SKYE NICOLSON secured a second-round stoppage victory against Urvashi Singh, a vastly overmatched opponent, just moments before calling for a rematch with WBC world featherweight champion Tiara Brown.
The pair squared off on the undercard of Jake Wyllie vs Youssef Dib, with former world champion Nicolson, 14-1 (3 KOs), entering her first official super-bantamweight outing at the Fortitude Music Hall in Queensland, Australia.
Yet despite enjoying a successful experiment at the new weight, the southpaw technician has nonetheless called out Brown, 19-0 (11 KOs), for a second encounter at 126lbs.
Earlier this year, Brown pulled off a sizable upset to outpoint Nicolson, albeit via a razor-thin split decision, on away soil.
But now, it appears that Nicolson is determined to reclaim her WBC featherweight strap, even after making short work of her opponent at 122lbs earlier today.
During their encounter, there was a clear disparity not only in size, but also in skill, with Nicolson seamlessly pivoting around her shorter, more static target throughout the opening round.
The Australian’s fluid footwork, in particular, presented Singh, 12-4 (7 KOs), with practically no opportunities to launch an attack, or even establish her rhythm, in what swiftly became a truly one-sided two minutes.
It was not long, then, before Nicolson landed a sickening body shot, causing her limited opponent to reveal a glaringly obvious distress signal in only the second round.
Soon after, the home fighter followed her shot up with a blistering three-punch combination, forcing Singh to tumble to the canvas and, moments later, start shaking her head, signalling to referee Paul Tapley that she had no desire to continue.
The emphatic finish saw Nicolson pick up an IBF Inter-Continental strap, with the otherwise meaningless trinket expected to improve her third-place ranking with the sanctioning body at 122lbs.
And yet, while unified world champion Ellie Scotney should represent an appealing option, the 29-year-old has instead set her sights on a possible rematch with the only woman to defeat her as a pro.
“I think I might be a puncher at 122[lbs],” Nicolson said in her post-fight interview.
“I feel great at this weight – I think I’m where I’m supposed to be now – but also, like I’ve said this whole time, I want to get my belt back at 126[lbs].
“Tiara Brown, you’ve got what I want. I’m coming back for it. While the 122lb division is busy, I’m ready to take over the world. 122 [or] 126 – anyone can get it.”
