Skye Nicolson is eager to avenge her Olympic defeat to Karriss Artingstall in a professional setting, declaring it the perfect fight for her future. Nicolson, who won the WBC featherweight world title earlier this year, is set to defend her championship against Raven Chapman at the Riyadh Season event on October 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Nicolson faced Artingstall during the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where she lost to her rival, who clinched a bronze medal. Reflecting on that experience, Nicolson expressed her desire for a rematch, saying, “I want that revenge. It’s obviously a fight that I want to have because I want to right the wrongs of what happened in Tokyo.”
“Looking back at my career and everything I want to achieve, that’s definitely a box that I want to tick,” she added. Although she believes the fight will happen eventually, she refrained from predicting a timeline, explaining, “Karriss is progressing at her own pace in her pro career. She hasn’t fought a 10-round fight yet, whereas this will be my third world title fight now. I believe I’m a little ahead in terms of timeline, but women’s boxing moves quickly.”
Nicolson acknowledged the importance of timing, noting, “This is a business, and the fight has to make sense. Whether it’s a world title bout down the line or a unification fight, I think it will be a fantastic matchup in the future.” She is confident that the grudge match will ultimately become a reality, just as she anticipated her upcoming bout with Chapman.
As for her title defense against Chapman, Nicolson is fully prepared and believes she will secure victory. “We’ve trained for the best version of Raven Chapman to show up, ready to give the fight of her life. It won’t concern me at all,” she said.
While she respects Chapman’s capabilities, Nicolson remains confident in her own skills: “She might push me to fight harder than I have in previous bouts, but I’ve thought that about other opponents too, and they struggle against my style. I set traps and make them look foolish. If things go as I expect, it should be similar this time.”
Nicolson acknowledges Chapman’s tenacity, stating, “She’s relentless, tough, and willing to take punches to land her own. But there are levels to this game. I think she’s a good fighter, but I consider myself a great fighter, and that difference will be evident during the fight.”
Catch Nicolson’s title defense against Chapman on October 12 as part of the exciting Wardley-Clarke and Beterbiev-Bivol card, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Credit: Sky Sports
