Skye Nicolson and Tiara Brown separated after heated world title weigh-in, Jai Opetaia readies himself to fight again

Drama at the weigh in for Aussie Sky Nicolson’s world title fight, while Jai Opetaia sets himself for another bout in May, keeping himself busy awaiting the contest he really wants.

Skye Nicolson and her American world title challenger had to be separated at Friday’s weigh-ins, with the brash Tiara Brown following the Aussie champ to the side of the stage at Qudos Bank Arena.

Brown (56.5kg) has been full of hot air and trash talk all week, and it was no different as they both made the featherweight limit.

The pair traded insults during their face-off, with Nicolson (57.1kg) laughing off Brown’s incessant talking.

The American then stalked the Aussie towards the side of the stage before being ushered away.

WBA bantamweight world champion Cherneka Johnson weighed in at 53.2kg ahead of her rematch with England’s former champ Nina Hughes (53.2kg).

The highly anticipated rematch has been overshadowed by arguments over the judging following Johnson’s controversial decision win in Perth in May last year.

In Saturday’s main event, George Kambosos (63.2kg) and Jake Wyllie (63.3kg) both made weight ahead of their hastily arranged super-lightweight bout.

Meanwhile, Jai Opetaia will make his third defence of the IBF cruiserweight world title against Italy’s Claudio Squeo (17-0, 9KOs) on the Gold Coast on May 13.

Born and raised on the Central Coast, and now based on the Gold Coast, Opetaia desperately wants a cruiserweight unification bout against WBO and WBA champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, but will take a stay-busy fight in the meantime.

Opetaia celebrates defeating David Nyika during the IBF And Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Title Fight in January. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“It’s a bit frustrating, I’ve been chasing unifications, I’ve been chasing Zurdo – it’s bull***t,” the 29-year-old said at Friday’s weigh-ins. “The best should be fighting the best.

“I’ve got a belt, he’s got two belts. There’s no reason it shouldn’t get over the line, other than he’s ducking.

“We are the top two in the division. It’s the only fight that makes sense to me. I don’t know why we’re dancing around. I’ll take a pay cut. I’ll do what I have to do to get these belts.”

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn knows exactly why Ramirez won’t fight the dangerous Opetaia.

“The problem is, the man’s a beast,” the Englishman said. “Everyone in boxing knows how good Jai Opetaia is.

“I don’t know, deep down, whether they want to roll the dice against Jai Opetaia.”

Hearn later revealed he missed a call from Turki Alalsheikh, with speculation the Saudi powerbroker had news of a unification fight for Opetaia.

Skye Nicolson makes her first world title defence in Australia. Picture: Matchroom Boxing

‘Why shouldn’t I be the main event?’: Nicholson’s fight for equality

She’s too modest to say it outright, but Australia’s WBC featherweight world champion Skye Nicolson knows she should be fighting in the main event in Sydney on Saturday night.

The proud Queenslander will defend her world title against loudmouthed American Tiara Brown, and the pair had a tense face-off outside Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday morning.

The cocky Brown did most of the trash talking, telling the 29-year-old Nicolson that her legions of fans and high-profile promoter Eddie Hearn can’t fight for her.

It’s something the former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Tokyo Olympian knows only too well.

“She’s created this narrative in her mind that everything’s been handed to me on a silver platter and I’ve been given opportunities that I haven’t deserved,” Nicolson told this masthead.

“You can’t be spoon fed the wins I’ve had. You can’t be spoon fed winning every round and not being touched.

“She’s trying to convince herself that I’m not as good as people think. It’s an insecurity thing.”

Tiara Brown did plenty of trash talking when they met face-to-face on Wednesday. Picture: Matchroom

Brown’s criticisms are nothing new. Nicolson has heard them all before.

In online videos, social media posts and in the comments sections, the tired accusations are always the same.

“Things like my fans are only my fans because of what I look like – my appearance – stuff like that,” she said, before offering a passionate defence of her approach to the sport.

“We’ve come so far in women’s boxing to move away from that type of stereotype and not be sexualised,” she continued.

“Me especially, I feel like I’ve tried really hard to not be that sex icon.

“I keep things very classy all the time. I feel like someone saying something like that, it takes away from what I’ve done as an athlete.

“It’s personal for me.”

Skye Nicolson said criticism levelled at her reputation in boxing, and accusations her fanbase was built by her appearance rather than ability, is personal. Picture: Matchroom

Boxing is in Nicolson’s blood.

Her older brother Jamie won bronze at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and represented Australia at the Olympics in Barcelona two years later.

Jamie and younger brother Gavin tragically died in a car accident in 1994, the year before Skye was born.

Last year, she dedicated her masterful world title win over Sarah Mahfoud to the two older brothers she never met.

Now based in England, Nicolson has become a globally recognised star of the sport, has defended the WBC belt twice, and will make her third defence in her first fight on home soil since October 2022.

Australian-based Kiwi Cherneka Johnson defends her WBA bantamweight world title in a rematch with Nina Hughes on the same card, and there are plenty of people in the boxing community who say Nicolson deserves to be the main event.

Cherneka Johnson (L) defends her WBA bantamweight world title against Nina Hughes. Picture: Matchroom

“I think so too!” she said.

“You’ve got two women’s world title fights, and the main event (between George Kambosos Jr and Jake Wyllie) ... is it even for a title?

“I’m humble, I’m not complaining – it’s a huge opportunity. But, when you sit back and look at it, I’m a world champion having my homecoming, why shouldn’t I be the main event?

“That’s the gap we’re trying to bridge in women’s boxing. Both of these women’s fights have the chance to steal the show, and I think the best way we can fight for equality and keep bridging the gap is by getting people behind women’s boxing.

“We’re not headlining because we’re not seen as ticket sellers. So the only way that’s going to change is by fans and supporters getting behind us.

“Show up, buy tickets, tune in. We’re heading in the right direction, but how do we move this faster?

“That’s my biggest message: Get behind us. Support women fighters, and you’ll see, on Saturday night, we’ll steal the show.”

Originally published as Skye Nicolson and Tiara Brown separated after heated world title weigh-in, Jai Opetaia readies himself to fight again