Here’s a banger for you folks! WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicolson will go toe-to-toe with Dyana Vargas on July 13th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan headlining event will see Nicolson enter the ring professionally for the 11th time to defend her title for the first.

Vargas, though far more experienced in the professional ranks, won’t be the biggest challenge for the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Something Nicolson has showcased in her sprint to the top of the featherweight division. While Nicolson really desires a skirmish with former undisputed queen Amanda Serrano, she will have to settle for Vargas for now. But the real question is, does Vargas stand a chance?

What do the resumes say?

Skye Nicolson, 10-0-0, is coming off a fabulous points win over Sarah Mahfoud in April this year, a fight Nicolson used to display her pure boxing brilliance. Interestingly, much like Vargas, Mahfoud had more fights under her belt in the professional scene, but Nicolson’s skills proved too much for the Copenhagen based boxer.

Before that, the Aussie locked horns with Lucy Wildheart, who you guessed it, had more experience in the professional stage, but Nicolson managed to end the fight via a rare knockout in the ninth-round in November last year. However, it’s also worth mentioning that Nicolson’s success can be credited to her extensive past in the amateur scene.

She is no joke! The 28-year-old from Australia has a total of 139 fights in her amateur run, with an amazing 107-33-0 record. If you haven’t guessed it yet, Nicolson is an absolute unit! In contrast, Vargas, 19-1-0, lacks any amateur experience, but don’t count her out yet. 

The Dominican Republic native is coming off a unanimous decision win over Marcela Nieto, who co-incidentally had less experience than her, like Nicolson, perhaps an early indicator for an upset. Not to mention, Vargas is on a three fight win streak, two of which came from knockouts. 

But then, the only loss on Vargas’ record came against Vivian Bianelis Rodriguez in June last year, who was a less experienced boxer. So, considering work from both fighters up until this point, it doesn’t take an expert analyst to deduce it’s going to be a long night for Vargas. Nicolson should be able to outbox ‘La Maquina’ while staying clear of the knockout shot.

Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas: Age, Height, Reach and Weight

At 28 years old, Nicolson is stepping into the ring next weekend with the anticipation of her many fans. This Australian southpaw, standing at 5′ 5½” (166 cm), is a formidable presence despite the mystery surrounding her reach. While the final weigh-ins will soon disclose her official fighting weight, Nicolson has consistently averaged around 125.5 pounds in her previous bouts, making it likely that this fight will follow suit.

Meanwhile, Dyana Vargas, at 32 years old, brings her experience to the matchup, though her height and reach remain undisclosed. Like Nicolson, Vargas’ fighting weight will be determined at the final weigh-ins. Previously, she has tipped the scales at 125 pounds in her last bout and 129 pounds before that, leaving fans eager to see how she will weigh in for her clash with Nicolson.

Knockouts! Now things are getting interesting

Vargas might not have the extensive record Nicolson does, she might not match Nicolson’s technical prowess, but Vargas can deliver those brutal knockouts. In this area, Vargas is hands down the better betting choice. While Nicolson just has one knockout win in her ten professional bouts, Vargas has 12 knockout wins in her 19 wins, which puts them at 10% and 63.16% knockout ratio, respectively.

More interestingly, even when Nicolson’s amateur career is considered, where she has just one knockout win, Vargas comes out with more. So, if anyone is getting knocked out, it will be Nicolson. She is more of a technical fighter, who generally outpoints her opponent. But she has never been knocked out before, which means she can successfully avoid Vargas’ shots. Yet boxing can shock us all, it just takes that one well-placed punch to end a fight.

Skye Nicolson is the betting favorite going into the fights, and she should be able to get this win without much issues. Yet a lot of things can happen in a fight—if Nicolson is careful, the fight should be hers to win. What do you think?