A backyard shed in the Gold Coast is a far cry from a roaring crowd at a casino on Las Vegas’ glitter strip.
But that is where Skye Nicolson’s journey to world domination began.
The 28-year-old is one of three Australian women who began training together in a converted garage space and are this year fighting for world titles.
The shed, formally known as the Albert Boxing Club, was where Allan Nicolson trained his sister Skye on their family’s Yatala property with Che Kenneally and Cherneka Johnson.
‘This is my time’
Undefeated as a professional boxer with an Olympic performance and a Commonwealth gold medal under her belt, Nicolson is set to fight Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant World Boxing Council featherweight title on Sunday morning (Australian time).
Despite her unblemished professional fight record of nine wins and zero losses, Nicolson is still told she is “too pretty to box”.
Even walking into a training gym in Las Vegas this week, Nicolson was asked if she was there for volleyball practice.
Nicolson said the interaction was indicative of the attitudes she and many other female boxers often faced.
“I think, just wait ’til you see me fight; wait to see what I can do,” she said.
“I know people aren’t being offensive when they say it, but it would be nice to just be looked at for what you are and what you’re achieving, rather than just your exterior.”
Nicolson turned professional about two years ago after some soul searching and a heartbreaking defeat in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics.
On the eve of her first title fight she said she was “living her destiny”.
“My whole life has been boxing for 17 years and everything has been leading up to this moment,” Nicolson said.
“This is my time. I’m ready.”
Where it all began
Nicolson first put on the gloves at 12, growing up as women’s boxing gained momentum worldwide.
“Part of that journey was also Cherneka and Che joining Albert Boxing Club as teenagers,” she said.
“When I think back, it was the three of us in the same gym in my parents’ backyard for years … and I think it was probably a big part for all three of our development in the sport.”
A loss ‘just makes me hungrier’
Cherneka Johnson will face defending champion Nina Hughes for the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title on May 12 in Perth.
Johnson won the International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight title in 2022 but lost the belt last year to Ellie Scotney.
The 29-year-old now has her sights set on becoming a unified world champion in all major sanctioning body competitions.
“Coming off a loss, it just makes me so much hungrier … I deserve to be here and I know that I’m going to become a world champion again,” Johnson said.
The Brisbane expat now fights out of Melbourne but began box-fit classes at her local Police Citizen Youth Club before joining Albert Boxing.
“Boxing has shaped me into the person I am today,” Johnson said.
“I always I remember where I started … the journey it’s taken to get here wasn’t easy.”
A mother and a fighter
When Che Kenneally fell pregnant during COVID-19, many wrote off her boxing career.
Now two years later, the Gold Coaster will fight Angie Rocha for the WBA heavyweight world title in June after successfully defending her Australasian heavyweight title earlier in March.
If she wins, the 29-year-old’s comeback will break a record held by Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech for winning a world title in the least number of fights in history.
“I really wanted to prove to everyone else that I wasn’t finished boxing and that a baby does not defer you from your dreams,” Kenneally said.
“I want to be a world champion, but I also want to show my daughter we’re capable of great things if we just work hard enough for them.”
Kenneally started boxing to keep fit for international athletics competitions but also modelled on the side.
“People would always tell me, ‘You don’t want to hit your nose’,” she said.
“Well, why not? Well, why can’t you be pretty, smart, athletic and independent?”
Paving the way
For Nicolson, whatever the outcome of this weekend, taking women’s boxing to the next level is what she wants to leave as her legacy.
“I feel like women’s boxing is definitely still in its infancy. It has come a long way but we’re still so far away from where it’s headed and where it’s going,” she said
“I feel like it’s our job to be part of that movement and be part of that growth.
“Che and Cherneka and myself and a lot of female boxers around the world are creating that path for these next generation of girls coming through. We have such an important role to play.”
