Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai will be fighting for more than just a title when they collide at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England, this Saturday.
The pair’s first encounter took place back in 2015, when Edwards outpointed his vastly inexperienced opponent through three rounds in a fiercely contested amateur bout.
Since then, both fighters have shared numerous rounds in sparring, while a clash between their brothers, Kal and Charlie, was always expected to take place.
But now, Sunny and Galal will represent their fighting families in a mouthwatering showdown for the interim WBC world flyweight title, with the winner looking to face formidable champion Kenshiro Teraji.
And so, ahead of what promises to be a compelling domestic dustup, Bloody Knockout brings you two informed predictions.
- Read More [Galal Yafai sends ominous warning to Sunny Edwards ahead of their WBC interim title clash]
Galal Yafai by stoppage – Oscar Pick
Galal Yafai’s terrific surge at the Tokyo Olympic Games, which culminated in a scintillating gold medal victory, went somewhat under the radar. Perhaps it was due to the Covid-19 restrictions at the time, but it seemed as though his victory in the final failed to capture the widespread attention it deserved.
Nevertheless, Yafai proved to me that he is an elite, versatile operator, who just so happens to be a genius when it comes to pressure fighting. We all saw how Edwards responded to Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, a pound-for-pound star known for his ruthless front foot aggression.
Of course, Edwards is a bona fide world-level fighter himself, and so Yafai will be compelled to overcome some rocky moments. But then, once he has established his distance and timing, I do believe that Yafai is more than capable of producing a stunning finish down the stretch.
Sunny Edwards on points – Callum Boyle
Sunny Edwards is back fighting in the UK after what feels like a very long time out. He recovered from his defeat against Jesse Rodriguez with a solid victory against Adrian Curiel in June.
He and Yafai have history in the past having fought against each other in the amateurs, but this is a different playground. Yafai is aggressive and attacking and won’t give Edwards a moment’s peace in the ring. For most boxers, that would be a nightmare, but this is where Sunny thrives.
I think it’ll be a close encounter but I’m backing Edwards to mark his return to the UK with a win by unanimous decision.