Skye Nicolson welcomes Mariah Turner to the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Australia this Wednesday in the headline act courtesy of Matchroom Boxing.
Nicolson (15-1, 3 KOs) will contest for the WBC interim title at super bantamweight as she goes in search of becoming a two weight world champion.
“It’s so special to be back home and headlining in Australia,” Nicolson It kind of felt like it was never going to happen. So to be back here, headlining on Fox Sports and DAZN is incredibly empowering for me.
“I feel like I’ve got a job to do and become a role model for the young girls who will be watching across the country and around the world to show that this could be them one day. It’s a privilege. I don’t see it as pressure. I’m so blessed to be in the position I am in and to have had the opportunities I have had.”
The 30-year-old southpaw claimed the WBC featherweight championship when defeating Sarah Mahfoud over two years ago in Las Vegas. Nicolson made two successful defences of her belt until losing to Tiara Brown last March. She has since moved down to super bantamweight, undefeated in two fights at 122 pounds.
“When I first turned pro, I thought I might have 15-20 fights,” Nicolson added. “Now, I feel like I’m just getting started. It’s been an incredible career so far, boxing around the world to coming home and headline in my 17th fight. I really do feel like we’re just starting to scratch the surface.
“Obviously, getting to world title level in 10 fights, I moved really fast. But it’s been nice to have had 2025 to go back, work on things and really develop. I’m really excited for what 2026 and beyond will look like because I feel like you’re starting to see the best version of me now.
“I feel like I’ve gone from girl to woman. I have changed so much. Not just in the ring but outside the ring, as a person and as an athlete. I live the life. Obviously I’d been to the Olympics and that felt to me like that was my ceiling, it was the pinnacle. So turning pro almost felt like it was a bit of fun. But the journey I have been on, and how serious it has been, this is literally my life now. I take it very, very seriously and I feel like it has grown and developed me as a person.”
Turner (12-1, 6 KOs) will make her way south from Brisbane after a unanimous decision victory against the 9-0 Stephanie Lee Cutting last November.
“Right now I am hitting my peak. I’m entering my best season,” Nicolson explained. “I definitely do not feel like the end is on the horizon. I don’t have a date in my head to say when I’m done. My team around me will know when. But, like I said, we are just getting started. And I think I am going to be in some really big fights.”
“We’ve prepared for the best Mariah Turner. We know the best version of her is going to turn up and that she’s coming to try and win. This is her opportunity. It is her golden ticket. So, I have taken my camp very seriously and you can see in my shape that I’m in the best shape of my life. We have not taken Mariah Turner lightly and we won’t look past her. I know that I get asked about the other big fights that are – or could possibly be – on the horizon. But all eyes on strictly on April 29 and Mariah Turner. She’s standing in my way for all the big fights, so I need to do big things on Wednesday night before we even begin talking about all of that.”
