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1:00 AM 17th December 2024
sports
Opinion

Hobson Weighs in on Edwards’ Retirement

Boxing
Photo: John Hannen
Photo: John Hannen
Sheffield boxing promoter Dennis Hobson (pictured), known for guiding the careers of British legends like Ricky Hatton and David Haye, has offered his perspective on Sunny Edwards’ recent loss to Birmingham’s Galal Yafai, and Edwards’ subsequent retirement from the sport.

The fight on November 30th for the vacant WBC interim world title, ended in a stoppage defeat for Croydon flyweight Edwards, who was trained for many years by Grant Smith at Sheffield’s Steel City Gym, but who surprisingly switched trainers ahead of the Yafai fight to be coached by Liverpool’s Chris Williams.

Despite being the much more experienced man heading into the contest, with just one defeat in 22 outings, Edwards had no answer for the freshness of Yafai. The 2020 Olympic Gold Medallist, having just his night paid fight, got on top of the Londoner from the opening bell and continued to attack until the fight was called off during the sixth round.

With Edwards, at one point, telling his corner between rounds that ‘he didn’t want to be in there’, Hobson says that it’s a good thing that the former world champion has decided to call it a day, but that ‘Showtime’ Sunny can be proud of the career he’s leaving behind.

“As soon as I heard he had left, I was concerned because he was in good company in Grant’s gym. If something’s working then why change it? It was such a big fight, and how many times have we seen fighters change their trainers before going into a big fight and then getting beat. It’s happened so many times."

“When you need to get into the trenches, a fighter needs that trust with their trainer, somebody who can trigger something in their mind. You could hear his new trainer shouting above the commentators but he maybe hadn’t got that relationship with Sunny - he can’t have, he hadn’t been with him long enough. Sunny had great rapport with Grant and he might have triggered something and got him back into that fight."

“So, for me, he should have stayed with Grant and it was a bad decision on Sunny’s part but I do like him. I think he’s had a great career; he’s been a bit controversial at times but when I’ve sat down with him and met him, I really do respect and like him."

“I think he’ll stick to his retirement, when I’ve spoken to him, he’s always come across as very passionate and knowledgeable about the game, and he says he’s lost that passion. It’s a dangerous game and he should retire.”