Sunny Edwards Announces Retirement

On November 30 in Birmingham, UK, Sunny Edwards (21-2, 4 KOs) faced Galal Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs) for the vacant WBC Interim Flyweight Championship (50.8 kg). Following his sixth-round TKO defeat, Edwards stunned the boxing world by announcing his retirement from professional boxing.

Shortly after, the 28-year-old offered an in-depth statement explaining his unexpected decision.

"I no longer have the energy I once had for this sport and its demands. Let me be completely honest. I poured so much into the first six or seven years of my career that I desperately needed a break. Honestly, I needed that break even before this fight. But I’ve always wanted to compete against the best. And as long as I was number one, I wanted to be part of the biggest fights and events.

I knew today was going to be tough, but the Sunny Edwards of a year ago would’ve lasted longer than six rounds. I don’t entirely agree with the timing of the stoppage, but Galal was throwing a lot of punches, and I wasn’t responding enough. I didn’t feel hurt, but when Galal lets his hands go, it’s hard to escape his attacks.

For the first time in my life, I’ve found myself thinking more about things outside of boxing—my family, my children. There have been personal challenges I’m trying to address for the future. I knew facing Galal would be a difficult task—I’ve said it all along. Perhaps I didn’t anticipate it would be this difficult, but full credit to the better fighter. He absolutely deserved the win. If I were in his shoes, I’d feel like a world champion—he beat the number one in the division and did so convincingly."

The Ready To Fight team extends its heartfelt gratitude to Sunny Edwards for his professionalism, dedication to the sport, and the unforgettable moments he provided to fans. We wish him nothing but success as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.