Sunny Edwards (21-2, 4 KOs) announced his retirement following a sixth-round TKO loss to Galal Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs) Saturday night in a WBC interim flyweight title fight at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
“I don’t want to be here”
Tonight, the beginning of the end came in the fifth round when Jafai unloaded a barrage of punches on a trapped Sani, who was pinned against the ropes, unable to kick out due to being forced by the size of the much bigger man.
In the sixth, Yafai forced Sunni to the ropes again and refused without an answer, leaving the referee with no choice but to step in and stop the contest. The stoppage time was 1:10 of the sixth round.
Early signs of trouble
Jafai, 31, struggled with Sunni in the opening seconds of the first round, barraging him with a flurry of punches that left the former IBF flyweight champion struggling. Sunny managed to get out of the ring, but was in trouble in the second round. Between the second and third, Sunny told his corner, “I don’t want to be here.”
His trainer tried to encourage him, but he did not respond in the following rounds. Sunny looked mentally inactive and unmotivated, and did not show the desire to fight that he has shown in the past. His confidence was forged in his ninth round loss to Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez last year on December 16.
It was a similar fight to the one tonight. Sunny fought a much bigger and stronger bam. He was no match for size or in the power department. Tonight was the same thing. Yafai won on size alone.
As big as he was, he should have fought at featherweight against Rafael Espinoza instead of Edwards. It was amazing how much bigger Jafai was than Sunni tonight. That would explain why Jafai looked so exhausted at Friday’s weigh-in. He looked awful when he cut down to 112, like a stick figure.
Edwards simply didn’t have the size or power to compete with the hulking Jafai, who looked featherweight (126 lbs) in the ring tonight.
There was no way the diminutive Sunni, 28, could handle the bigger Jafai, who used his size by repeatedly pulling him against the ropes and keeping him there with powerful pushes.
Jafai’s modest victory
“Sunny is a great champion, but I had to train for him.” “I was worried going into the camp, knowing how good Sunny is,” Jafai said Matchroom Booking following his sixth round knockout victory over Sunny Edwards tonight.
“That’s how I always approach it.” I wanted to test him,” Jafai said of why he started so quickly in the first round. “I think people underestimated me.” I don’t want to brag too much, but I won Olympic gold (2020). I was against the best boxers in the world. Kazakhs, Cubans and great boxers like Sani. So I’m used to that style.
“It was just my night tonight. Maybe on another night Sunny would beat me. Sunny is technically a boxer; he is on top. He is a former world champion. He is #1 in Ring Magainze. he got there for a reason. We had great pairings, but the fights are different.
“Winning gold at the Olympics is the best achievement I could have ever done, but tonight it felt better to beat Sani than standing on the podium.” “That’s how good Sunny is,” said Jafai.