Light-heavyweight contender Lewis Edmondson is aiming to continue the momentum he gathered with a breakout win over Dan Azeez in October.
On Saturday, at the Bournemouth International Centre, the Southampton fighter takes on England-based Nigerian Oluwatosin Kejawa in defense of his Commonwealth title, knowing victory will lift him into another significant fight.
Edmondson is ready for the challenge posed by the visitor, who is 11-0 (5 KOs), who turned over in Africa but who has had his last seven fights in the UK.
“He’s unbeaten, he’s hungry and he’s going to be coming with the best version of himself, but the best version of Lewis Edmondson doesn’t get beat by anybody,” said the champion.
Edmondson is not looking beyond Kejawa, but realizes victory will take him towards the type of fights he covets.
“Only Kejawa on March the 1,” he said of his focus. “Get through that and we will sit down with the team and we will see what’s the next option, but we’re open to anybody. All the big names. We want the biggest names and the biggest nights.”
Edmondson, who lives about 45 minutes from Saturday’s venue, is a tricky night’s work. He hopes to face the likes of Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur.
“Any of these names, those are the fights we’re chasing,” he said. “I know I’m in the mix with these top guys. I know it. I’m just ready to prove it. We’ve always known how good I am. We’ve always known. Me and my team have always known. I’ve sparred many rounds with [former 160 and 168lbs champion] Billy Joe Saunders, who is my manager, we’ve always known. The people in the gym, the sparring, it’s different doing on the night. We just had to prove what we already know.”
The win against Azeez was unexpected in some quarters, but not by the confident 29-year-old who so keenly admires Marvin Hagler.
“Dan Azeez, great fighter,” Edmondson, who improved to 10-0 (3 KOs), reflected. “Three-time British champion I believe and former European champion. I’m glad we’ve proved ourselves, we banked the rounds, our first 12-rounder. You’re going to see the best Lewis Edmondson now. We’ve banked the rounds, I’ve got the experience of title fights, and now my career’s starting. Now you’re going to start seeing the best version of Lewis Edmondson.
“It’s a very, very exciting division. Lots of good fighters. Loads of them, and with the right game plan with my coach, I believe I can beat every single one of them.”
Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, is on The Ring ratings panel and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.
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