Sunny Edwards vs Galal Yafai LIVE RESULT: Former world champ RETIRES after suffering brutal loss – latest updates
SUNNY EDWARDS has suffered a shock defeat to Galal Yafai leaving the ref no choice but to stop the fight - and he has now called retirement on his career!
Yafai consistently had Edwards pinned against the ropes from the first bell.
And referee Lee Every had seen enough unanswered punishment so he stopped the fight in round six, handing Yafai the WBC interim world flyweight title.
- RESULT: Galal Yafai BEAT Sunny Edwards
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Follow ALL the action from the Resorts World Arena with our live blog below...
Bevan brilliant on pro debut
Elsewhere... Welsh amateur standout Taylor Bevan was composed and clinical en route to a second-round stoppage win (R2, 2:40) on his pro debut against seasoned journeyman Greg O'Neill, who had boxed the likes of Ben Whittaker and Felix Cash in previous years.
The 23-year-old, who won silver at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, looked every bit the highly-regarded prospect many have declared him and twice dropped the Sunderland visitor.
Although he missed out on the Paris Olympics, spoke well about how high-level amateur competition will have stood him in good stead for what's to come. It'll be difficult to matchmake in future now too...
Smith: Buatsi or Benavidez, title run in sight
Having shaken off the cobwebs with a R5 TKO win over Carlos Galvan here, former super-middleweight world titlist Callum Smith named WBO interim champion Joshua Buatsi and WBC's interim titleholder David Benavidez as possible options he'd like to pursue in 2025, as both routes would get him closer to being a two-time world champ.
Buatsi, who beat Willy Hutchinson on the Joshua-Dubois undercard in September, has insisted it's big fights only from now on while Benavidez will box WBA (Regular) champion David Morrell on Feb. 1.
Full card results
In case you missed anything overnight... here's a full rundown of the results from this deceptively busy 10-fight card:
Main card
R6, 1:10 -- Galal Yafai bt. Sunny Edwards, wins WBC interim world flyweight title
Welterweight co-main event: Conah Walker bt. Lewis Ritson via UD10 (97-93, 98-93, 97-93)
Kieran Conway bt. Ryan Kelly via SD12 (116-112, 114-115, 115-113) to win vacant Commonwealth middleweight title
Lightweight: Cameron Vuong bt. Gavin Gwynne via UD10 (96-95, 97-94, 96-94)
Flyweight: Hamza Uddin bt. Benn Norman over six rounds, 59-56Undercard
Troy Jones (c) bt. Michael Stephenson via UD10 (98-91, 97-93, 98-91) to retain English light-heavyweight title
Middleweight: Aaron Bowen bt. James Todd, R5 KO
Super-feather: Ibraheem Sulaimaan bt. Marvin Solano, R2 KO
Super-middleweight: Taylor Bevan bt. Greg O'Neill, R2 KO (2:40)
Light-heavy: Callum Smith bt. Carlos Galvin via R5 TKO
Edwards focused on matters outside the ring
As far as the inevitable inquest surrounding Sunny Edwards' performance is concerned, this is perhaps the biggest insight you'll get from the man himself when asked about how things transpired:
"For the first time ever, I've been concentrating more outside the sport, maybe I didn't think it'd be this hard [boxing Yafai] but if I was him, I'd class myself as a world champion - he beat the number one in the division and did so... very conclusively."
He spoke later to reporters and assembled media about sitting out *weeks* of this training camp with unspecified ankle, shoulder and wrist injuries, getting him down in a way that hadn't happened prior.
Yafai: People underrate me!
When asked about his gameplan and how he produced this performance, Galal was adamant in saying:
"I just thought.. need to test him out, see what he's got. People underrate me, don't wanna brag but I'm Olympic champion … was up against the best in the world, Kazakh and Cubans, I was used to that style. Tonight was my night, maybe another would be his."
Hearn praises Edwards' ethic
Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn, who promoted Sunny Edwards in each of his last four bouts, praised the Sutton-born former champion:
"He fought Bam [Rodriguez], Adrian Curiel, Yafai, always wanted to give British fight fans big fights. You saw the difference between someone at the back end of his career and someone at the start, ice-cold performance."
"I don't think he [Galal] was breathing when the fight was stopped, he's a very special fighter - you don't win Olympic gold for nothing."
