Sunny Edwards: record, next fight and profile →
Probellum has announced the promotional signing of IBF flyweight world champion Sunny Edwards. Edwards (17-0, 4 knockout) boasts a proven pedigree at the highest level and captured the world title in April of last year when he defeated South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane at York Hall courtesy of a unanimous points decision.
Probellum returns to Dubai in March for an action-packed weekend of elite-level boxing staged over two consecutive nights with a card featuring a combination of current and former world champions, Olympic medalists and hugely talented young fighters.
Julio Cesar Martinez and his team don’t seem too bothered by the competition. A call for a title unification bout came from Sunny Edwards, who recently defended his IBF flyweight title following a dominant twelve-round, unanimous decision over Philippines’ Jayson Mama (16-1, 9KOs). Edwards won by scores of 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110 to clear off his mandatory title defense obligation last month at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Sunny Edwards is prepared to be his brother’s keeper. A masterclass performance was turned in by the Croydon, London native in a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Philippines’ Jayson Mama. The fight marked the first defense of the IBF flyweight title claimed by Edwards, who inherited Mama (16-1, 9KOs) as a mandatory challenger.
Sunny Edwards presented his case as the best flyweight in the world. The unbeaten IBF flyweight titlist from Croydon, London made the first successful defense of his crown with a convincing twelve-round, unanimous decision over Philippines’ Jayson Mama. Judges ruled in favor of Edwards by scores of 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110 in their AXS TV headliner Saturday evening at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Hasibullah Ahmadi pushed past a forgettable day at the scales with a memorable night in the ring, scoring a highlight reel fourth-round knockout of Nadir Baloch. A picture-perfect left hook flattened Pakistan’s Baloch (10-1, 8KOs), who was counted out at 2:43 of round four in their battle of unbeaten featherweights.
Paul Butler has gone from title challenger to interim title hopeful to non-participant all in the span of the last 24 hours. Plans to stage a WBO interim bantamweight title fight between Butler and late replacement Joseph Agbeko were thwarted at the eleventh hour, event promoter Probellum announced Saturday morning. The bout was due to take place as part of Saturday's show from Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, with the winner was poised to receive a shot at WBO bantamweight titlist John Riel Casimero or even a straightaway upgrade to full champion status.
Sunny Edwards does not spend much time studying his opponents, but that does not mean he is taking them lightly. Edwards makes the first defence of the IBF flyweight title – which he won from Moruti Mthalane in April – when he faces Jayson Mama in Dubai on Saturday. The Filipino is unbeaten in 16 fights, the same as Edwards, but has more of a reputation as a heavy hitter. Edwards, though, he says most of what he needs to know about Mama will be learnt in the ring.
John Riel Casimero cannot see 2021 end soon enough. The three-division and (for now) reigning WBO bantamweight titlist has been forced to withdraw from his mandatory defense versus Paul Butler due to late-surfacing medical reason. Casimero reportedly suffered from gastritis, which left him unable to attend the official pre-fight weigh-in ahead of Saturday’s show at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Julio Cesar Martinez says he would love to fight IBF champion Sunny Edwards – but admits that tonight’s WBC World Flyweight title defense against McWilliams Arroyo is his toughest fight yet as they clash at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, live worldwide on DAZN.