The little men of boxing rarely get the credit they deserve. On the other end of the spectrum in size to the behemoths such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, there is Charlie Edwards, World Boxing Council flyweight champion. Edwards, 5ft 5in tall and 8st wringing wet; the disarming face of a choirboy yet with spiteful fists and fitness to challenge a whippet, the south Londoner is both a fascinating fighter and character.
If Edwards can retain and defend the title he won on Dec 22 at the O2 Arena against Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales for a significant period, he will become a standout in Britain’s crop of champions. Edwards returns to action as the headliner in the first defence of his crown at the Copper Box on Saturday against Spaniard Angel Moreno, against whom Edwards sparred for several days before his first world title attempt 2½ years ago against Filipino John Riel Casimero, in his ninth professional fight.
Edwards, whose body is replete with tattoos: a lion and crown; the lightning of Zeus on his hand; Achilles; an eagle on his shoulder; a third eye by his ear, which all have significance from his career, showed in December that he belongs at world level. He has barely had time to savour claiming the WBC crown in what proved the most complete performance of his career against the Nicaraguan, a display of alternating attacks with savvy boxing over an intense 12 rounds, winning by a landslide 118-110, 117-111, 116-112.
But it was a nuanced, emotional night: for family, for friends, and particularly for his mother. Edwards dedicated the victory to his mother, Terry, who has suffered both cancer and brain disease in the past four years. In a wheelchair, Terry had watched events unfold from ringside.
“It meant so much,” Edwards explains. “I have assessed it with mum. We have talked about it a lot. I’m in a house in Sheffield I’ve rented for this training camp and I have all the pictures from the night with my team in one room. Mum is up here three days a week. We sit in the room and talk. It motivates me day in, day out. I know what I have achieved has given my mum so much pleasure.”
Now to Moreno. “Since I sparred with him, my fighting IQ and boxing game has gone through the roof. I’m doing things that are coming naturally and I have gone up another level. I now need to show that in my defence.”
But there is pressure. “Having the opportunity to headline my own card at the Copper Box, I can’t thank Sky Sports and Eddie Hearn enough. But this camp has gone quickly since wining the title and it has probably been good to keep the momentum going. Dec 22 was manic and there were great lessons outside the ring.”
“I got to know myself better off the back of the win, and my coach, Grant Smith, turns the technical screws on me very well,” explains the 24-year-old. “It has sunk in that I am world champion, but I know I can get better. I have the title but it’s about a new chapter, building a legacy and I want to go on to be a multi-weight world champion, and go down as a British great in the division. It will only get harder. But the success has made me hungrier, and more determined.”
In a pause for reflection, Edwards looks back. “When I was 11, I was very insecure, I was short, fat, I had man boobs and I didn’t want to take my top off. I was also bullied a little bit. I went to the gym for fitness, to learn to look after myself, and got addicted. My dad was a small man, and he thought it would be good for my brother and me to do it. I had a couple of scraps to put the record straight but once I was 14, I never had any trouble again.
“From the day I went in the gym, it took over my life. I have had a professional attitude, like it was a career, from the age of 14. I’d get up at 6am and go running, with my dad, Lawrence, on the bike alongside me. I’d snooze through my lessons and get back in the gym. Looking back, it has all paid off.” In spades. Edwards could yet emerge as a special champion.