Boxing Predictions: Charlie Edwards vs Sikho Nqothole

One of British boxing’s most popular fighters makes his eagerly awaited return to the ring. Charlie Edwards prepares to take on South Africa’s Sikho Nqothole over 12 rounds on Friday, 29th May, live on DAZN. 

Former world champion Edwards fights in his home city of London for the first time since the summer of 2024. The York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, provides the backdrop. It’s the spiritual home of British boxing, always attracts a knowledgeable audience, and Edwards hopes his fans will help give him a happy homecoming. 

The betting apps offer pre-fight odds and specials on Edwards vs Nqothole. You can keep it simple and bet on the fight winner. Other popular angles include total rounds, method of victory, exact winning round, total knockdowns, and more. The best bookmakers even give new members a generous welcome bonus.

Need help finding the value in this live fight? Former professional boxer turned sports betting analyst Frankie Monkhouse previews for our readers. He brings you up-to-speed on the best markets, the current betting odds, and his professional predictions. By the end of this preview, you’ll know who our expert expects to win and how they should get the job done.

Charlie Edwards makes the short trip from his Epsom base to East London, with a boxing record of 21 wins and 2 defeats.

The 5’6” orthodox boxer has beaten 14 of his opponents on points, with one loss coming on the scorecards and the other inside the distance. The only man to stop Edwards was John Riel Casimero at the O2 Arena in 2016.

The other defeat on Charlie’s card was inflicted by Andrew Cane at the Echo Arena in Liverpool last March. That bout went the 12-round distance, before local fighter Cane was awarded a split decision.

Edwards has boxed once since, returning to winning ways with a 10-round points victory over Salvador Juarez in Dublin last summer.

Edwards is a skilled fighter who has won belts in several weight categories, including flyweight and super flyweight. At 33 years old, critics suggest he’s past his prime. Boxing fans anf box bettors will know if that’s true by the end of play in Bethnal Green.

Charlie remains the number one fighter at the weight in the UK, but sits at seventh in the global charts.

If you’re a casual boxing fan, you’d be forgiven for not knowing too much about Sikho Nqothole. The 31-year-old from Eastern Cape, South Africa, has 21 wins against 3 defeats.

He has 13 stoppages on his card, with two defeats on the scorecards and one inside the distance. Nqothole is third in his country, and a lowly 19th in the world rankings.

The warrior in the away corner arrives in fantastic form, winning each of his last three bouts and 10 of 11. That ensures he’s here to win and will walk into the York Hall full of confidence.

The plan is to overwhelm the local fighter, silence the crowd and get a win that would drive him up the rankings. A result in London would certainly be the biggest of his career to date.

What can we expect from Nqothole? His record shows Sikho stopped two of his last three opponents inside the distance. Going back further, he dealt with 5 of 10 without any help from the scoring judges.

That’s impressive, certainly on paper, but a look at Nqothole’s recent opponents proves he’s taking a massive step up in class when facing Edwards.

I’ll now guide you through the Edwards vs Nqothole betting odds. The prices mentioned are generally available in the market, with your favourite boxing sportsbooks offering odds on several interesting markets. There are no major surprises in the fight winner betting, with traders happy to support a home win for the skilled Englishman.

Sports bettors who enjoy taking a punt on the underdog may wish to get behind Nqothole. The South African boxer brings power and experience to the UK. He’ll want to find his range early, showcase his strength, and let Edwards know he’s in a fight.

In addition to the fight winner, you can try your luck on other markets. There’s draw no bet, which offers your bet extra security, and the method of victory. Study the form of both men and predict who will win and how they’ll do it.

The Englishman’s recent results suggest the most likely outcome is another points win for Edwards. Traders deem a KO less likely.

Having analysed the form of Charlie Edwards and Sikho Nqothole and covered the general betting odds available on this contest, it’s time to reveal my prediction. I fully expect Edwards to win, and am happy to back him.

When studying the stats, I expected to see Edwards a lot shorter in the betting. The fact that he’s 8/13 when I expected 1/3 makes him a great bet.

I’m not entirely sure why traders working at the top online bookies expect this bout to be tight. Perhaps they believe the favourite is past his prime.

I am confident Team Edwards wouldn’t be at the York Hall unless they were supremely confident they’d win and put on a show. Nqothole isn’t a soft touch, but Edwards has campaigned at a higher level over the years.

My best bet at the York Hall is for Charlie Edwards to delight the fans and score a crucial victory. His odds are good enough to back as a single or in your fight night accumulators. Bettors wishing to target a higher price can try Edwards to win on points.