Sunny Edwards


Sunny Edwards is a British former professional boxer who held the International Boxing Federation flyweight title from 2021 to 2023. He is the younger brother of former flyweight world champion and current European bantamweight title holder, Charlie Edwards. Edwards retired from boxing on 30 November 2024.

Amateur career

As an amateur he fought out of Repton ABC and later Steel City ABC, winning multiple national championships; the ABA Juniors in 2013; ABA Youth in 2014; and the ABA Elite in 2015. He also won silver medals in the GB Junior, and ABA Elite Championships in 2012 and 2016 respectively.

Professional career

Early career

Edwards made his professional debut on 24 September 2016 at the Recinto Ferial in Estepona, Spain, scoring a four-round points decision victory over Sergey Tasimov.
After winning his first five fights, one by stoppage, he faced undefeated prospect Ross Murray on 27 November 2017 at Grange St. Paul's Hotel in London, with the vacant WBO European super-flyweight title on the line. Edwards won the fight via fourth-round technical knockout. Following two more wins, he successfully defended his WBO European title on 26 October 2018 with a ten round unanimous decision victory over Ryan Farrag at the York Hall, London. Two judges scored the bout 100–90 while the third scored it 99–91.
His next fight came on 15 December against Junior Granados at the Brentwood Centre, Essex, for the vacant WBO International super-flyweight title. Edwards overcame a second-round knockdown to add the WBO International to his WBO European title by UD, with the judges' scorecards reading 99–91, 98–91, 97–92. Following the win over Granados, he made a second defence of his WBO European title against Pedro Matos on 27 April 2019, at Wembley Arena, London. Edwards retained his title via eighth-round TKO. His next fight came on 13 July against Hiram Gallardo at The O2 Arena, London, with the vacant IBF International super-flyweight title in the line. Edwards won by UD, adding the IBF International to his WBO titles. All three judges scored the bout 99–90.
Edwards dropped down to flyweight for his next fight, stating, "We dropped down to flyweight because it's looking like I'm more likely to get a world title shot, but it is what it is". On 14 September 2019, he fought Rosendo Guarneros at the York Hall for the vacant IBF International and vacant WBO Inter-Continental flyweight titles. Edwards won by UD, with two judges scoring the bout 99–91 and the third scoring it 100–90.
Edwards fought Marcel Braithwaite on 21 December 2019, for the vacant British super-flyweight title. He won the fight by UD with scores of 117–110, 118–109 and 118–109. Edwards suffered the only knockdown of the fight, as he was knocked down by Braithwaite in the seventh round. Edwards revealed significant swelling on the knuckles of his hands post-fight, which were the result of damaged ligaments. Edwards defended his IBF International on 29 August 2020, defeating Thomas Essomba via UD with scores of 117–112, 117–111, and 116–112.

IBF flyweight champion

Edwards vs. Mthalane

Edwards challenged reigning champion Moruti Mthalane for the IBF flyweight title on 30 April 2021. Mthalane came into the fight on a sixteen-fight winning streak, with 13 of those fights being world title bouts. Mthalane's last loss came at the hands of Nonito Donaire on 1 November 2008. Edwards was a slight betting underdog heading into the fight. Edwards won the fight by UD, with two of the judges giving him wide scorecards of 118–111 and 120–108, while the third judge scored it 115–113 for him.

Edwards vs. Mama

On 24 May 2021, Edwards was ordered to face the IBF mandatory challenger Jayson Mama. Mama was originally set to face Mthalane, before accepting step-aside money to allow Edwards to fight him. The bout was officially scheduled for 11 September 2021 at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney Wick, London. On September 8, Edwards withdrew from the fight with an ankle injury. Accordingly, the title bout was postponed. The fight was rescheduled for 11 December 2021 and took place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After John Riel Casimero withdrew from his mandatory title defense against Paul Butler, Edwards' bout with Mama was elevated to main event status. Edwards won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110. He scored the sole knockdown of the fight in the tenth round, dropping Mama with a left-right combination.

Edwards vs. Waseem

On 25 January 2022, Edwards' promoters MTK Global announced that he would make the second defense of his title against the one-time IBF title challenger Muhammad Waseem, who was at the time the #3 ranked IBF flyweight contender. The fight was booked for 23 March 2022, and took place at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Two weeks later, on 9 February, Edwards signed a promotional deal with Probellum. Edwards won the fight by unanimous decision. Two of the judges scored the bout 115–111 in his favour, while the third judge awarded him a 116–110 scorecard. Waseem was deducted a point in both the sixth round for holding and a point in the seventh round for headbutting. Edwards called for a title unification bout with Julio Cesar Martinez in his post-fight interview, stating: "I want The Ring Magazine, I want the WBC ".

