Sunny Edwards could face Julio Cesar Martinez next
Undefeated IBF World flyweight champion Sunny Edwards (17-0, 4KOs) is reportedly lining up a unification clash with WBC titlist Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar (18-1, 14KOs).
'Showtime' Sunny, 26 from Croydon, is aiming to avenge his older brother Charlie by facing the same man who was disqualified for hitting him while he was already down in their 2019 fight.
As a result of the illegal blow, the result was changed from a TKO3 win for 'Rey' Martinez to a No Contest.
However, the Mexican won the green and gold belt in his very next fight after Charlie vacated to move up a division.
He has now held the WBC bauble for two years and is expected to face IBF titleholder Sunny Edwards next.
The unification contest between these two flyweights will be an exciting prospect for fight fans with the pair's clash of styles set to create an intruiging pick'em fight.
The 26-year-old once-beaten Mexican, known as 'El Rey', is tough, aggressive and rough, whereas Sunny is stylish, evasive and intelligent – polar opposites.
Martinez would inevitably plough forward throwing punches in bunches and Edwards would be expected to box on the back foot and pick off his opponent for the full 12-round duration.
Both world champions have expressed their desire to meet in the ring.
Sunny said, “I want to unify and I want the Ring Magazine number one. I want Martinez – he’s the guy. I called him after the fight. I’ve cleared up my mandatory and I’ve got a voluntary next, let’s get it. I want the big fights.
“I know Martinez is a level above Mama but he is also similar. Martinez lets big shots go, just like him, but he is a lot more ruthless and relentless. But he is also a lot more wild.
“You see every time an opponent telegraphs these big shots, like power punchers do, that I always find a way to get out of the way of it.
“I went 12 rounds [against Mama] and barely took a shot.
“Edwards-Martinez is the highest profile fight in the division. If it got made next week it would make a little splash in world boxing.
“I’ve seen Eddy Reynoso [Martinez’s trainer] tweet me earlier saying I’m easy for his boy, which must show their intention a little bit.
“They haven’t been in a ring with someone like me. They might think they have, but they haven’t. I’m very hard to win a round against – and even harder to hurt.”
Martinez mentioned, “We want all the belts, so Sunny Edwards, Artem Dalakian and Junto Nakatani – that’s the goal. But if it can’t happen in the next year, we would have to move up to Super-Flyweight where we can have fights with Juan Francisco Estrada, Chocolatito and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
“It would be an honour to fight Sunny, a great opportunity and to put behind what happened in the fight with his brother Charlie. He has a belt, and we want to unify, so gladly we’d go to England for the fight.”
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