A long-discussed domestic flyweight competition now graces the fall schedule.
Matchroom Boxing has confirmed that Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai will meet on top of a DAZN show on November 3rd. Their crossroad will end at BP Pulse LIVE in Yafai’s hometown of Birmingham, England.
“This is a huge fight for British boxing,” said Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn. “I’m delighted to get this one over the line because it’s the right fight for both men.
“In my opinion, these are the best two flyweights in the world. They will clash in front of a huge crowd in Birmingham to clinch the world title
Edwards (21-1, 4 KOs) will hit the road in just his second fight since the end of his IBF title reign. The Ring’s No. 1-rated flyweight is game for the challenge.
“This fight has always been inevitable,” Edwards said. “Our surnames carry weight in British boxing and around the world – and it really is time to put the Edwards-Yafai Saga to bed.”
Edwards, 28, held the IBF title for nearly three years before running into Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) last December. On December 16, Edwards, a Croydon-bred boxer based in Sheffield, suffered his first career defeat. He bounced back with a technical decision win over Adrien Curiel (24-6-1, 5 KOs) on June 29 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The win came just miles from his loss to Rodriguez at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. His fight with Curiel was not pretty, especially its gruesome ending. But it was enough to review the previous cases for Edwards.
Talk of the all-British flyweight affair has practically been in place since Yafai (7-0, 5 KOs) turned pro. An ambitious schedule followed the Olympic gold medalist less than a year after his 2021 outing in Tokyo.
There is no doubt that Yafai has earned his turn. However, his success story is a reminder of the roadblocks his future opponent endures.
“Being overlooked for the Olympics because of family ties and city ties — lit a fire all those years back,” Edwards noted. “I beat Galal and was rejected in the same year back in 2015 and now it’s my chance to show Britain who the real golden boy is.”
There is no doubt that Yafai will have something to say about that.
The 31-year-old southpaw has risen quickly through the ranks since making his pro debut in February 2022. All seven fights are scheduled for ten rounds, a mark he has accomplished twice so far.
Only three battles took place on British soil. He fought in Dubai and three times in the US, including his last outing. Yafai impressed in an eighth-round stoppage of Agustin Gauto (21-2, 15 KOs) in Las Vegas.
He now heads home for by far the biggest and most challenging fight of his career.
“I’m glad the fight was made,” Yafai said. “It’s 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 verge of fighting for one when I win in my hometown on November 30.”
