On Saturday in Birmingham we will be treated to a rare sight in the UK – two flyweights headlining a significant card on British soil. For so long the lighter weight divisions have gone under the radar, hidden away at the bottom of undercards. Saturday’s bout at the Resorts World Arena has the potential to bring attention to the little guys, who are just as capable in the ring as their larger counterparts.
The battle between Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai is an intriguing one – with the WBC “interim” title at stake the winner is surely guaranteed a shot at the full championship. While there is no bad blood between Edwards and Yafai, there is a lot of history. They have been rivals ever since they donned the GB Boxing vest and their brothers Charlie Edwards and Kal Yafai were in talks to fight for what seemed like a lifetime. This has put Sunny and Galal on a collision course to finally settle their amateur dispute and trade blows not just for themselves, but for their families.
Their rivalry stems back to the pair’s time with Team GB, Yafai was the golden boy on the squad, chosen for Olympic qualifiers – something Edwards did not agree with after beating Yafai in the national championships. They then went in different directions, both finding success. Edwards turned his back on Team GB and took the professional route, winning a world title; Yafai stuck around and was crowned Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020.
They have been regular sparring partners over the years, and if what both are saying is true about those spars, we are in for a fantastic contest.
This truly is a “pick’em” fight – both have the tools to win but there are so many unanswered questions surrounding both. How much has the beating by Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez taken out of Edwards? The former champion’s only loss came at the hands of the pound-for-pound star. So often Edwards mesmerizes his opponents with his fancy footwork, but he was unable to mesmerize Rodriguez. Will Yafai have the same effect?
Yafai is a relative novice in the professional ranks, with only eight contests compared to Edwards’ 22. Is it too soon for Yafai or is it time to roll the dice? The gold medalist isn't getting any younger; he may be short on professional experience, but he is actually the 28-year-old Edwards’ senior, at 31.
It seems likely that Edwards dances around the ring all night and walks away with a lopsided decision victory. It also seems likely that Yafai will use his aggressive pressure to force Edwards to trade, and ultimately winning a decision or even getting a stoppage.
Edwards’ best attribute is his awkwardness; his footwork so often makes him a puzzle that his opponents fail to solve. That, however, may be his downfall. Yafai’s feet are fast, and he has worked out so many difficult Cubans and Kazakhs on the amateur boxing circuit. Yafai will look to press the action as he so often has in his eight contests, and his aggressive style has so far earned him six stoppages. The relentless pace Yafai sets leaves his opponents struggling to keep up, and they so often succumb to his combination punching.
Edwards has said that he plans to force a firefight with Yafai, and surely that will only play against him. Yafai has shown that his best work is up-close to his opponents, where he can find a home for his blistering combinations. If Edwards sits and trades with Yafai then there is surely only one fighter who will get the better of the exchanges.