Edwards: Dethrone Teraji and look good doing it!
Japan's Kenshiro Teraji (24-1, 15 KOs) was twice the long-reigning WBC world light-flyweight champion before moving up to 112lbs earlier this year, where he beat Cristofer Rosales to win the title left vacant by another divisional mainstay in Mexico's Julio Cesar Martinez.
During an impromptu retirement announcement post-fight, Edwards expressed his wish that Galal will now go onto win a full version of world honours against the existing full WBC titleholder in 2025.
"To bring seven or eight thousand in here tonight is a surreal dream come true but when you haven't got the same fire in your belly and facing someone who still has it all to do [in the sport], you see the difference. Hopefully he dethrones Teraji and looks good doing it."
Yafai: This feeling is better than Olympic gold
Speaking to DAZN's Jamie Moore after his career-best victory, newly-minted WBC interim world flyweight champion Galal Yafai was asked what this latest achievement means to him. Stopping Sunny Edwards, as he said he could, midway through their Birmingham headliner.
"It means everything, Sunny's a great champion and I had to train my ass off for him. I wouldn't say I was worried but I was, going into camp [training for this fight]. We had great spars but fights are different."
"Winning Olympic gold is the best achievement I will ever have, but this was a better feeling than standing on a podium, that's how good Sunny is!"
The inquest continues...
Was Sunny carrying an injury? Did his legs just go and not come back after absorbing that first straight left in the opening half-minute?
Yafai boxed beautifully but Edwards played perfectly into his hands and from then on, wasn't really allowed an opportunity to gather his bearings. At least against Bam, he had *moments* of success and was visually compromised, this was more relentless in a quicker ending.
Tony Bellew says as much, with the DAZN broadcast team wondering out loud what's next for Yafai. Edwards has his hands in so many avenues that if that's the last we'll see from him, he'll be secure and stay in the sport regardless through his fighter management et al.
Edwards retires in post-fight interview!
Sunny Edwards suffered his second professional defeat tonight and after the beating he received at the hands of pound-for-pound star Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez last December, he announced this is it for him:
"I don't have the same energy for the process that I used to, I've put so much into this -- six or seven years, I've always wanted the biggest fights -- Sunny from twelve months ago would've gone much longer than six rounds, I haven't got the same fire in my belly and the evidence is there for all to see. He [Galal] can go all the way."
He also hinted at some issues behind-the-scenes in his personal life, as well as needing a break from a grind he's been constantly immersing himself on a daily basis in since his teenage years.
Yafai stops it in R6!
Referee Lee Every warns Edwards, almost urging him to show something... he's seen enough unanswered punishment with the former world champion pinned against the ropes after yet more combos are being teed off on him and waves it off!
Wow! Galal said he'd go for a knockout, Sunny didn't box smart but this was a fantastic showing. Who predicted this?
Edwards vs. Yafai R5
Clubbing body blows, straight shots and doubling up behind his left jab, Yafai's variation and forward pressure is wearing on Edwards who is far too comfortable using the ropes as his friend tonight.
Swinging wildly and missing, Yafai chains together more combos and an uppercut older brother Gamal had been calling for earlier.
After a brief pause as the referee calls for an inspection behind Yafai's head, the round ends... something tells me this won't hear the final bell.
Edwards vs. Yafai R4
Yafai is relentless with his attacks, pawing and pounding shots in Edwards' direction without getting met with much resistance. The elusive skill we're used to seeing from the former world champion isn't here, and Yafai is relishing every moment of breaking him down.
Edwards looks exhausted as the bell sounds, Yafai is barely breaking sweat and cannot miss right now. Can't see it changing unless Galal gets a touch greedy, mind.
Edwards vs. Yafai R3
This bout just got a lot more intriguing now then!
"Can I be real with you? I don't wanna be here," is what Edwards reportedly said in-between rounds as the 28-year-old's head trainer Williams barked encouragement in response, urging his new charge to stop feeling sorry for himself.
Yafai is peppering him up with combos against the ropes now and while that dialogue is certainly going to dominate talk if this bout continues unfolding like this, it's another storyline to monitor.
"I've noticed you can't move your feet and get off the ropes like I'm telling you to, so throw a shot back and counter, he's not moving his head so throw back when he hits you. A lot better," Williams says.
