Nqothole (22-3, 13 KOs) won by scores of 117-111, 116-112, and 116-113 after controlling much of the contest with his jab, footwork, and cleaner work from range. The South African arrived as the underdog on foreign soil but looked comfortable for long stretches against the former WBC flyweight champion.
Edwards (21-3, 7 KOs) struggled to establish a consistent attack during the first half of the fight and spent much of the night reacting to Nqothole’s movement and timing. Whenever Edwards attempted to close the distance, Nqothole was often able to step away and answer with sharp counters.
The Englishman found more success late in the bout and mounted a rally over the championship rounds. He landed some of his cleaner punches in the closing stages and attempted to force the action, but the early rounds had already created a sizeable deficit on the scorecards.
Nqothole’s performance was notable because it came without the benefit of home advantage. The judges rewarded the visitor’s work, and most unofficial scorecards closely matched the official verdict.
The victory moves Nqothole into position as the mandatory challenger for the IBF super flyweight title. He is expected to face the winner of the June 6 championship fight between Willibaldo Garcia and Andrew Moloney later this year.
For Edwards, the defeat represents another setback in a career that has produced both championship success and frustrating near misses. At 33, he entered the fight hoping to place himself one win away from a second world title reign. Instead, he leaves York Hall coming off his third professional defeat and with his path back to a championship fight looking much tougher than it did a week ago.
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