Sunny Edwards: I’ll retire as one of the all-time British ring greats
Sunny Edwards reckons he will be seen as one of the all-time British ring greats by the time he hangs up his gloves.
The Croydon-raised fighter puts his IBF world flyweight title on the line against Chile’s Andres Campos at Wembley Arena on Saturday night.
Edwards is 19-0 as a professional and has made three successful defences.
“I genuinely believe I’m one of the best fighters of the era right now,” he told BBC’s 5Live Boxing. “I genuinely believe by the end of my career I will be regarded as one of the best fighters that Britain has ever had.
“All you’ve got to ask is who else at other weights has gone 13 years unbeaten? It doesn’t happen very often.
“It’s just something I’ve got to live with – being 5ft 3ins and 112lb. The punches are a lot lighter and so is the purse.
“Life at the age of 27 is way better than I ever imagined it would be. I always had high ambitions and aims about what I could achieve in the sport.
“But when your entry level conversation into professional boxing is that if you want to fight at fly or light-fly you’re going to be earning £1,500 for a world title, I’m grateful – I feel like I’ve helped change the market dynamic a little bit.
“Being famous and a household name has generally never been a draw or attraction. I look at people like Anthony Joshua, seeing them through a lense, and I’m so glad I’m not.
“I’ve seen how people build you up just to tear you down.
“I’ve kind of unapologetically been myself and wherever that takes me, it takes me.
“Maybe I’m a niche but that’s kind of what I want to be. I want to be known and remembered in boxing – about everything else I don’t really care.
“The biggest opportunities and biggest fights – where I can test myself mentally, physically and emotionally – are always going to be the priority for me.”
This weekend will be Edwards’ first ring outing since signing a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing.
Catford’s Ellie Scotney, 25, is on the same show and challenges Cherneka Johnson for the IBF world super-bantamweight belt.
PICTURES: MATCHROOM BOXING
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