Sunny Edwards intends to live up to his star billing as the best flyweight on the planet by making light work of Felix Alvarado on Friday.
Edwards came face-to-face with his dangerous mandatory challenger at today’s press conference ahead of their IBF world title showdown at Probellum Sheffield later this week.
The top-level flyweight showdown headlines a major card at the Utilita Arena, with Jack Bateson vs Shabaz Masoud acting as the brilliant co-main event – and tensions boiled over when the British rivals squared off.
Security had to intervene as a heated exchange between the pair became physical and the anticipation for their British super bantamweight title final eliminator has been ramped up several notches.
But Edwards, known as ‘Showtime’, is the main attraction in the Steel City this week and he plans on proving why there is no other 112lbs fighter that can touch him.
The unbeaten IBF world flyweight champion, Sunny Edwards said: “Alvarado is a great champion from the weight below but I genuinely think I’m past his level, I believe I am at elite level.
“We’ll find out if this will be my toughest fight. I’ve had ‘tough’ fights, but I’ve made them not look that.”
Probellum’s Head of Talent Relations, Sam Jones said: “Alvarado is a fantastic challenger, a world class challenger but he is dealing with the best flyweight in the world. Sunny Edwards has pound-for-pound quality.”
Felix Alvarado, who has 33 KO wins on his fearsome record, said: “The opponents Sunny has fought are different to me and on Friday, he will find this out.”
WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
(Fight times are subject to change)
5:30pm local time
6 Rounds Super Middleweight Contest
Nicolie Campbell (9-1) 169lbs 2oz
Frane Radnic (11-34) 169lbs 1oz
6pm
8 Rounds Super Welterweight Contest
Ishmael Davis (9-0) 156lbs 7oz
Dustin Ammann (7-7) 157lbs 8oz
6:40pm
6 Rounds Lightweight Contest
Levi Kinsiona (9-2) 136lbs 8oz
Alin Florin Ciorceri (16-3-1) 136 lbs 6oz
7:10pm
British Super Flyweight title final eliminator
Thomas Essomba (11-7-1) 114lbs 6oz
Marcel Braithwaite (13-3) 115lbs 7oz
Braithwaite missed weight
8:10pm
6 Rounds Middleweight Contest
Hebert Conceição (2-0) 163lbs 1oz
Gideon Onyenani (4-1) 162lbs 7oz
8:40pm
WBA Intercontinental Super Bantamweight title & British Super Bantamweight title final eliminator
Jack Bateson (17-0) 120lbs 8oz
Shabaz Masoud (10-0) 121lbs 8oz
9:40pm
IBF WORLD FLYWEIGHT TITLE
Sunny Edwards (18-0) 111lbs 5oz
Felix Alvarado (38-2) 111lbs 2oz
10:40pm
8 Rounds Super Bantamweight Contest
Lisa Whiteside (4-0) 120lbs 9oz
Eva Cantos (4-8-1) 122lbs 6oz
11:10pm
4 Rounds Light Heavyweight Contest
Bradley Cousins (3-1) 175lbs 5oz
Genadij Krajevskij (0-41) 175lbs 5oz
Float
4 Rounds Light Heavyweight Contest
Khalid Ayub (3-0) 176lbs 2oz
Danail Stoyanov (3-13) 174lbs 2oz