Sunny Edwards believes Saturday’s interim WBC flyweight contest against Galal Yafai is on another level due to the feud between the two families.
The pair meet in Birmingham with the winner in line for a shot at WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji in 2025.
It is a rematch that has been almost a decade in the making after they fought as amateurs in 2015, with Edwards winning by split-decision.
Edwards has since won and lost the IBF flyweight title, while Yafai competed at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics – winning gold at the latter.
Both come from fighting families with Edwards’ brother Charlie previously holding the WBC flyweight belt, while Yafai’s brothers Kal and Gamal were WBA super-flyweight and European super-bantamweight champions respectively.
“I’m always representing the family name, but because there is another well-thought of, built-up and reputable name in the Yafai’s to go up against, of course it makes it bigger,” Edwards told BBC Sport.
Despite tension between their siblings, with Charlie and Kal involved in several public disputes, the relationship between Sunny and Galal has always been respectful.
“It would be fake now to be hating each other, swearing at each other and going back and forth,” Yafai told BBC Sport.
“We sparred a lot and every time we’ve seen each other it has been respectful.
“My brothers are probably a bit different, they might be a bit aggressive sometimes. You see Gamal and Charlie go back and forth now and again. I think I’m a bit too laid back for that.”
‘I’m an Olympic champion, he can’t be that’ – Yafai
Birmingham’s Yafai is hoping to extend his perfect record to nine victories when he takes on Edwards at BP Pulse Live.
It is the first time he has competed in his home town since a first-round stoppage victory against Tommy Frank in August 2023.
“I love fighting in my home city, I love fighting in the UK,” Yafai said.
“It’s nice going to America and fighting in New York at Madison Square Garden and in Las Vegas, but nothing is better than fighting at home and it’s really home for this fight.”
But life could have panned out very differently for the 31-year-old.
Yafai, despite being an avid boxing fan from a young age, did not start learning the trade until his late teens and almost decided to walk away from the sport as he struggled to balance training with work.
“I was working in the Land Rover factory at Solihull,” Yafai said.
“I always dreamed about boxing for Great Britain at the Olympics and I went on to do that twice, it’s surreal now that I think about it.
“It was hard to juggle work and boxing and I was at a stage where I was just going to quit because it was getting too much, but thankfully I persevered and the rest is history.”
After falling short of a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Yafai brought home gold from Tokyo at the Covid-19-delayed Games in 2021 – just four months after Edwards had become a world champion.
“There’s one thing I have over Sunny – I’m an Olympic champion, he can’t be that,” Yafai said.
“He’s been a world champion but I can be a world champion. I can be both but he can only be one.”
‘A loss can make or break a fighter’ – Edwards
Edwards has never been a knockout artist or a power-puncher – just four of his 21 wins have come inside the distance – but his flamboyant style has earned him plenty of admirers.
The 28-year-old quickly ascended through the ranks after becoming a professional and claimed the IBF flyweight belt when he overcame Moruti Mthalane to extend his unbeaten record to 16.
After four successive defences, Edwards tasted defeat for the first time when attempting to unify against WBO champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez in December 2023.
Edwards has since bounced back, beating Adrian Curiel in June.
“The level I lost at was a very high one,” Edwards said.
“A loss can make or break a fighter but I think it depends on where they are at in their life.
“All we are as fighters is trying to balance our life and career to get the best opportunity when we step into the ring. I’ve always been expecting this fight with Galal and I’m going to make the best of this opportunity.”
