Saturday’s fight between Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai represents the “acid test” of the Olympic champion’s professional career, according to Matthew Macklin.
The one-time amateur rivals fight at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, the city Yafai and the retired Macklin call home.
If for Edwards their contest presents an opportunity for him to strengthen his status as Britain’s leading flyweight, for Yafai there exists the chance to establish himself among the finest in the world.
The 31 year old left Tokyo 2020 with an Olympic gold medal at flyweight, but in his eight fights as a professional he has struggled to truly convince.
Edwards, by comparison, reigned as the IBF champion and was undefeated until December 2023 when being stopped by the great Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. If there are concerns that as a consequence Edwards is no longer the same fighter in his solitary fight since then – the victory over Adrian Curiel in June – he defeated a more proven opponent than any of the eight who have shared the ring with Yafai.
Macklin, whose most memorable fight came against a domestic rival in Jamie Moore, will be present on Saturday as what he describes as being a “fan”.
He questions whether, at 28, Edwards is declining and therefore believes the timing of their showdown favors Yafai. He regardless also recognises that Yafai is significantly less proven, and that as the older fighter, he, too, is in a race against time.
“He was quite old turning professional, so it was always going to be a fast-track job,” Macklin told BoxingScene.
“Which makes it harder, because you want to pick the right opponents, because you don’t want to waste any fights on nothing wins.
“But you’ve also got to be mindful – even though he’s really good and talented, and experienced as an amateur, it’s still professional boxing. I’d imagine matching him hasn’t been the easiest, to get him to where he is. But this certainly is that fight – this is the acid test, really, for him. Sunny Edwards; world champion; fought ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who was the best fighter in the division. If Galal does beat Sunny, it’ll be the yardstick to see how he done with him, compared to ‘Bam’, to see where he is.
“It’s a brilliant fight. I’m gonna go to it. Really looking forward to it. Great clash, in the sense that Edwards, as a professional, is way more proven; way more experienced; way more seasoned and all the rest of it. But then Yafai is an Olympic gold medallist, which does mean something. Lots of ability; real nice kid, as well. Great fight.
“Whenever the shows are in Birmingham – particularly at Resorts World, which is 10 minutes from me – I go to them. Frank [Warren]’s had a show there; Eddie’s [Hearn] had a show there. Obviously if Sky are there, I’m working. But I’ll always go to support the show; watch the fights. In targeting one particular fight to go to as a fan, [this] may be the first one in a while – Edwards-Yafai – in Birmingham.
“Sunny’s very elusive; great movement; difficult to really pin down. But he’s older now, so maybe not as energetic; as mobile. Galal, even though he hasn’t had lots of fights as a professional, would have had lots of fights against top-level amateurs, so ability-wise – ring smarts; cleverness – he ticks all those boxes. You would say the timing should suit Galal more – he’s the fresher of the two and everything; hungrier – but you can’t write Sunny Edwards off.
“Is Sunny’s ambition the same now, or is he on the downward, end of his career – the twilight of his career? We don’t always know the answer to that until they get into another really competitive, hard fight, which I imagine this will be. It’s a tough one to pick, because he is more experienced; he is more seasoned; he is more proven, and it’s a big jump up for Galal.
“Sunny isn’t, probably, quite what he was. So if you were in Team Galal, and you’re taking this fight, you’re thinking, ‘We need to win this fight. If you’re what we think you are and you’re going to go on and have the career we think, you’re the wrong side of 30, so you need to beat this guy, because otherwise the rebuild – that’s another year’. It’s not as definite as make or break, but he needs to win.”
Macklin’s fight with Moore was staged in 2006 in Manchester, Moore’s home city and the city in which Macklin trained. Their fight for the British junior-middleweight title therefore divided many of their friends.
Edwards and Yafai once trained alongside each other at the Team GB facilities in Sheffield; most recently Edwards split from his long-term trainer Grant Smith, and replaced him with the Liverpool-based Chris Williams.
“It’s not ideal, because he hasn’t really got much time to build a new bond or relationship with a new trainer, stylistically and all the rest of it,” Macklin continued. “But also, Sunny is what he is now. I don’t think anyone’s going to show him anything [new] – he’s not going to improve now. He’s the finished article. If anything he’s moving to the stage where he’s past his best. It’s less important, but it’s still not ideal.
“There’s more shit talk between teams [when domestic rivals fight]. People know a lot of mutual people, so the rumour mill spreads like wildfire; people are bitching; people are picking against you, so you take it more personally.
“It can get more personal, and your pride can get poked a little bit by people.
“It’s a great fight. I’m looking forward to it.
“[Yafai’s] from Birmingham. His friends; his family. It’ll be easier; he’ll have more fans there than Sunny will be bringing from London and Sheffield. In a close, hard fight, having the crowd getting behind you can pull you over the line sometimes, and I think it will be a close fight.”
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