Sunny Edwards to face Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai in flyweight domestic clash
Croydon’s former IBF world champion Sunny Edwards and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai will collide in a flyweight thriller at BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham on Saturday November 30.
The British rivals have been on a collision course since former Team GB star Yafai joined the professional ranks in February 2022 after fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming Olympic champion by outpointing the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam to secure gold in Japan.
Edwards (21-1, 4 KOs) produced a sublime display to inflict a first defeat on Moruti Mthalane in 13 years and become IBF flyweight world champion behind closed doors at London’s York Hall back in May 2021.
The gifted 28-year-old, who holds a win over Yafai in the amateurs, went on to make four successful defences of his world title before suffering the first loss of his career in a unification clash with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez at the Desert Diamond Arena in Arizona last December.
‘Showtime’ returned to winning ways against Adrian Curiel on the undercard of Estrada v Rodriguez last time out in June and returns to fight in the UK for the first time since June 2023 aiming to close out the year in style in what promises to be a British blockbuster.
Birmingham’s Yafai (7-0, 5KOs) picked up the WBC International flyweight crown on his professional debut at The O2 in London before making defences at the world-famous Madison Square Garden In New York, the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and The O2 once more in April 2023.
The 31-year-old demolished Tommy Frank inside two minutes to preserve his unbeaten record in front of his hometown fans at the Utilita Arena Birmingham in August 2023 before closing out the year with a points win over Rocco Santomauro in Arizona.
His last win came against Agustin Gauto at Fontainebleau Las Vegas earlier this year in April and now Yafai will run out at the Canon Medical Centre in Sheffield on September 28 before he steps up against the vastly more experienced Edwards for the biggest test of his pro career to date.
“This fight has always been inevitable,” said Edwards. “Our last names hold weight in British boxing and around the world – and it’s really time to put to bed the Edwards-Yafai saga.
“Being overlooked for the Olympic Games because of family relationships and city ties – lit a fire all those years back. I beat Galal and was shelved in the same year back in 2015 and now this is my chance to show Britain who the real golden boy is.”
“I’m happy that the fight has been made,” said Yafai. “This is going to be a massive fight for British boxing. I need to win a world title, and this is a fight that will put me on the cusp of fighting for one when I win in my hometown on November 30.”
PICTURE: MATCHROOM BOXING