Nicolson vs Mahfoud Predictions: Skye is the limit for game Mahfoud

Skye Nicolson gets her chance to become a world champion on Saturday April 6 when she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC featherweight championship. An exciting world title attraction takes place at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada with DAZN screening the bout. Here are my Nicolson vs Mahfoud predictions ahead of the latest in a long line of Vegas championship fights.

Nicolson has sometimes met criticism for her level of competition in the pro ranks. Matchroom and the fighter would bristle at the assertion, but perhaps some of that was by design. 

Until late last year, the Australian harboured ambitions of competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. But since recalibrating and focusing wholeheartedly on securing a pro world title, Nicolson has manoeuvred herself into contention against a very strong opponent.

Sarah Mahfoud stands between Skye and the WBC featherweight championship. The Dane is familiar with life at the sharp end of the sport. Mahfoud is a former IBF featherweight champion with wins over established names like Brenda Carbajal and Nina Meinke. 

Mahfoud’s biggest fight was an undisputed title unification with Amanda Serrano, arguably the greatest female boxer of all-time. She came out on the wrong end of a unanimous decision but then only two fighters have beaten ‘The Real Deal’ in 48 fights, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about there.

Serrano is a name that has been on Nicolson’s lips too. The Aussie was actually the mandatory challenger to this title when it sat around Serrano’s waist. The Puerto Rican superstar vacated it due to the WBC’s refusal to sanction the 12-round fights with three-minute rounds that she now competes in. But Nicolson insists the champion wanted no part of a title defence against her.

That seems hard to believe, considering the fact that Serrano has fought anyone and everyone during an incredible 15 years in the sport. That’s not to say Nicolson would not be an intriguing foe for the legend. But the very idea of Serrano running scared from her given she’s taken on the likes of Katie Taylor, Heather Hardy, Yamileth Mercado and even gone unbeaten in MMA is laughable. 

But ultimately, Nicolson is not fighting Serrano. The debate over whose fault that is feels futile when the 28-year-old is on the cusp of a first career world title. Mahfoud is a thorough test of her abilities too. Last time out she took every round off Marcela Acuna, the former world super bantamweight champion. If the criticism of Nicolson’s competition has been unfair, there is no doubt that Mahfoud is the finest boxer she has ever faced as a professional.

Not that Nicolson’s record lacks standout results. She outscored former world champion Sabrina Perez last September. Nicolson then followed that result up with the first stoppage win of her career, finishing Lucy Wildheart in nine rounds. Considering the fact Wildheart had taken Mikaela Mayer the distance in her previous outing, that win might just rank as the best of Skye’s career.

Nicolson will be hoping that does not remain the case for long. The Australian will be hoping to wake up on Sunday morning with the WBC title on her mantle and Mahfoud’s name sat proudly on her record. I think it will happen. My pick is Nicolson on points, priced up at 1/6. Despite a stoppage last time out, I don’t see Nicolson suddenly emerging as a puncher to be feared. She’ll stick to the well-schooled, tidy boxing that has got her this far and earn both the victory and the championship belt to go with it.

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