Edwards vs. Alvarado

On 12 July 2022, it was revealed that Edwards had entered into negotiations for a title unification bout with the WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez. The IBF gave Edwards until 7 September to deliver signed contracts as proof of the unification bout taking place. As this failed to happen, on 8 September, the IBF ordered Edwards to make a mandatory title defense against their former light flyweight champion Felix Alvarado. The title bout was booked to take place on 11 November, in London, England. Edwards won the fight by unanimous decision. Two judges scored the bout 115–113 in his favor, while the third judge awarded him a 116–112 scorecard.

Edwards vs. Campos

On 31 March 2023, it was announced that Edwards had signed a promotional deal with the DAZN backed Matchroom Boxing. It was revealed a few weeks later that Edwards would make his fourth title defense against the #7 ranked IBF flyweight contender Andrés Campos on 10 June 2023, at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England. He retained the title by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him a 117–111 scorecard, and called for a title unification bout with either Jesse Rodriguez or Julio Cesar Martinez next.

Edwards vs. Rodriguez

Edwards lost his IBF title to WBO flyweight champion Jesse Rodriguez in a title unification bout on 16 December 2023 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, United States by 9th round retirement. Afterwards, Edwards revealed he had suffered a fractured orbital bone earlier in the fight, causing him to see double.

Edwards vs. Curiel

Edwards was scheduled to face Adrian Curiel in a 12-round super flyweight bout at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on 29 June 29 2024. Edwards won the fight via technical decision with the scores 90-82, 88-84 and 87-85. The fight was stopped after eight rounds due to cut Edwards sustained due to an accidental head clash.

Edwards vs. Yafai

Edwards faced Galal Yafai for the interim WBC flyweight title in Birmingham, England on 30 November 2024. Edwards lost the fight by TKO in the 6th round. After the fight, he announced his retirement from professional boxing.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
23Loss21–2Galal YafaiTKO6, 1:1030 Nov 2024Bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham, EnglandFor WBC world champions#Flyweight|interim WBC flyweight title]
22Win21–1Adrian Curiel8 29 Jun 2024Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona, US
21Loss20–1Jesse Rodriguez9, 3:0016 Dec 2023Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona, USLost IBF flyweight title;
For WBO flyweight title
20Win20–0Andrés CamposUD1210 Jun 2023Wembley Arena, London, EnglandRetained IBF flyweight title
19Win19–0Felix AlvaradoUD1211 Nov 2022Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, EnglandRetained IBF flyweight title
18Win18–0Muhammad WaseemUD1219 Mar 2022Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesRetained IBF flyweight title
17Win17–0Jayson MamaUD1211 Dec 2021Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesRetained IBF flyweight title
16Win16–0Moruti MthalaneUD1230 Apr 2021York Hall, London, EnglandWon IBF flyweight title
15Win15–0Thomas EssombaUD1229 Aug 2020BT Sport Studio, London, EnglandRetained IBF International super-flyweight title
14Win14–0Marcel BraithwaiteUD1221 Dec 2019Copper Box Arena, London, EnglandWon vacant British super-flyweight title
13Win13–0Rosendo Hugo GuarnerosUD1014 Sep 2019York Hall, London, EnglandWon vacant IBF International, and WBO Inter-Continental flyweight titles
12Win12–0Hiram GallardoUD1013 Jul 2019The O2 Arena, London, EnglandWon vacant IBF International super-flyweight title
11Win11–0Pedro MatosTKO8, 0:2327 Apr 2019Wembley Arena, London, EnglandRetained WBO European super-flyweight title
10Win10–0Junior GranadosUD1015 Dec 2018Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, EnglandWon vacant WBO International super-flyweight title
9Win9–0Ryan Farrag1026 Oct 2018York Hall, London, EnglandRetained WBO European super-flyweight title
8Win8–0Cristian NarvaezPTS630 Jun 2018The SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
7Win7–0Patrik BartosTKO2, 2:183 Mar 2018Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, England
6Win6–0Ross MurrayTKO4, 2:5927 Nov 2017Grange St. Paul's Hotel, London, EnglandWon vacant WBO European super-flyweight title
5Win5–0Jose AguilarPTS422 Jul 2017Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, England
4Win4–0Gyula Dodu1, 0:5820 May 2017Copper Box Arena, London, England
3Win3–0Craig DerbyshirePTS49 Dec 2016Tolworth Recreation Centre, London, England
2Win2–0Brett FidoePTS413 Oct 2016Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
1Win1–0Sergey Tasimov424 Sep 2016Recinto Ferial, Estepona, Spain