Skye Nicolson vs Miyo Yoshida

This could be a better fight than it looks on paper. Miyo Yoshida is experienced, disciplined and better than her record suggests, but Skye Nicolson is the wrong style for her. Yoshida wants to step forward, organise her feet and work steadily. Nicolson gives opponents a space, then punishes them for entering it.

Nicolson’s advantage is distance control. Her southpaw jab occupies the lead hand, while the straight left catches opponents as they reset. She also pivots away before they can build a second attack. Tiara Brown exposed the weakness: if someone keeps her near the ropes and makes the rounds physical, her low output can leave judges favouring the aggressor. Yoshida must follow that blueprint, but she lacks Brown’s size and force. Her strength is disciplined combination punching; her problem is closing distance without walking onto counters.

I expect Yoshida to press honestly and have brief success when she reaches the chest. Nicolson will clinch, turn out and put her back at long range. Once the timing settles, the cleaner punches should all come from the Australian. Yoshida is far too seasoned to unravel, but she will struggle to win rounds. Nicolson by a wide unanimous decision.