SHOWTIME Sunny Edwards put on a boxing masterclass to become flyweight world champion and British boxing’s littlest big star.
The 5ft 3in stylist made a mockery of 12-year-champion Moruti Mthalane’s terrifying knockout record to bamboozle him over 12 one-sided rounds and grab the IBF version of the 8st crown.
The 25-year-old gave up his beloved Monster Munch for the biggest fight of his career and put on the crispest performance of his life to earn a belt and a packet as the judges scored it 118-111, 120-108 and 115-113.
The dangerous South African stalked forward throughout the opener, trying to land the monstrous right hand that iced 26 of his previous 32 victims.
But Edwards was super slick, dancing out of range and peppering the 38-year-old’s high guard with crisp scoring shots and the odd hook around Mthalane’s ears and ribs.
The Croydon ace put on a boxing clinic in the second, gliding between orthodox and southpaw stances and tagging the hunter around his ribs.
The Brit even ended the round with a couple of powerful hooks as he grew in confidence and continually made the violent veteran miss
Edwards planted his feet more in the third and took a couple of digs but he earned another round with fluid footwork and rasping shots that totted up with the judges.
Mthalane continued to chase the Englishman throughout the fourth and he seemed to land a left hook while Edwards was on the ropes but the Sheffield-based ace proved his chin by shaking it off.
Edwards, little brother of former flyweight WBC king Charlie, bounced around the York Hall ring making Mthalane swipe at shadows during round five.
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Edwards was in full matador-mode by the seventh, punishing every missing Mthalane haymaker with a precision punch of his own.
Mthalane was desperate by eight and chasing Edwards like a playground bully hungry for dinner money, one stiff left hand even seemed to stun the champion.
Mthalane’s spirit seemed broken as he slashed away wildy and the challenger was confident enough to drop his hands in the tenth.
Team Edwards were screaming down the seconds and trainer Grant Smith was terrified when his star pupil chose to plant his feed and banger with the banger in the final moments.
But at the final bell the purple-clad gang roared with joy as they knew their man’s hand would be raised to start his reign as Britain’s latest world champion.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
