GALAL Jafai scored the biggest win of his career, stopping former world champion Sunny Edwards in the sixth round of their main event in Birmingham.
“People underestimated me.” I’ve boxed Kazakhs, Cubans, the biggest fighters in the world,” said Jafai after his big win for the WBC interim flyweight title. “Sunny is a technical boxer, he is at the top, a former world champion. It was a better feeling tonight, beating Sunni (than winning the Olympic gold).”
Yafai started strong, charging out of the blocks, launching a powerful right hand that put Edwards in trouble and was happy to get out of the first round. Robert McCracken said not to throw too wide, Yafai forced Sunni to stop and trade with him in the second.
After trainer Chris Williams asked his charge how he was feeling, Edwards replied, “I don’t want to be here,” and continued to climb the ropes. Williams continued to try to motivate him with some strong language.
Sunny came off the ropes in the third round and landed some good hooks. Confidence seemed to rise temporarily as he heated back to his corner, taking another bite from Williams. How long could he sustain this pace?
Or rather, how much longer could he avoid Jafai’s relentless aggression? The bottom of the fourth was another torrid period for Edwards, who looked tired. Jafai followed Bam’s plan to suffocate Sunny, closing off his escape routes.
While Edwards enjoyed moments of joy (especially with the uppercut), Jafai didn’t even blow. He tried to throw something in return as referee Lee Avery called for a doctor to look at a potential injury to Yafai’s ear. One lap later, it was all over.
Mr. Avery encouraged Edwards to go back and show him something. Sunni retreated further into his physical and metaphorical shell as the shots rained down. Each floated with intent, jumping to a 1-10 sixth inning.
Galal Jafai is now 9-0 (7 KOs), while Sunny Edwards suffered his second career loss, falling to 21-2 (4 KOs). He later announced his retirement before addressing comments after the second round, saying he had focused more on business and family interests and no longer felt the fire in his belly needed to rule again.