Lucy Wildheart challenged Australian Olympian Skye Nicolson for the WBC interim featherweight title to open the DAZN televised broadcast in Dublin on the undercard of Chantelle Cameron Vs Katie Taylor 2.
It was difficult to split the pair in a scrappy first round. The second round saw Wildheart press the action as Nicolson worked off the back foot and established her jab as the round drew on, it was Nicolson’s round.
The third round began with Wildheart on the front foot again but was caught with a precise counterpunch in the opening 30 seconds, an almost identical counterpunch landing another 30 seconds later. Nicolson again controlled the next two minutes.
Round four began in the same way as rounds two and three, although Nicolson’s counterpunch landed in the opening seconds of the round. The Australian again controlled her forward marching opponent with the jab, landing a good body shot just before the bell.
By round five Nicolson was gobbling up the rounds with Wildheart seemingly having run out of ideas. Nicolson landed a big left hand to the head of Wildheart just before the minute mark. The challenger was doing her best to pull Nicolson into a bit of a dog fight, but the Australian was able to keep her at arms length.
The sixth round continued along the same path, much like the rest of the bout, Nicolson was looking levels above her adversary. The seventh was again, looking very much like the previous rounds, but with Wildheart starting to leave herself slightly more open as the fight continued.
As round eight began Nicolson was in cruise control. By this stage she was starting to command the center of the ring more often rather than relying on her boxing skills on the back foot. Wildheart launched a combination attack with less than 30 seconds left in the round, Nicholson saw her attack, again, coming from miles away.
In round nine Nicolson started to let her hands go a little more but remained on her toes which had proved so successful for the entirety of the fight. Nicolson landed a big two more shots on the depleting Wildheart which would see her corner throw the towel in at 1.11 into the round.
Nicolson’s record improves 9-0, picking up a career first stoppage in the process. Wildheart’s record moves 10-3, losing the first time by stoppage. Nicholson is in line for WBC champion Amanda Serrano.