Edwards vs. Yafai R2
Yafai looks composed, Edwards rather rattled by comparison in the early going and that will only play into the home hero's hands.
A straight left pings the former IBF kingpin backwards, Edwards is uncomfortably content to stand-and-trade with his back up against the ropes and it's another stanza banked for the Birmingham man.
"Sort your head out, keep your distance," barks Chris Williams between rounds as Edwards' body language suggests something is very wrong. The audio mics in the corner weren't very clear though.
Edwards vs. Yafai R1
They're off and Yafai has flown out of the blocks!
He appears to wobble the former world titlist within the first half-minute, Edwards can't afford to stand-and-trade as he's already on unsteady legs with the Olympic champion whipping power punches.
Edwards lands a few nice body shots but besides that, a very clear round for the Rob McCracken-trained pupil from Birmingham.
A straight left hand appeared to briefly put Sunny on his haunches and while he eventually recovered, wasn't all the way back.
Edwards-Yafai ringwalks now...
Well, it's almost main event time! We've waited a long time for this and unsurprisingly, Galal Yafai is wasting absolutely no energy as he briskly strides into the ring.
Edwards is the a-side and soaking up everything with a lengthy walk from his dressing room, backroom team in tow and older brother Charlie among those accompanying him before two rappers I don't recognise are *shouting* lyrics as he walks, looking knowingly into the crowd.
Walker beats Ritson!
After the first few rounds, the result never felt in doubt... Lewis Ritson was inspired in the final stanza though and judging by the language from tonight's commentary team, that will likely be his last appearance as a pro.
If so, it's one to be proud of despite defeat in a near decade-long career.
97-93, 97-93, 98-93 the scorecards read, Walker back to winning ways, even though he had to go the ten-round distance here.
Tony Bellew's infamous scorecards...
It shouldn't be a surprise to see Walker has won *every* round to this point, there's no chance for birthday boy and former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew to have his scorecards scrutinised on social media tonight, just yet.
It's been a commanding Conah showing and Ritson needs a knockdown or three to really make this a dramatic finale now.
Walker's power-punching edge
Although there's only a 2% difference in accuracy, Walker has landed more than three times the amount of power punches (51-14) as they enter the fifth.
Without wanting to jinx anything, Conah seems in cruise control and everyone can sense it, despite Ritson's fleeting success with his left jab and disciplined tendencies.
Walker digging to the body early..
The favourite is firing early and often, Darren Barker deeming it educated pressure on commentary and he's right.
Ritson can't keep him off for sustained periods and you can almost sense Walker looking to emulate Ohara Davies' success downstairs from their fight back in March last year.
Walker-Ritson up next!
Wolverhampton's Conah Walker, who shot up in prominence after a back-and-forth barnstormer with Cyrus Pattinson in August last year, would've felt hard done by after narrowly losing a ten-rounder against unbeaten contender Lewis Crocker in June.
Fan-friendly and beloved by many, he's back in a big way here against Lewis Ritson - whose best work has come exclusively at lightweight.
Who will prevail? Ringwalks and introductions out of the way, we're about to find out...
Conway scores split decision win!
Both have their hands raised in centre ring, but there can only be one winner... although this was competitive, Conway connected on much of the better (and more eyecatching) work, so it's not a surprise he got the nod on two of the three judges' scorecards.
116-112 Conway, 115-114 Kelly, 115-113 Conway the official verdict, as the Brad Pauls vs. Denzel Bentley winner (Dec. 7) is not-so-subtly served up as a potential next option in early 2025 for the Northampton man.
Almost at the finish line...
Good uppercut through the guard and a stiff jab to start the round is an effective tactic Conway has adopted. Kelly fires back briefly but the bigger man's blitzing attacks are visibly taking their toll, as they enter the final round now.
For the stat geeks among us, here were the punch totals two rounds prior: Conway connecting 111-of-384 (29%) to Kelly's 86-of-322 (27%).
Conway in control
Conway, who scored a seventh-round stoppage win over Ainiwaer Yilixiati in Japan last time out, is holding his feet well and looks noticeably the sharper of the two against Kelly, who has been marginally more accurate but less active with his punch output.
Into the seventh they go and he's chaining these combos together nicely, the Northampton resident.
