Sunny Edwards lost Saturday’s fight for the interim WBC flyweight title against Galal Yafai in the sixth round via TKO. But after hearing what he told his trainer after the second round, it’s a surprise that the fight lasted as long as it did.
Trainer Chris Williams was talking to Edwards in the corner after the second round, asking how the fighter’s legs felt. Edwards responded with a candid answer — which had nothing to do with his legs.
“Man, I’m gonna be real with you,” Edwards said. “I don’t even wanna be here.”
“I’m gonna be real with you. I don’t even wanna be here.”
Boxer Sunny Edwards after the second round during Saturday’s fight with Galal Yafai.
Yafai beat Edwards via TKO in the sixth round.pic.twitter.com/wvLRxM1aor
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
“Don’t be f****** stupid,” Williams said in response. “Stop f****** feeling sorry for yourself right now. Stop feeling f****** sorry for yourself because you’ve had one bad f****** round.”
Hearing what Edwards said after the second round made what Edwards said after the fight far less surprising.
“If I’m perfectly, perfectly honest,” Edwards said. “Win, lose or draw, my team knows this — win, lose or draw, I was retiring tonight. I don’t have the same energy that I had for the sport — for the process. I’ll be perfectly real.”
He later added that “The Sunny Edwards from 12 months ago would have gone longer than six rounds.”
After the loss, Edwards announced his retirement.
“Win, lose or draw I was retiring tonight. I don’t have the same energy that I had for the sport — for the process.”pic.twitter.com/bXU288SVpn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
Edwards later questioned whether the fight needed to be stopped when it did noting that, while he was stuck in the corner, he “Didn’t feel ridiculously hurt in there.”
Whether the fight needed to be stopped when it was is up for debate. But if Edwards didn’t want to be there and was ready to retire, it’s probably for the best that the fight didn’t go longer.
[Photo Credit: DAZN]
