Boxing careers are unpredictable journeys of passion, pain, and personal sacrifice. For Sunny Edwards, that journey came to an unexpected end at just 28 years old. After spending nearly two decades in the sport, he decided to hang up his gloves following a tough loss to Galal Yafai.
‘Showtime‘ isn’t just another boxer. He was a former IBF world champion who had dedicated his entire life to the sweet science. But something had changed. The fire that once burned bright was slowly dimming, and he knew it was time to walk away.
I’ve really enjoyed everything boxing has offered me so far… People don’t really realize how happy I’ve been to be here… The same spark that has helped me walk through fire, walk through anything infront of me, I didn’t feel it…My team know this. Win, lose or draw I was retiring tonight. I don’t have the same energy that I had for the sport,” said Edwards at the post-fight press conference.
An emotional Sunny Edwards discusses retirement and his camp for the Galal Yafai fight, and heaps praise on his trainer, Chris Williams.
— Boxing Social (@boxing_social) December 1, 2024
🎥 https://t.co/sQ58RhyWWK#EdwardsYafai #Boxing pic.twitter.com/yk4ktsU6Ah
His words weren’t just about boxing. They were about lost moments and personal sacrifices. He spoke candidly about missing his children’s important milestones and the physical toll the sport had taken on his body. And the weight of those missed moments hung heavy in his voice. Boxing hadn’t just been a sport for Sunny Edwards, and it had been his entire world.
Retiring at 28 might seem young to some, but for Edwards, it was a mature decision. He recognized that continuing would mean fighting without his heart fully in it. Sometimes, walking away is the bravest move an athlete can make.
Sunny Edwards Confesses Mid-Fight That He Didn’t Want To Be There
The world of boxing is unforgiving, and sometimes, the most brutal battles happen inside an athlete’s mind. Edwards learned this the hard way during his fight against Galal Yafai, in a moment that would define the end of his boxing career.
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In the second round of what was supposed to be a high-stakes WBC interim flyweight title fight, Sunny Edwards did something rarely seen in professional sports. With cameras rolling in his corner, he made a startling confession to his team.
“Can I be real with you? I don’t even want to be here.”
“Can I be real with you? I don’t want to be here.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 30, 2024
Damn. The fight game, man. Sunny Edwards is a fighter’s fighter, so to hear this so early in such a big fight is heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/XCmZWMrvjd
The fight itself was a masterclass by Yafai, who secured a sixth-round TKO victory. For Sunny Edwards, it wasn’t just a loss. It was a public unraveling of his competitive spirit. His honest admission revealed something many athletes fear: the moment when passion simply runs out.
Also Read: Sunny Edwards vs. Galal Yafai: Age, Height, Wins, KOs, Net Worth, Titles, And More Comparison
