SUNNY EDWARDS – Guest columnist
IF you ask everyone else, there’s a 10-year, long-running rivalry that dates back to our siblings, and a feud that never happened, that could have and maybe should have. I have my own story with the Olympics, the way the amateur system is set up. And I made that clear in the preparations for this fight.
Besides, I’m going into my 23rd fight as a professional boxer, (so) everybody feels the same at this point. I’m getting ready to fight. I know Galal (Jafai) is a very good fighter, but almost everyone I’ve been with in the last few years has been a very good fighter. I’ve had tough fights, he’s just another one.
I appreciate that it’s a British rival, which I haven’t had too much, especially at this level. I know a lot of people have this fight close, but I think in a lot of ways I’m at a stage where, whether it’s unification, whether it’s this or (Adrian) Curiel, they’re all kind of the same. I step into the boxing ring and do what I have to do
Yes, Galal and I sparred a lot. I can’t remember the last time we sparred, but it was probably over a year ago. In the first five or six matches of his professional career, when he needed good sparring, he came to Steel City Gym for it. It’s always been good rounds, always competitive rounds and I think the fans can look forward to a great night of boxing.
I saw Eddie Hearn announce that they are expecting a big crowd for this and that the fight deserves it. They have some great local fighters on the undercard and I think Birmingham is behind this event, which I’m looking forward to being a part of.
You could say I have the experience advantage, but it all depends on who gets the most out of what at night. For every benefit you can see that I have, it probably comes with possible drawbacks, and vice versa. He didn’t go 12 rounds, while I proved myself as a fighter in 12 rounds. I’m very good at going through circles, being ahead when needed, being crafty when needed and working when needed.
All those years, since me and Galal shared the ring together in 2015, he has traveled the world, fought and sparred with the best fighters in the world. Being a pro, he had the same amount of international fights and 10 round fights that I did before I made the step up. And I think the perceived step between me and Moruti (Mthalane) is far greater than the same perceived step between me and Galal.
If I win, it’s good for me, I don’t want to listen to people talk ‘Oh yes, Sunny caught him before he got (the experience)…’ – Galal is three years older than me, he is a fantastic fighter. He is a two-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist. He was one of the best VSB (World Series of Boxing) fighters. He has shown in his other fights that he can go rounds and that he can dominate those rounds.
People have been asking about my training setup for this fight. Chris Williams is my coach. He is the head trainer of Brandon Daord, Ryan Farrag, he also trains Paddy ‘The Buddy’ (Pimblett). The old Everton Red Triangle trainer, which is a gym I’ve had a long-standing rivalry with throughout my amateur career
Chris is someone I’ve spent a lot of time with, in and around several camps, because I was Brandon (Daord)’s trainer, who was my main sparring partner. I think it worked very well. We’ve been working on things that I haven’t really looked at, but also, keeping a lot of the same things and what makes me the fighter that I am. I fell in love with it. I have a good relationship with Chris and the guys at the gym, so it was kind of seamless.
I accepted the (Jafai) fight and announced it before I had a trainer, but I’m not looking for excuses. I don’t let things drag on. They offered the fight for November 30th and it’s the fight I’ve been waiting for. So when the press conference was over, I left with Chris.
There were no big breakups per se, with me and Grant Smith. In fact, we’ve been talking for the last few days. I believe he will be in my fight, so no problem. We have worked the corner (together) for the young fighters since I left and there is no problem or hostility.
I think there were more questions and answers in my head. I realized who I was becoming in boxing, not just ‘Sunny Edwards Boxer’. Without making any sense, it caused some tension and some friction among those who were close to me. It was more of that (side of things) that I had to get away from than anything tactical or anything bad.
When I’m in the box, I like to be completely vulnerable to my surroundings. I need to make sure that I am surrounded by people who have good intentions and good will towards me. It was nothing personal, we all still get along, but I just think the side jobs I’ve been doing outside of my boxing career have ruffled some feathers and made situations, in my mind, impossible.