Skye Nicolson responded to recent criticisms from MVP\u2019s Nakisa Bidarian in an appearance on The Ariel x Ade Show from DAZN.<\/p>\n
Bidarian recently attempted to shoot down Nicolson\u2019s call for a shot at unified WBC, IBF, and WBO super bantamweight titleholder Ellie Scotney, who is promoted by MVP. Nicolson remains one of the relatively few notable women\u2019s fighters who isn\u2019t promoted by MVP, as she is still with Matchroom Boxing.<\/p>\n
Nicolson moved down from the featherweight division in her most recent fight on July 5, but didn\u2019t get down to the 122 lb limit for super bantamweight, instead weighing in at 124 lbs. This practice of giving a full 1-2 lbs of contracted weight over a normal divisional limit is very common in non-title fights across boxing, but Bidarian chose to hone in on that and paint it as something disrespectful on Nicolson\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth noting, too, that her opponent, Carla Gonzales, also did not make the normal 122 lb limit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs 124.2 a weight class? Number one, if you\u2019re a fighter who wants to compete at 122 lbs, demonstrate that you can make 122 lbs,\u201d Bidarian said recently on the same show. \u201cDon\u2019t put your head up high and say, \u2018I got a knockout against a fighter,\u2019 when you totally disregarded the weight. Embarassing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNumber two, show that you can actually sell some tickets. Headline a card! Show some viewership! Do something! Social media is awesome, it\u2019s great, you do well on social media. Love it. But Ellie Scotney\u2019s the champ, she calls the shots.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicolson (13-1, 2 KO) kind of laughed off Bidarian\u2019s comments after being shown the clip, then got to her response.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fight was agreed at 124, it wasn\u2019t a title fight. It happens very often, you box a pound or two above championship weight when it\u2019s not a championship fight,\u201d she said. \u201cI actually weighed in at 123.9, I think? So I don\u2019t know where he got 124.2 from. I did make weight comfortably, and I will \u2018prove\u2019 that I can make the weight in this next one. This fight is agreed at 122, so I\u2019m very excited for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicolson, 29, is set to make a quick turnaround with an August 23 fight at home in Australia, facing Urvashi Singh (12-3, 7 KO), a 30-year-old from India. That fight will have a minor IBF title, important for rankings, on the line.<\/p>\n
But her focus is getting back into world title fights as quickly as possible, and Scotney (11-0, 0 KO) is probably the biggest fight she can make.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the Ellie fight. I know she\u2019s going for undisputed right now, so I don\u2019t blame her for that being her main focus, but I\u2019m always going to be open to that fight and chasing that fight,\u201d she continued. \u201cI\u2019m going to be chasing the champions and the beltholders at 122 and 126.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicolson also denied that she or her team ever \u201crejected\u201d an offer to fight Scotney when both were under the Matchroom banner, and further confirmed that she\u2019s still open to fighting at featherweight, particularly if a rematch with Tiara Brown does come up. Brown upset Nicolson to win the WBC featherweight title on March 22.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told that Tiara had no interest in a rematch. There was no rematch clause, being a mandatory defense,\u201d Nicolson said. \u201cI was told there was not going to be a rematch clause either way for whoever won the fight. For me, I wasn\u2019t going to sit and wait until Tiara felt ready, I wanted to get back in the gym, I wanted to get back in the ring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicolson also did show some appreciation for MVP, and joked a bit about one aspect of Bidarian\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cI appreciate the compliment about how good my social media is, thank you. I work hard on that,\u201d she said with a smile. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to know you\u2019re watching, because you don\u2019t follow. You can press the little follow button if you do enjoy my social media.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m loving (what MVP is doing for women\u2019s boxing)! I\u2019ve always been a big advocate and supporter of women\u2019s boxing,\u201d she added. \u201cI want to see women\u2019s boxing doing well, I want to see women in the spotlight and getting those opportunities, so of course I love what they\u2019re doing. I didn\u2019t like the kind of animosity I kind of felt from (Bidarian\u2019s) interview with you guys a couple of weeks ago. It felt a little bit personal, if anything, but it\u2019s all part of the game. There\u2019s no hard feelings from here.\u201d<\/p>\n