Talks for Thomas Essomba-Charlie Edwards in ‘advanced’ stages

Charlie Edwards is in advanced discussions to fight the EBU bantamweight champion Thomas Essomba.

Edwards, 31, revived his career – following a period of inactivity that started when he lost the WBC flyweight title to Julio Cesar Martinez in a fight that was later ruled a no contest as a consequence of him being punched to the body while on one knee – when in April he outpointed Georges Ory.

He was fighting for the first time under his new trainer Stephen Smith and new promoters Wasserman, having also become self-managed, and after impressing in earning a unanimous decision over 10 one-sided rounds. Now Edwards is nearing a date in September with the Cameroon-born Essomba, 36.

Edwards, who lives with his family in Portugal, is already in the U.K. working under the Liverpool-based Smith in preparation for the fight he anticipates.

He was therefore not present in Phoenix, Arizona, when on Saturday his younger brother Sunny, who joined Smith in his corner the night of the victory over Ory, defeated Adrian Curiel of Mexico.

That Josh Kelly, who has been fighting under Wasserman, fights Liam Smith on an alternative platform on the undercard of Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21 potentially makes Edwards even more of a priority for his promoter.