CHARLIE EDWARDS has had only eight fights in his professional career. In his ninth, on September 10 at the O2 Arena on the Gennady Golovkin-Kell Brook undercard, heโll challenge John Riel Casimero for the IBF flyweight world championship.
Casimero, 22-3 (14), knocked out Amnat Ruenroeng in May to win the title. For Edwards, who picked up the English belt last year, itโs an astonishing rise to world level.
Charlie was an accomplished amateur, winning a European bronze medal and two ABA national championships. He won a place on the GB squad and came close to qualifying for the 2012 Olympics when he was only a teenager. He suffered further heartbreak when he claimed the England flyweight spot at the 2014 Commonwealth Games but lost to Scotlandโs inspired Reece McFadden. But he is convinced, despite his limited professional experience, he will come into his own when he faces Casimero in September.
What did you think when you were offered the chance to fight John Riel Casimero?
Get me him now! I looked at what heโs done. Obviously heโs a great fighter but thereโs something about his style that I know โ I just know heโs made for me. I just knew it as soon as I saw him, just little clips, and this is when he knocked out that Amnat. I thought no, I want him. Heโs well beatable, especially for a world title shot so early on in my career.
What do you think beating him would mean, given youโve had so few professional fights?
It would be massive. Heโs a two-weight world champion, a legit champion. Heโs no paper champion, do you know what I mean? Heโs just knocked out Amnat. In my opinion Amnat beat him in the fight before and I think he beat him quite widely on the scorecards. Amnat going into that last fight, I donโt think he would have been training as hard. Not only that heโs just qualified for the Olympics at 60 kilos, so that sums up to me there was some issue with weight there. Thatโs 10 kilos near enough difference. So there must have been some issues where he got knocked out and it was a bit of a phantom punch out of nowhere. So this opportunity, so early in my career, I jumped at it. Iโm in a no-lose situation. If I go out there and Iโm out of my depth, itโs just too early for me and Iโll hold my hands up. But I really fancy my chances. Iโm really going to give it my everything. I canโt see anything else but me taking that title from him that night.
Iโm going to be in unreal condition. And Iโve heard that in his camp the talks were it was going to be on September 24 on the [Anthony] Crolla card. They put a statement out, his camp, and he was just only getting back into light training [in July when the fight was confirmed]. So I donโt think heโs been in the gym. So heโs got to start from the start and heโs got to rush it now until September 10. Heโs got to put it in and get his weight down and come from scratch, where Iโm just going to turn it up a gear.
Golovkin-Brook was such a surprise, itโs been such massive news โ how good is it being on that show?
It feels great. Iโm the second fight announced on that show. The exposureโs been absolutely unreal for me, getting put out on Sky Sports, my Twitterโs been on fire, Iโve got so much support from the public, which Iโm really over the moon about taking this fight. Yes, some people think itโs too early for me, but all they can do is respect it. Theyโve been giving me a bit of agg about not doing the Andrew Selby fight but all that time I was releasing โIโve got a big fight lined upโ and
I knew it was something like this.
Have you had a chance to study him closely and look at his style since taking the fight?
We have sat down and watched him. He is slow-footed, which I was very shocked at. When I got told about him, a Filipino, I thought heโd be quick, rapid like Manny Pacquiao. But he is very slow-footed. He can punch with both hands but I think what is going to beat him is my awkwardness, my movement. And heโs very one-paced. He doesnโt really have a lot of gears. I donโt know, I look at him and I just think โIโve got every attribute to beat youโ. Thatโs why, going into this fight, whatever heโs got, I will do better.
And I know youโre a hard trainer, so whatever happens itโs not going to be through lack of trying.
The only way Iโm going to get beat on that night is if he catches me and knocks me out. Heโs not taking it off me any other way. Iโm going to make it awkward and horrible in there for him. Heโs going to have looked at me and think eight fights, itโs going to be an easy night here. Itโs a hype job from England. But when he steps in that ring heโs going to know itโs real.
Have you ever been dropped or stopped, even in your whole amateur career?
I got dropped in the ABAs, it was a head butt. Itโs one of them ones. Iโve got a great chin when Iโve been hit with hard shots. Iโve not ever really been dropped in sparring, when I get hit with hard shots I always come back better.
When I have got hit, itโs when Iโve switched off and when Iโm well above in my ability. Iโm going into this fight 100 percent switched on. Even in the fights youโve seen me in as a pro Iโm so ahead of my fighters I get carried away with myself sometimes. I let my hands go when I donโt need to, and take risks I donโt need to, because I know Iโm not going to get caught. In this fight Iโm going to be so on the ball that every mistake he makes Iโm going to counter. Iโm not going to be falling in or letting my shots go wild. Itโs going to be all to gameplan. I canโt wait for this camp, Iโm going to be getting some great sparring.
Weโre really taking this seriously and I think I can become world champion after my ninth fight, so quickly and out of nowhere. Iโm just so buzzing with it.
One of your GB team-mates, Anthony Joshua, won a world title in 16 fights. Do you want to do it even quicker than him?
Exactly. It makes me laugh. Itโs written in the stars. I remember when you put the picture of little and large in the Boxing News Annual [in 2010] and heโs gone on to win the IBF and now Iโm following him, the same title. I feel so privileged to get the opportunity, thanks to Eddie and Barry [Hearn] and my management team for making it happen. They believe in me and they believe Iโm going to take the title and I know, I know Iโm going to.
Was there a temptation not to take the tune-up in July?
Itโs to get my nose back in there, get a bit of confidence and get a load of hype behind me. I had to take it and be 100 percent focused and I wouldnโt underestimate any of my opponents ever in a million years.
Iโd been out since February 27, so Iโve had quite a lot of time out because of injuries, because of my hand. But itโs fully recovered now. Sharpen the tools. He [Casimero] hasnโt fought since he won the title. Heโs had a lot of time out. He might have some ringrust. Iโm looking to push on and go full throttle.
Whatโs your trainer been saying about the fight?
As soon as we knew we could have the fight, I ran it past Danny [Vaughan]. Danny looked at me and said โYouโre going to be the IBF champion that nightโ. He said โYou will beat him, Iโm telling you now. Youโve got every attribute to beat him. Heโs quite solid with both hands but the way you box, if you box to orders, we will put in a performance and shock the world that night.โ
This article was originally published in Boxing News magazine. Subscribe and donโt miss an issue!