Charlie Edwards’ European title fight a family affair – with brother Sunny managing defending champion Thomas Essomba

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Charlie Edwards’ shot at the European title on Friday night is a family affair – with his younger brother Sunny managing his opponent Thomas Essomba.

The South London siblings have both held world titles and the senior of the pair, formerly WBC flyweight king, is looking to move up the bantamweight rankings by collecting a 20th victory in the professional ranks.

The fight is live and free to watch on Channel 5.

“He (Sunny) has picked his fighter to beat me,” Edwards, 31, told the South London Press. “Whether he believes that, or it is him playing his management role, I don’t really know. But, at the end of the day, I am sat here with a grateful heart because I have been in the dark for so long – this is a European title fight and propels me back to world title honours. He is serving me his fighter on a platter, so I have got to be thankful.

“It is in my hands and my power – it has given me the extra motivation and drive to put everything into this.

“It has brought a lot more eyes to this fight. I am laser-focused on this fight – it means the world to me and it feels bigger than a world-title fight. I am taking this shot with both hands.”

Edwards’s brother, who held the IBF world flyweight title until he suffered a first loss in the paid ranks to Jesse Rodriguez in December, has signed a contract to face Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai in Birmingham on November 30.

The senior Edwards has previously brought up the prospect of sparring Yafai – effectively helping the Birmingham boxer to prepare for the challenge.
Asked if that was a realistic proposition, Edwards said: “It’s the boxing game and Galal has already been on to me about sparring, so we’ll see.”
Cameroonian Essomba has a 13-8-1 record and boxed at two Olympics.

This will be the second defence of his EBU title, which he won with a unanimous decision over Alessio Lorusso in Italy in May 2023.

“He is a good fighter – he has always been in the away corner,” said Edwards. “He has beaten many people that he shouldn’t have beaten throughout his career and he got robbed a few times.

“If he was a prospect with a promoter blowing smoke up his arse and hyping him, like they do with other fighters, then maybe his career would’ve been different.

“I know he is a threat. That brings the best out of me.

“It has made me prepare meticulously and it’s made me get the right sparring partners in.

“When I went through my mental health saga while I was world champion and the controversy happened – everyone turned on me, (Julio Cesar) Martinez failed a drugs test and my old promoter signed him – I went through this whole mad thing, just like Daniel Dubois has had to go through.

“It goes deep inside and you have to keep battling and finding the right team around you. This is my resurgence and rebirth – I’m back and I’ve walked through the fire, just like Daniel Dubois at the weekend spoke about.

“Thomas was one of those who tried to mock me when I was in my lowest of lows. He laughed at me and retweeted it – so this is personal.

“I’m going to put in a performance of a lifetime that propels me forward.

“It will be a victory, by any means necessary. I’m prepared to go 12 rounds and I’m the best Charlie Edwards that has ever stepped into a boxing ring.

“My IQ is above Thomas’ and I believe I will set traps. I will create opportunities and I believe I’m too fast, too explosive and better in every single area. When the opportunity arises, I will knock him out.”

Edwards now manages himself and admits he wished he had made that move earlier in his career.

“Had I not gone through all the s*** – put up with the snakes and what-not – I would never be in the position of knowledge and understanding of the game,” he said. “I’ve made great connections. I’ve had managers who have been great for me, back in the day, and taught me a hell of a lot about the business.

“But then I’ve had ones that I don’t even know how they are allowed to have a manager’s licence. I feel the board (British Boxing Board of Control) need to be stricter and start protecting the fighters a little more – so many are getting their careers wasted and losing their livelihoods. It is affecting their family life and that is disgusting.

“I was inactive too long because I was messed around with politics outside of boxing. Now I have got the limelight back. I prepare like each and every fight is my last, because that is how much it means to me.”

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