Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas Stats Comparison and Prediction: Record, Age, Height, Reach, Weight, and Knockout Ratio

She has laid claim to being the best featherweight on the planet. But Skye Nicolson faces numerous hurdles on the road to prove the same. Posing the first challenge is Dyana Vargas. Is the newly crowned champion well-equipped to defend her title? Or will she be met with a harsh reality check?

Besides the WBC featherweight title, the bragging rights of being the other champion at 126 will be on the line, along with a potential unification bout with Amanda Serrano. So, who will stamp their golden ticket and inch closer to cementing their legacy when they clash at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on the Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan undercard? Before that, let’s dive deep and have a look at how the fighters stack up.

Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas: Tale of Tape

If you look at the Australian crop of fighters, they have a fierce heart, and Nicolson is no different. If anything, she is carrying the torch at 28. She has built on her splendid amateur career and carried the same momentum when she turned pro a couple of years ago. The Meadowbrook native boasts an unblemished record of 10-0 with 1 KO. But what’s impressive is that Nicolson has amassed this record on the road and in rival territory except once. In addition, she has been the technician, who has relied on her wits and skills to dismantle her foes, and her KO ratio of 10% suggests that she prefers getting involved in a tactical tussle rather than going berserk.

The Australian fighter reached comfortably to her competitors’ skin with her long levers, as she has a reach of 68.5″ (174 cm). What’s more? Nicolson stands tall at 5’5″ (166 cm), and this tall stature allows her to impose her will at any point in the contest. So, how does anyone escape her? Isn’t the challenger in a state of flux?

Well, not exactly. Vargas, at 32, is more experienced and has more fights under her belt. The Dominican Republic fighter has fought opponents of varying styles and sizes and has dismantled all of them, barring one, and as such holds an impressive record of 19-1 with 12 KOs. What makes her an impressive fighter is her zeal to take fights to her adversaries and fight with forward pressure. Her KO ratio of 63.16% reflects the same, as she tries to put on a fan-friendly show. And that beautifully sets up the title clash. A showdown of contrasting fighting styles with high stakes. Who will survive till the final bell?

Prediction: X factor and where will the fight be won?

What puts Nicolson in a separate class from the rest? The WBC champion has unwavering confidence in her skill set and has already been toughened by the vagaries of a solid amateur career. It allowed her to sail through every hard situation she found herself in her pro career to date. When Serrano vacated the WBC title, despite being the interim champion, she preferred fighting for it rather than being elevated. That’s right there is a hallmark of an elite fighter. The southpaw boxer established her credentials when she turned in a total performance, as she outpointed Sarah Mahfoud this April, and collected the gold strap.

What has worked for the champion is her jab and straight left hand. She can churn out her jabs and straight left with perfect accuracy, which has troubled each of the 10 boxers who stood across from her in the ring. However, Nicolson’s X factor is her aggression, as she controls the pace of the fight with her straight left. Then she mixes it up well with the shots to the body, which always seem to find their target and do damage.

So, what does Vargas need to do? She needs to adjust defensively and might have to replicate what Mahfoud did against Nicolson and find limited success. Employ jabs. You put into the mix the Sabana Iglesia native’s devastating power, her X factor, and she might have what it takes to dislodge the champion. That’s not it. She is riding high on confidence after stopping Gina Joseph in the first round this February. Will she be able to do it? The fans will find out soon.

What do you make of this coming fight between Skye Nicolson and Dyana Vargas? Who do you think will win the encounter on July 13? Let us know in the comments below.