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Galal Yafai first swapped leather with Sunny Edwards nearly nine-and-a-half years ago, back when they were both amateurs. Yafai was 22 years old; Edwards was 19.
The two flyweights will fight again on November 30 at BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham. And they’ll be at very different stages in their lives and careers.
Yafai is 31, a two-time Olympian who won a gold medal at Tokyo 2020, turned professional in 2022, and is 7-0 (5 KOs).
Edwards is 28 years old, a former flyweight titleholder who lost his belt in December 2023 when he was stopped after nine rounds by Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. Following a victory in June against Adrian Curiel, Edwards is 21-1 (4 KOs).
They both need a victory. Yafai to move his career forwards; Edwards to ensure his own doesn’t slide any further backwards; each also want to move towards a world-title shot.
There’s also that little matter of their shared history.
“We’ve had a rivalry for years,” Yafai told talkSPORT. “He beat me in 2015. It was a close fight, and he beat me in a split decision. I was still relatively new. He’s got the bragging rights now, if that’s what you want to call it. We can put the record straight.”
Edwards won the IBF belt at 112lbs back in April 2021 with a unanimous decision over Moruti Mthalane. He made four successful defenses, all via unanimous decision, over Jayson Mama, Muhammad Waseem, Felix Alvarado and Jose Campos, leading him into the collision with Rodriguez, who has since vacated the two belts and become the lineal champ at 115lbs.
“Sunny’s a relatively big name in our weight,” Yafai said. “He’s not a huge name. He’s not a superstar – not like he might think he is. But he’s a good name, especially at our weights.”
That name carries value – not just in boosting the money the two men will earn, but also in providing Yafai with motivation.
“I need something to get up for, as well,” Yafai said. “I’ve been fighting in America against people nobody knows. I want to fight somebody that everyone knows; people are gonna turn up to. People are gonna tune in. And that’s when you’re gonna get my best.”
Yafai’s past two appearances were in Arizona and Las Vegas, where he respectively outpointed the 22-2 Rocco Santomauro on the undercard of Rodriguez-Edwards and then stopped the 21-1 Agustin Gauto on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins-Gustavo Lemos.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.