Britain’s best flyweights are officially set to duke it out, as Matchroom announced today that former champion Sunny Edwards will face Tokyo gold medalist Galal Yafai on November 30th at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Arena.
As mentioned before, Edwards (21-1, 4 KO) has a strong claim to being the best flyweight of the post-”Bam” era; only Kenshiro Teraji, who makes his divisional debut exactly one month from now in a vacant title fight against Cristofer Rosales, has a comparable body of work.
That’s if we only take the professional game into account, though, as Yafai (7-0, 5 KO) boasts impeccable bona fides in the amateur ranks. He’s also looked strong throughout his brief pro career, though he’s yet to meet anyone in the same universe as Edwards as far as technique or accomplishments.
Aside from Edwards vs Teraji, this is among the most interesting fights the division has to offer in terms of storyline and overall skill level. Might not be good to watch, but it’ll be fascinating to observe.
“This fight has always been inevitable,” said Edwards. “Our last names hold weight in British boxing and around the world – and it’s really time to put to bed the Edwards-Yafai Saga.
“Being overlooked for the Olympic Games because of family relationships and city ties – lit a fire all those years back. I beat Galal and was shelved in the same year back in 2015 and now this is my chance to show Britain who the real golden boy is.”
“I’m happy that the fight has been made,” said Yafai. “This is 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 cusp of fighting for one when I win in my hometown on November 30.”