Sunny Edwards (left) joins Galal Yafai in the ring after the latter’s September 28 technical knockout of Sergio Orozco at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. Edwards and Yafai meet on November 30 at BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham. Photo Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxingoto Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai square off to promote their flyweight contest on November 30, 2024 at BP Pulse LIVE, Birmingham, UK.
It’s on the right business for Galal Yafai.
A Nov. 30 homecoming against former IBF flyweight titleholder Sunny Edwards was preserved with a third-round submission win over Sergio Orozco. Yafai dropped the visiting Mexican in the third and forced a stoppage at 1:49 of that round on Saturday at Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England.
The admitted mismatch was put together solely to get Yafai (8-0. 6 KOs) back in the ring before his anticipated crossroads match against Edwards (21-1. 4 KOs). Yafai, who won an Olympic gold three years ago in Tokyo, has not fought since April 6 in Las Vegas.
Saturday’s fight, simply put, was an overhaul.
“I just needed a few rounds in the ring,” Yafai noted. “I actually felt bad, I don’t want to flatter myself, but I’m past this level.
Yafai allowed Orozco (9-9, 7 KOs) to stick around for a few rounds. Orozco was never hard to find nor did he land anything of note in his first fight outside of Mexico.
The biggest concern, especially from Edwards, was that Yafai would suffer a cut or injury.
The threat of that scenario never materialized as Yafai closed out the program in the third. Orozco landed his punches, leaving himself wide open for a right jab, straight left combination from the 31-year-old southpaw. The sequence was followed by a right uppercut and a left hand to the middle to force Orozco to fall into the ropes.
Referee Michael Alexander issued an eight count, but ended the fight when Orozco was on his feet.
“I didn’t want to be this late in the promotion, but I wanted to get in those rounds,” Yafai reiterated. “I haven’t fought since April 6. November 30 would have been shut out of the ring for eight months.
“It’s not the best thing to do against someone who, well who they think is number one in the division.”
Now it’s on to a major domestic rivalry – albeit a friendly one – for arguably the UK’s two best flyweights.
“Me and Galal, we’re the two biggest names in our country, in our division,” Edwards said. “Olympic gold medalist (versus) former world champion. Our names have been rivals since our (older) brothers in the amateurs.
“I’m glad the fight is being made.”
Edwards will travel to Yafai’s hometown for their November 30 DAZN headline of BP Pulse LIVE. Matchroom Boxing will host a press conference in Birmingham on Tuesday to formally announce the event.
Edwards is ranked by The Ring as no. Rated 1 out of 112. Yafai is the division’s no. 10 rated competitor.
The fight will be his second since a stoppage loss to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) in their IBF/WBO flyweight division last December 16 in Glendale, Arizona. Edwards returned to the win column in a technical unanimous decision over Adrian Curiel (24-6-1, 5 KOs) on June 30 in Phoenix.
Interestingly, Saturday was Yafai’s first scheduled eight. He has fought in all ten rounds since his pro debut in February 2022.
Yafai-Orozco was part of a five-fight DAZN show headlined by the Rhiannon Dixon-Terri Harper WBO lightweight title fight.
