WBC junior featherweight champion Skye Nicolson (16-1, 3 KOs) has signed with Most Valuable Promotions under the company's strategic alliance with Matchroom Boxing. Nicolson will make her MVP debut on August 29th at bp pulse Live in Birmingham, England, defending her title against Miyo Yoshida (19-5, 1 KO) in a ten-round bout. The fight will air on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and ESPN+ in the United States. Nicolson was born and raised in Queensland, Australia to an English mother and Scottish father. She began boxing at age 12, following in the footsteps of her late brother. Her amateur career included more than 150 bouts, a Commonwealth Games gold medal, a bronze medal at the world championships, and representing Australia at the 2021 Olympics, where she reached the quarterfinals. Following the Olympics, Nicolson signed with Matchroom and won the WBC featherweight title in her tenth professional bout with a victory over Sarah Mahfoud in 2024. She enters the bout with a 16-1 record and became WBC junior featherweight champion in May 2026 after being elevated from interim champion when Ellie Scotney vacated the title.
"Women's boxing is entering a new era, and I want to be right at the centre of it. This partnership with MVP and Matchroom gives me the opportunity to chase legacy, compete in the biggest fights out there, and help continue pushing women's boxing forward," said Nicolson. "My goal has always been to test myself against the very best and be involved in the biggest fights in women's boxing. I truly believe this move puts me in the best possible position to do exactly that. I'm excited for what's ahead and can't wait for this next chapter of my career to unfold."
Yoshida is a three-time, two-division world champion from Kagoshima, Japan. She previously held the IBF bantamweight title and the WBO super flyweight title. After relocating to the United States, she began training at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn, New York. Yoshida most recently defeated Edith de Jesus Flores in April 2026 after a unanimous decision victory over Beata Dudek in February 2025. She won the IBF bantamweight title by defeating Ebanie Bridges in December 2023.
"Many people see Skye Nicolson as the favorite and I understand why as she is an excellent fighter," said Yoshida. "But I have dedicated my life to boxing and I am prepared to give everything for this opportunity. I promise the fans will see a fearless Miyo Yoshida. I will bring the heart of Japan, my experience as a three-time World Champion and everything I have into this fight. On fight night, I believe the world will see me crowned as the new WBC super Bantamweight champion."
"Skye is one of the most recognizable athletes in women's boxing today," said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. "As a two-division world champion, Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Olympian, and one of Australia's biggest stars, she represents the caliber of athlete we're building MVP around. Since launching MVPW, our mission has been to create the premier global platform for women's boxing by bringing together the sport's biggest champions and delivering the biggest fights. Skye shares that vision and ambition, and together we're excited to help create the defining moments of the next chapter of her career, beginning with her world title defense against another outstanding former champion in Miyo Yoshida on Saturday, August 29th."
