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
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Swiftly moving on...
You can usually tell something is awry when a broadcaster quickly shifts onto a pre-planned VT package or advert, rather than doing an interview with the winner of a big bout they'd long been building.
Perhaps they'd gone over their expected time constraints, expected Vuong to score a stoppage or called an audible to avoid any potential backlash from a UD10 many inside the arena disagreed with, but hey.
Kieron Conway vs. Ryan Kelly is up now, for the vacant Commonwealth middleweight strap, and they're into the third round.
Vuong beats Gwynne over ten rounds!
The final four rounds were exactly as advertised, Gwynne giving all he could - including throwing a whopping 97 (!) punches in the eighth, and appearing to stun Vuong on more than one occasion pinned up against the ropes as their exchanges in close quarters persisted.
Nonetheless, the favourite's single shots - uppercuts and stinging counters - proved enough in the eyes of the three important men ringside, as they went the distance after a gruelling half-hour's work.
97-94, 96-95, 96-94 all in Vuong's favour, despite some boos to the contrary. A difficult fight to score and an uber-competitive step-up, exactly the sort of challenge you can't sniff your nose at for someone with Cameron's upward trajectory in an ever-changing division.
Vuong vs. Gwynne R6
Into the second-half of this clash they go, Gwynne lands a stray right hand with Vuong up against the corner... then more punch flurries connect as they exchange positions, the youngster's single counters are accurate but intermittent - can he be more active than this?
Gwynne won't stop walking forward though, it'd be interesting to see what the judges have this scored after six rounds. 4-2 Vuong?
"Do it with more finesse, your eye is bad, you don't have to do a lot... let him tire himself out and then jump on him," Gwynne's coach Gary Lockett says as the seventh is about to start... left eye is worsening.
Vuong vs. Gwynne R5
"Bust him up and punish, nudge, walk him back," are some of the pointed instructions Vuong receives in the corner before the fifth as the referee says Gwynne's cut was caused by a punch.
The 22-year-old can't help but crack a smile as his coaching team prepare him for another tough round, one where his right hands have done damage but Gwynne's tireless pit-pat shots are scoring.
They go back-and-forth in the final minute of this stanza, Vuong holding his feet more and now content trading leather. Ooooh!
Vuong vs. Gwynne R4
In the exact same round he was stopped out in Riyadh, it appears as though Gwynne has damage again... this time above his left cheekbone, something that's almost clicked him into another gear.
He goes upstairs, then digs down with a few body shots as Vuong replies with a lovely right uppercut through the guard. It's been that kind of round, what do you prefer?
Vuong vs. Gwynne R3
Vuong is punching in bunches but they're not yet making a dent, or deterring Gwynne's relentless pressure.
Sharp one-two combos and staying composed in the proverbial fire, he continues to move and use the ring wherever possible to evade those dangerous advances.
Another decent stanza banked for Gwynne though, who does a bit of a dancing jig acknowledging the youngster's boxing the way which suits him, the longer this stays like this.
Vuong vs. Gwynne R2
Vuong, who shares a trainer in Jamie Moore with light-welterweight Jack Catterall, is just warned about punching with Gwynne and being lured into the Welshman's purposeful traps after the first round.
Gwynne's aggression is paying dividends as he enjoys a few periods of success, Vuong can't afford to hold his feet too long and allow him a standing target to pepper scoring shots at.
Already brewing nicely, this as a reminder: a ten-round contest.
Vuong vs. Gwynne R1
6-0 prospect Cameron Vuong faces former British and European lightweight champion Gavin Gwynne in a tantalising crossroads clash.
Gwynne, badly injured en route to a fourth-round TKO defeat by then-unbeaten prospect Mark Chamberlain in Riyadh eight months ago, is back and determined to prove he hasn't lost a step against an exciting youngster 12 years his senior.
Competitive opening stanza: Gwynne pressing as Vuong flicks out jabs to the body and is boxing well on the back foot.
Main card underway!
Former two-time English title challenger Benn Norman looked delighted at the final bell with the effort he produced over six tough rounds against highly-rated Walsall flyweight Hamza Uddin, 21.
Uddin gets the nod, 59-56, to open up the main card with his second consecutive decision victory - this against credible opposition.
Four fights left... a lightweight cracker up next!
