Sunny Edwards takes on Galal Jafai for the WBC Interim Flyweight title at the top of the card tonight live on DAZN. The event begins at 2:00 PM ET. Edwards (21-1, 4 KOs), still reeling from last year’s ninth-round knockout loss, will look to put himself in position to challenge for the WBC’s top 112lb belt.
Undercard results
– Easy prospects Cameron Vuong (7-0, 3 KOs) defeated Gavin Gwinn (17-4-1, 5 KOs) by a grueling, harder-than-expected 10-round unanimous decision. The scores were 96-95, 97-94 and 96-94.
Gwynn, 34, landed plenty of hard punches on the 22-year-old Vuong and never let him go in the ten-round contest. Gwyn suffered cuts below both eyes. For his part, Vuong had bruises around his eyes and looked like he’d been through a lot.
Vuong’s performance showed that he will need to make drastic improvements in order to one day be a contender in the lightweight division.
– Troy Jones (12-0, 6 KOs) retained his BBBofC English light heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Michael Stevenson (9-3). The scores were 98-91, 98-91 and 97-93. Jones, 26, used his loud hitting to outwit Stevenson for the decision. Neither guy could hit, but Jones got the better of the action with his high work rate.
– Aaron Bowen (29-5, 4 KOs) had to get up from the deck to cruise to a fifth-round knockout victory over James Todd (4-4-2) in the super middleweight division. Bowen dominated most of the fight, but was knocked out with a left hook to the head in the second round.
In the fifth, Bowen, 25, dropped Todd with a left to the body. Referee Pete McCormack then counted out the 36-year-old Todd. Downtime was 1:46.
“It was a tougher fight than I expected. I switched off. I have a lot to learn. “I’ll be much better next time,” Bowen said after the fight. The crowd definitely helped. I will prove to Eddie and all those who support me that I will go all the way.”
“He’s a big ticket seller.” I saw him fight Taylor Bevin at Commonwealth. “That was the best fight before the bell I’ve ever seen,” said Eddie Hearn. “Those are the kinds of lessons that will get you a lot rather than going through one or three rounds.”
“All these guys should get to the British and the Commonwealth.” It has to be better, but it will be.”
– Super pen Ibrahim ‘Spider’ Suleiman (6-0, 4 KOs) destroyed Marvin Solano (24-21, 8 KOs) with a second-round knockout in a six-round contest. Sulaimaan, 23, dropped Solano with a left to the midsection in the second round. Referee Peter McCormack then stopped the contest. The time was 2:54 of the round.
– Prospects in the light heavyweight division Taylor Bevan (1-0, 1 KO) knocked out Greg O’Neill (7-9-1, 1 KO) in the second round in his debut. Heavy Bevan dropped O’Neill hard with head shots. Referee Peter McCormack stopped the contest at 2:40 seconds.
“I think this young man has what it takes to go.” I think we have the best stable in world boxing,” said Eddie Hearn, reacting to the victory of 23-year-old Bevan. “We want to make sure he boxes six or eight times a year. Tonight was the beginning of the journey for, I believe, the future world champion. This kid is going to be a star.
– Callum Smith (30-2, 22 KOs) destroyed veteran Carlos Galvan (20-5-2, 19 KOs) in the fifth round of the heavyweight contest. Two fighters crossed the light heavyweight division limit at Friday’s weigh-in.
Smith, 34, got off to a slow start but was able to drop Galvan with a short left hook to the head in the fourth round. In the fifth round, Smith dropped Galvan with a powerful left hook to the body. Moments later, Smith sent Galvan to the center with a left for the second time. This time, referee Kevin Parker backed out. Stoppage time was 1:19 of the fifth round.
“I need fights.” I haven’t fought in 11 months. I wanted to be in a position to go into one of those fights,” Callum Smith said after the fight. “I’m ready for anyone in the position.” He seemed more dangerous after I dropped him.
“I was stressing a little. I am fully convinced that I have what it takes to rise to the top. I have always been motivated by achievements. I was always motivated to be the best. Belts have always been my motivation. It’s a very good division, and I believe on my day I can beat anyone on the planet. Joshua Buatsi and Benavidez, those two.
“He has already secured himself financially. “He’s still got goals he wants to achieve,” Eddie Hearn said of Callum Smith. “It’s still fresh.” To do five hard rounds. That was good work tonight. He took a few hits, but that will help him for next year. It’s great to see him back.”
Edwards-Yafai is looking to win a world title against WBC flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji. The ideal way to win that belt is for the champion to vacate it, and the winner of tonight’s Edwards vs. Yafai fight would be elevated.
The event will be broadcast from the World Arena in Birmingham, England. Sunni vs. Yafai will square off around 5:00 PM ET.
2:00 PM ET on DAZN – Main Card
Sunny Edwards vs. Galal Yafai
Conah Walker vs. Lewis Ritson
Kieron Conway vs. Ryan Kelly
Cameron Vuong vs Gavin Gwynne
Hamza Uddin vs Ben Norman
Former WBA Super Middleweight Champion Callum Smith’s fight against Carlos Galvan was not put on the main card for some reason despite being the most famous of all the fighters and the most talented. Smith-Galvan is scheduled for eight rounds and is viewed as a tune-up. It’s expected to be a one-sided fight with Smith destroying Galvan, but still, that matchup has more appeal to the average fan than any other fight.
