BRITISH boxing hosts an exceptional domestic dust-up this weekend when two fighting families finally collide and Sunny Edwards meets Galal Yafai inside the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.

Outside of the ring, expect nothing but respect between the former world flyweight champion and the Tokyo Olympics gold medal winner.

But, once that opening bell goes, all hell is going to break loose.

Former parring partners turned headline act rivals; can Sunny’s silky skills outscore and evade the dynamite-punching local hero?

‘SHOWTIME’

After turning pro in 2016, Edwards has run up a scintillating 21-1 pro record, contesting 179 rounds as a professional that also included a stint as British champion in 2019.

That was the first of nine consecutive 12 round championship fights for the Croydon switch-hitter, who after four successful world title defences lost a unification fight with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez 12 months ago.

Sunny, 28, bounced back in the summer with a flawless ninth round stoppage win over another ex-world champion, Mexican Adrian Curiel, and arrives in Birmingham more motivated than ever.

GOLDEN BOY

Yafai, 31, has been a pro for less than three years, yet all but one of his eight paid fights have been 10 round contests, although, he’s only been extended the distance twice.

When Sunny was plotting his first world title defence, Galal was standing on top of the flyweight podium in Japan to the sound of the national anthem.

A former factory worker from Birmingham, Yafai found boxing late but still managed to compete in two Olympic Games and also brought gold home from the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

He was older than Sunny is now when he finally turned pro. But his impact on paid ring has been instantaneous and he boasts a more impressive highlight reel than Edwards in a quarter of the fights.

SMASH BROTHERS

The Edwards vs Yafai families have been pitched together in the past, and I’m not just talking about the 2015 ABA semi-finals when Sunny beat Galal.

Brothers Charlie Edwards and Kal Yafai circled one another for years without ever settling their beef inside the ring and, whilst those two have shared words again this week, the younger siblings have kept it far more respectful.

Both Sunny and Galal know they are in a proper fight on Saturday.

Edwards, with a relatively untried and untested new corner team, is putting his world title credentials on the line to a less than 10-fight novice that is no stranger to his unorthodox style.

Sunny usually banks the early rounds thanks to that smooth and silky approach – as he even did against Rodriguez – before then skating his way to a landslide points victory.

On the other side of the debate, pro boxing is a completely different sport than the amateurs and Yafai leaps to truly world level with just 43 total rounds in the bank.

Can he corner Sunny and catch him clean enough to make his power count?

Expect fireworks from the start with Yafai throwing with mean intentions and Edwards spinning and slipping in counters to ensure the commentary team are kept busy.

Galal can hit but he doesn’t hit as hard as Rodriguez and, whilst Sunny may have to pick himself up of the floor to do it, I expect him to use all his ring IQ to pull off a decisive points victory.

TIP: Edwards on Points

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