Nicola Hopewell Moves To 4-0

Worksop's Nicola Hopewell made the long commute to Kent for her latest fight on Saturday night. The journey back would have been a sweet one.

Hopewell got some much-needed rounds in, extended her win and stoppage streak and impressed yet again.

Ivette Garcia was tough if limited, and stayed in the fight longer than it appeared she would in the early stages of the one-sided contest.

The Spanish import took heavy shots throughout, and after 3 rounds of taking sustained punishment, this observer would have liked her corner to have pulled her out. At times it was an uncomfortable watch.

But to her credit, Garcia absorbed everything and it looked as though she would be the first fighter to take Hopewell the distance. Hopewell had other ideas and boxing beautifully in the 6th and final round she found the punches she needed to force the stoppage with just 4 seconds remaining in the fight.

The extended minutes in the ring will be valuable going forward, the fight will serve her well going forward.

Hopewell fights under the BIBA banner and not the British Board of Control, and with all due respect to her current residence, the Worksop fighter has the look of a fighter who deserves a much bigger stage to showcase her talents.

The talent is obvious, the footwork from her dancing days gives her plenty. Hopewell has perfect balance which adds to her fast hands and has more than decent power. The flyweight hopeful could go far. But there are decisions that need to be made for the benefit of the fighter. Hopewell only gets one chance in her boxing career and at 29, now is the right time for honesty on where her talents best lie.