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Sunny Edwards vs Jesse Rodriguez is the biggest title unification duel for the two flyweight boxers. Sunny Edwards and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez are in the midst of a trans-Atlantic press tour to promote their upcoming flyweight title unification fight, and it’s turning heads.
Sunny Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) is bursting onto the domestic scene and the 27-year-old from Croydon has been in incredible form since beating Moruti Mthalane for the IBF title in 2021. He’s developed his style into one of the sport’s toughest problems to solve .
Jesse Rodriguez (18-0, 11 KOs) became one of the hottest prospects in boxing after bursting onto the scene in 2022; a stunning campaign that included WBC super flyweight title wins over Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. The 23-year-old boxer from Texas dropped to 50.8 kg and won the vacant WBO flyweight title in April.
This fight will take place in Arizona on December 16th. Edwards has campaigned long and hard for an opportunity like this and appears to be inspired by the enormity of this event and the threat of world-class rivals. “I love what I do. Bam is probably one of the best fighters in the world in the lower divisions, so why wouldn’t I want to fight him?” Edwards told Talksport.
“I was tired of the easy fights. I didn’t even wake up for training. I didn’t wake up for camp and my diet was terrible. As soon as I found out I had Bam, 15 or 16 weeks, I was fired up. It was so easy,” he continued .
“I prefer to train like this. I know I’m going to win, but whatever happens, I want big fights. I don’t need a confidence boost or building momentum or a comeback. Just big fights and moving on. I’ve had a few fights, but like Bam said, I think this is the biggest fight for both of us. It’s probably the biggest fight in the division right now.”
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrada, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras paved the way for the lower divisions, fighting for the spotlight and maintaining their position there through a series of spectacular matches.
The time has come for a new generation to take over the mantle and Edwards and Rodriguez have earned the right to be considered the most deserving. They may be very different in terms of fighting style and personality, but they each have the skills and X-factor necessary to fill a sizable position.
The winner of their bout will not only establish themselves as the undisputed leader of the flyweight division, but also enter pound-for-pound contention. “I think this will spark a fire that will ignite in the lower divisions,” Edwards said.
“After me and Bam – and whatever happens on the night will happen – but it will be a big event with a lot of attention from the promoters. Then, everyone we fight after that will benefit. Everyone who gets into the groove this story will benefit from what we do.”
“This is not normal for flyweights. Headlining a big event, with big preparation. Flying to America to cover and coming back here, this is not normal for flyweights. Trust me.”
(aww)