert for the discipline, with many big duels mooted long-term.
Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall, Katie Taylor’s two-fight series with Chantelle Cameron and Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer serve as prime examples of world title bouts that haven’t just captured the imagination of neutrals, but exemplified why women’s boxing continues to rise at the very top levels.
Ironic perhaps then, that former unified super-featherweight champion Mayer made public her desire to box over the same distance as men – 12×3-minute rounds – and that’s likely to be a bone of contention in any rematch negotiations this summer.
Serrano and many other high-profile female boxers believe the same, Raven Chapman included. The 35-year-old’s passionate push to box over the three-minute distance created controversy that shouldn’t have arose and the WBC’s stubborn stance on keeping it 10×2-minute rounds suddenly forced an opening.
While she retained the rest of her titles last time out against Danilo Ramos, the future Hall of Famer wasn’t competing for the illustrious green belt and barring a unlikely draw or no contest, a new titleholder will be crowned this weekend.
It feels cruel, therefore, to deem Saturday’s winner a flimsy world champion for vacant honours but that’s how they will be regarded unless multiple defences – and success against Serrano – comes after Matchroom’s latest Las Vegas show.
WBC International champion Chapman, successful over ten rounds against Czech Republic’s Lucie Sedlackova (98-92, 98-92, 97-93) in early December, naturally wants a shot at the winner and while an undisclosed stress fracture means there might not be a stay-busy bout before then, she fancies her chances against either woman.
Injury prolongs her wait for 2024 return
- In an ideal scenario, Chapman will box Skye Nicolson for WBC featherweight world gold on the second Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5v5 show before year’s end as the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger
- Chapman was set to return in March but an undisclosed injury ruled her out of contention as patience is now paramount: “I’m still trying to keep active and working around it as best as I can – hopefully in a month’s time I’ll be able to get in there properly again. It was a niggle that didn’t go away, I trained over in Thailand thinking it would, scan showed otherwise.”
Chapman, who would’ve likely featured on a Queensberry card (Birmingham or York Hall) last month, has been dealing with said issue behind-the-scenes – one she reassures me doesn’t need surgery and instead rest will solve it before long.
During our conversation, she had this to say about the opportunities opening up and speculation linking her with a future Nicholson matchup:
“Having a vacant world title is exciting for us featherweights, because there’s a lot more scope to fight for it, more opportunities now. It’s great they’ve agreed to fight, I know and get on with them both well, it should be good.”
Skye is the ideal winner, there have been talks of me and her boxing on the 5v5 [Queensberry vs. Matchroom, June 1st] and that makes sense, we’re promotional rivals, that makes sense. She’s a bigger name and it’d be an exciting fight to watch so commercially, I’d like her to win.”
Australian southpaw Skye Nicolson is backed by Eddie Hearn and largely favoured to win world gold, despite genuine questions over the 28-year-old successfully translating her amateur skills over to the paid ranks and providing entertainment.
Although her amateur record can’t possibly compare to Nicolson as far as experience and notable names are concerned, Denmark’s Sarah Mahfoud has only lost once in 15 professional fights. That defeat came in a 10-round unanimous decision against Serrano herself on the Joe Joyce vs. Joseph Parker undercard in Sept. 2022.
Three consecutive victories since during an active 2023 campaign set her nicely for this opportunity, all in her native Denmark against favourable opponents.
Chapman has no dog in the race, but knows a matchup with Nicolson would sell more. Both are based in the UK, signed to rival promoters, though relations between Hearn and Queensberry chief Frank Warren have softened in recent months.
“I don’t see why Skye shouldn’t win. I haven’t seen a lot of Mahfoud’s fights so can’t comment on how she’d do against someone like Skye, only seen her against Amanda and Serrano made it look fairly comfortable that night… I’m intrigued to watch and see how she combats that southpaw style.”
I’ll have post-fight coverage of Saturday’s Matchroom show overnight – leading with Nicolson-Mahfoud – before the weekend concludes, so be sure to stay tuned for that.
Pictures via Getty unless stated, all quotes procured by me
Mo and Sports 