Boxing a long way from home, the South African produced a career-best performance to clearly outpoint Edwards in their IBF junior bantamweight final eliminator.

His jab, speed and loose relaxed style were too much for Edwards to handle and an accurate right hand scored all night.

Next weekend, IBF champion Willibaldo Garcia defends his title against Australia’s Andrew Moloney in Japan.

Nqothole, 31, can sit back and watch safe in the knowledge that he has secured a shot at the winner.

“I’m looking forward to that. I can’t wait,” Nqothole (22-3, 13 KO’s) said in the ring after the fight. “They’re fighting next week. Let me get my rest, I’m gonna watch that and then I’ll hear from my manager what is next.”

As for Edwards, a former WBC flyweight champion, his future looks much less clear.

In March 2025 he lost a dreary decision to Andrew Cain at bantamweight but rededicated himself to the sport, dropped back down to junior bantamweight and got himself in position for this final eliminator.

Edwards fell behind early, and although he did manage to close the fight up on the scorecards as the rounds passed, he was second best for much of the fight.

This defeat may well prove much harder to come back from for Edwards, 33, but he sounds determined to try.

“You can’t keep a good man down,” Edwards (21-3, 7 KO’s) said on social media after the fight. “A few things need to be assessed. I need to look at a few things and we’ll be back.

“Big respect to Sikho, a hell of a fighter. A good fighter, a tricky fighter. God bless you and your family, brother. Go on and win that world title. We’ll be back to live to fight another day.”