Jones just too much, retains English title
Troy Jones was far more active, accurate and looked every bit the better boxer over ten competitive rounds against a gamely Michael Stephenson effort as the Birmingham resident retained English honours at 175lbs.
The 26-year-old, who has shared rounds sparring with the likes of two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde, skipped Area title level and looks justified in his decision to do so in recent bouts.
98-91 x 2 and 97-93 were the judges' scorecards after ten rounds, the defending champion was deducted a point in the fifth for excessive use of his shoulder up close. Nonetheless, 2024's been great for Troy.
Bowen battles through adversity!
You could sense the relief etched across unbeaten middleweight hopeful Aaron Bowen's face, as the popular Coventry man climbed off the canvas in round two and endured damage aplenty to ultimately score a fifth-round knockout win over James Todd.
Todd, eleven years his senior and with just nine previous bouts spanning 16 years as a professonal, was a Welshman on a mission to upset the odds here... coming agonisingly close to doing so.
Yet his perfectly-placed right hand which floored the heavy favourite only emboldened Bowen to wake up after a more competitive opening than many were expecting. The result? An enthralling finish, punctuated with body shots that saw the underdog surrender.
Sulaimaan sets record
Elsewhere tonight, super-featherweight prospect Ibraheem Sulaimaan made quick work of Marvin Solano and became the fastest to finish the well-travelled journeyman with fast hands, then digging body work which left him crippled in centre ring.
Back in the west Midlands again, the 23-year-old revealed he didn't spar before this latest Birmingham homecoming to preserve a cut suffered in September against Kevin Trana. No worries in the end!
Hearn said they specifically picked Solano hoping he'd give some rounds - that didn't happen - but it just emphasises how deep their stock of young fighters really is after inking a multiyear agreement.
Now finished with six-round contests, Hearn outlined the plan: Sulaimaan boxing at title level around mid/end of 2025, whether that be English level or above, then British title eliminators at 130lbs.
Shabaz Masoud return update
Newly-minted IBO super-bantamweight world champion Shabaz Masoud meanwhile, who ripped up the script with a split decision win over 12 rounds against Liam Davies on Nov. 2, confirmed he's hoping to return again before the month of Ramadan begins on Feb. 28.
"It wasn't new to me, I've always said I'm the best in my weight class… it just was for everyone else. I live the life and have already started sparring again, spoke to Eddie earlier and wanna get out soon," the 28-year-old said as part of the undercard broadcast on YouTube.
Hearn hints at London card, Jan 31
Matchroom chief and promoter Eddie Hearn admitted post-fight he shouldn't reveal too much but would like to keep the Welshman active and boxing eight times a year going forward, starting with January 31, where there is a card they have planned for London TBA.
Olympic heavyweight Pat Brown, once on the same amateur team as Bevan, was encouraged to see his teammate make a memorable debut and has been told his maiden appearance in the paid ranks is targeted around late March 2025 at cruiserweight on the broadcast.
Bevan's beautiful beginning
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, I want title run
During his post-fight interview, the Scouser namechecked WBO interim champion Joshua Buatsi and WBC's interim titleholder David Benavidez as possible options he would like to pursue in 2025, as both routes would get him closer to becoming a two-time world champ.
"The best version of me beats anyone, I just needed that fight [against Galvan], don't feel fit or sharp but needed a runout," Smith reaffirmed in conversation with Matchroom's Jamie Moore.
Smith shakes off the cobwebs
Callum Smith scored the 30th win of his pro career with a R5 stoppage victory over Carlos Galvan earlier, dropping the Colombian once in the fourth and twice more a round later - an important comeback before year's end after being knocked out in seven rounds by undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev in Quebec on January 13.
The 34-year-old, who once held world gold at super-middleweight and won the much-loved World Boxing Super Series tournament at 168lbs, only boxed twice at light-heavyweight before facing the division's most feared man after another period of inactivity.
Edwards-Yafai, live tonight!
Good evening everyone and welcome to tonight's live round-by-round commentary as former IBF world champion Sunny Edwards boxes 2021 Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai in a must-see domestic clash for interim WBC world flyweight honours.
Main event ringwalks aren't expected for another four hours or so, but we've got a busy undercard already underway in Birmingham.
