Dubai: “Yes, we are one of a kind,” WBC World Flyweight Champion Charlie Edwards admitted as he glanced at his younger brother, Sunny, at the MTK Global office in Downtown Dubai.
Charlie, three years the senior, achieved what he calls “a lifelong dream” after securing a unanimous decision victory against Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales for the WBC Flyweight World Title at London’s O2 Arena in the last week of December.
Since that stunning underdog victory, things have never quite been the same for Charlie, or his brother, Sunny.
They have been thrust into the boxing spotlight and have caught the attention of sports fans in their native UK, much like the Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, did during their prime.
“Believe me, it’s no longer about the money or the fame that comes along. It’s about living a lifelong dream while being an inspiration for future generations,” Charlie told Gulf News on Tuesday.
“I love watching the video of my fight [against Rosales]. It’s like a movie to me. I had told my mum I wanted to be a world champion and bring home a belt. And when I won the bout it was so much like a dream come true.”
After turning pro in 2015, Charlie’s impressive 15-1 (6 Kos) career record has been topped by two successful defences of his WBC Flyweight crown.
The 25-year-old explained how his mum’s battle with cancer has inspired him to greater heights in the ring, and when he fought the feared Rosales for the belt.
“There was no beating me that night,” he said. “Mum was well enough to come and watch ringside and that was among the biggest blessings for me.
“I had made her a promise and I wanted to make sure nothing would be taken away from me that night [December 22, 2018] as I made her real proud.
Inspired by his elder’s success, Sunny, 23, has been blazing his own path towards a world title fight, having stopped Pedro Matos in eight rounds to retain his WBO European super-flyweight belt.
Boasting an unbeaten 13-0 record Sunny is aware that the two siblings can only get better given the example set by Russia’s Klitschko brothers not so long ago.
“Growing up, the achievements of the Klitschko brothers was something that inspired us,” said Sunny. “Not only do we now want to be like them, but we want to get even better.
“Perhaps, everyone laughs seeing us smaller boxers. But I would want to change the peoples’ view of how they look at boxing, especially at the lower levels.
“One day it will be the Edwards brothers who will be in a position to boast of a record that is better than the Klitschkos.
“Ideally, within the next 12 to 18 months I would be able to put in a good charge for challenging for a world title. I think I have more than proved that at the international level it is all down to the mind and how much one is convinced of one’s win,” he added.
“Both of us have come up from nothing. We have dedicated our lives to this sport and I am sure that a major part of our legacy in boxing will be to inspire a whole new generation.
Charlie, adds: “We were always the smaller ones, but we have also shown a whole generation that it is possible to follow one’s dreams.
“The Klitschkos have done it, and it won’t be long before the Edwards brothers will try and better those records.
