Tiara Brown Upends Skye Nicolson for WBC Title in Australia
By David A. Avila
America’s Tiara Brown exposed Skye Nicolson’s inability to fight inside and walked away with a split-decision victory and the WBC featherweight title in Australia on Saturday.
Brown (19-0, 11 Kos) had warned Nicolson (12-1) and anyone listening to her words that she could topple the Aussie southpaw and did in front of a large audience in Sydney, Australia.
For years Nicolson had breezed through slower opponents and less agile foes with her super athleticism. Brown posed a different obstacle with her own athleticism and ability to force the Aussie to fight inside.
Nicolson chose to hold rather than fight at close distance.
After a slow two rounds with both fighters looking to time each other’s attacks and moves, Brown began to find space in-between Nicolson’s few one-two combinations. The jab that Nicolson relied to keep opponents at arm’s distance was unable to connect. Brown’s jabs also gave Nicolson pause.
Still, Brown could not walk into the firing zone without worrying about the Aussie fighter’s straight lefts.
Brown’s defense proved to be the difference against the seldom punching Nicolson. Against all other foes the Aussie southpaw was able to simply punch as little as five times a round and win the fight. Only against Spain’s aggressive Tania Alvarez did Nicolson have problems. This time, her lack of punching proved detrimental.
Time and time again Brown walked through Nicolson’s right jabs and lefts while punching in-between. When the Aussie southpaw chose to hold Brown kept firing right uppercuts and shots to the body.
Almos every round was the same with Nicolson holding and Brown punching with the free hand.
Nicolson mounted a rally in the eighth round as both fighters connected simultaneously in the early going. A strafing left by Nicolson was countered by combination blows from Brown. It was symbolic of most of the fight with Nicolson happy to land one punch and Brown out-punching the conservative Aussie.
In almost every round that Nicolson decided to hold, Brown kept punching to the body and sneaking uppercuts to the head.
After 10 rounds of close in action, one judge saw Nicolson the winner 96-94, but two others viewed Brown the winner and new WBA featherweight titlist by scores of 96-94 and 97-93.