Galal Yafai found a definitive conclusion to his long-simmering rivalry with Sunny Edwards, battering his British flyweight rival to a one-sided defeat inside six rounds in Birmingham.
Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Yafai and former IBF champion Edwards have been on a collision course since their time together on the Team GB podium squad. Galal was backed to become the Olympic star boy, while Sunny plotted his own path as an excellent pro.
Edwards defended the IBF title four times before losing to pound-for-pound rated Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez in December last year. Faced with another concussive, spiteful puncher, 'Showtime' had no answer.
Yafai spoke warmly of the beaten man in defeat and takes home the interim WBC title, setting up a potentially mouthwatering clash with Japanese star Kenshiro Teraji — the organisation's full champion.
The end came with Edwards offering scant response under sustained fire after one minute and 10 seconds of the sixth. Afterwards, the 28-year-old, who has already moved successfully into managing fighters, announced his intention to retire.
WATCH: Sunny Edwards vs. Galal Yafai, live on DAZN
A short, cuffing right hook to the top of the head from Yafai buzzed Edwards inside the opening seconds and almost forced him to touch down. Sunny never truly recovered, unable to locate his famously dazzling footwork as Yafai's suffocating attacks or heavy, well-picked shots amounted to instant misery for the former world champion.
Nipping any potential euphoria from that emphatic opening in the bud, Yafai's esteemed trainer Rob McCracken admonished his fighter. "I don't want you loading up with single shots. You've got to be wise or he's going to counter you." It displayed the calmness and familiarity that was evidently lacking in the Edwards corner a few moments later.
HUGE start for @galal_yafai 👀#EdwardsYafai | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/h0Ya67FAnS
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 30, 2024
The same short right worked nicely for Yafai with a minute gone of round two, bringing it upstairs after dropping smartly to the body. A crisp southpaw left then forced Edwards back to the ropes, although he landed a nice clipping left under fire before the bell.
That quickly ceased to feel like a moment of encouragement when Edwards shockingly told new trainer Chris Williams: "Can I be real with you, I don't want to be in here." The Liverpudlian trainer unleashed a verbal volley in response, instructing his charge to: "Bite down on your gum shield and sort your f—--- head out."
After another three minutes of Yafai looking stronger and punching harder, the latest captivating discussions in the Edwards corner revealed the former world champion was struggling to move his legs. Greeted with this far-from-ideal reality for his light-punching slickster, Williams instructed Edwards to counter-punch at every opportunity and the first minute of round four was his best of the contest.
It was but a fleeting glance of success as Yafai re-imposed himself and the final minute of the fourth was a long, bruising and sustained assault, with Edwards tucked up forlornly in the Yafai corner for a decent chunk of that particular ordeal.
Yafai was brilliant, measured and utterly spiteful in his work. A volley of well-picked head shots steadied Edwards back against the ropes as round five reached a crescendo, with Sunny firing back under little other than dutiful instinct.
A minute into round six the referee was having a long and close look at Edwards. The fallen champ was slipping and catching some but taking plenty. He was battered and bullied by a fresher man who looks destined to repeat his amateur exploits in the pros. When it was waved off, there was little in the way of protest from Edwards, who had long seen the writing on the wall.
Galal Yafai STOPS Sunny Edwards 😱#EdwardsYafai | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/lRMWcBlNk8
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 30, 2024
Sunny Edwards vs. Galal Yafai fight card
- Sunny Edwards def. by Galal Yafai (TKO 6/12) for the interim WBC flyweight title
- Conah Walker def. Lewis Ritson (UD 10); Welterweights
- Kieron Conway def. Ryan Kelly (SD 12) to win the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title
- Cameron Vuong def. Gavin Gwynne (UD 10); Lightweights
- Troy Jones def. Michael Stephenson (UD 10) for the English light heavyweight title
- Callum Smith def. Carlos Galvan (TKO 5/8); Light Heavyweights
- Ibraheem Sulaimaan def. Marvin Solano (KO 2/6); Super Featherweights
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