SUNNY EDWARDS stays intent on securing a struggle towards Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez understanding what a win would do for himself and his legacy within the sport.
The 27-year-old is considered one of British boxing’s mavericks and is rightly within the debate for being one of the best fighter within the UK and one of the best flyweight on this planet.
On June 10 Edwards fought for the 20th time in his skilled profession which began in Spain towards Sergey Tasimov seven years in the past. The most recent triumph got here towards Chilean Andres Campos. One other 12 rounds ticked off for Edwards and the fourth defence of his IBF belt as properly. It was additionally the primary struggle for Edwards below Matchroom Boxing having signed with them on the finish of March. Promoter Eddie Hearn additionally works with Rodriguez and has been vocal about turning 4 belt holders into one for the 112lbs division.
Previous to the Campos struggle Edwards described his opponent as a “crushed man” on the remaining pre-fight press convention. The Brit was referring to their fiery face-off the day earlier than when Edwards determined to rise up shut and push the buttons of Campos. On struggle night time at Wembley Enviornment it was a case of job achieved and on to the subsequent.
“I feel it kinda went as I believed it could,” Edwards mentioned when chatting with Boxing Information on Tuesday.
“I knew he was a harmful and bold younger fighter, however I did genuinely consider I all the time had an excessive amount of for him. I really feel like I put myself in conditions and positions extra out of sport and working towards fairly than each a part of me eager to win. I felt like that was already form of assured. So, I acquired in there to work on and study a couple of bits.”
Rodriguez is definitely the struggle he desires subsequent and over every week in the past it was reported that Eddie Hearn was assured that the unification may very well be signed off within the subsequent two weeks.
“Actually aggressively attempting to make one of many big-name fights,” Edwards mentioned relating to what’s subsequent.
“Most likely essentially the most lifelike is Bam Rodriguez. We’re in talks however to date a number of the calls for their workforce is making is ridiculous. I’m already prepared to go to anyplace they need me to. They’re being tough over little girly issues however hopefully that will get rectified. I’m prepared for the struggle. I don’t want each little bit benefit. They’re searching for methods out of the struggle, for angles out of the struggle. Cease attempting to get slightly one per cent, two per cent benefit. It’s pathetic.”
Edwards v Rodriguez will seemingly happen in America, a rustic which has all the time been a continuing ambition for British fighters to struggle in. Years and years of lows have been met with the occasional excessive for the women and men from Blighty. Edwards would seemingly shake a couple of timber throughout his time there and his confidence and persona might even evoke reminiscences of Prince Naseem Hamed who fought there between 1997 and 2001.
Rodriguez is seen by many as a pound-for-pound expertise, perhaps even a generational one. A fractured jaw didn’t cease the Texan-born southpaw from out-pointing Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez final trip. That win gave him the WBO’s flyweight belt after an impressive breakout 12 months in 2022 at super-flyweight.
Preventing in America excites Edwards. His character is one that may thrive on such a giant stage and take advantage of out of being the English villain who desires to make and instance out of Rodriguez.
“There’s nonetheless methods to go earlier than the struggle is made however I’ve been prepared to journey, I’ve all the time been prepared to journey,” he mentioned.
“I’m world champion. I need to journey the world defending and preventing one of the best on this planet.
“Clearly conquering America and having that chapter of my profession is clearly one thing on each British boxing bucket listing. The dimensions of the occasion, the platform, the profile, what the win would do for me and my legacy, my household identify it’s 100 per cent the struggle that I need.
“If I’m trustworthy I really feel that I’ve confronted a number of fighters which might be extra scarier than a Bam Rodriguez. I genuinely consider that. I really feel like lots of people which have actually watched boxing attentively as I’ve over the past decade or so would most likely agree with that as properly.”