Sunny Edwards is starting to talk a strong game ahead of his flyweight unification fight against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The 112-pound IBF titlist Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) and WBO champion Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) will square off December 16 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on DAZN.

Edwards – a titleholder since 2019 – is promising to pump the brakes on the fast-ascending Rodriguez. 

“I’ve been waiting for this even my whole life. My whole boxing career definitely,” said Edwards. “I want to thank [Matchroom Boxing head] Eddie Hearn for making it happen. He delivered me on his promise. It took one fight longer than we both wanted, but we managed to bully Bam and his team into a corner. [Rodriguez] couldn’t run away any more, and now we’ll go to work.”

Rodriguez broke out with a banner year in 2022 with wins against Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and Israel Gonzalez at 115 pounds. 

In April, the 23-year-old San Antonio, Texas-based boxer stepped back down to 112 pounds to capture the vacant WBO crown against Cristian Gonzalez

Hernandez via unanimous decision – all while overcoming a fractured jaw that would later require surgery. 

“Bam’s definitely exciting, and he’s definitely got a lot of hype, traction behind his career, but I’m looking to put a big stop to that. I feel like he can’t come forward,” said Edwards. “I’m going to have him falling in all night, and I think I’m going to make him look silly in his backyard. Well, the closest thing.”

Rodriguez will sport a seven-inch reach advantage against Edwards, a 27-year-old Brit who’ll be making his United States debut. 

“I genuinely believe me and Bam are two of the brightest talents in world boxing at the moment,” said Edwards. “I genuinely believe that. I think a lot of people that have seen our careers and trajectories are very similar.”

Edwards last fought in June and scored a unanimous decision against Andres Campos. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.