Edner Cherry is glad he lost to Timothy Bradley in 2008

Edner Cherry

EDNER CHERRY has revealed he is glad to have dropped a unanimous decision to Timothy Bradley seven years ago as he prepares to challenge Jose Pedraza for his IBF world super-featherweight title on Saturday [October 3].

The 33-year-old failed in his attempt at Bradleyโ€™s WBC super-lightweight strap in what was one of Cherryโ€™s few forays into that weight division.

The Florida-based Bahamian feels staying at 140lbs would have been dangerous for him and insists he is now at the perfect weight.

โ€œEver since my title loss to Timothy Bradley in 2008, Iโ€™ve pushed myself to get back into this position and to give myself the opportunity for a title shot at the right weight class.ย  Iโ€™m finally in the right weight class for me,โ€ he said.

โ€œBradley was the much bigger fighter when we fought [in 2008]. That was a mistake on our end. He just was the bigger guy, but I was in the ring with one of the best fighters in the world and I really learned from that fight.

โ€œI tell people that I am so glad that I didnโ€™t win that title against Bradley because, in my mind, I wouldโ€™ve been fighting at 140, but that wasnโ€™t my weight class. I wouldโ€™ve been risking my life fighting at 140. ย I glad I didnโ€™t win it, but Iโ€™m also glad I hung in there and got myself back into a big fight.โ€

Cherry will face Pedraza on the Adrien Broner-Khabib Allakhverdiev undercard and claims he is more than ready to finally become a world champion.

โ€œThis will be a very tough fight. ย Weโ€™ve been training hard and had a great camp,โ€ he noted.

โ€œIโ€™m not taking anything away from him [Pedraza], heโ€™s a tough fighter. ย Heโ€™s a champion for a reason.ย  But on Saturday night Iโ€™m coming for that title, thatโ€™s my job.

โ€œWe trained for 12 hard rounds, but if the knockout comes, then I will be very excited. ย All Iโ€™m looking for is a very hard 12-round fight.โ€

Puerto Ricoโ€™s Pedraza, who won the vacant title in his last outing โ€“ a unanimous decision win over Andrey Klimov in June โ€“ holds a similar sentiment.

โ€œWe train hard all the time, we are in great shape and we prepare for every fight like the opponent is the champion,โ€ he claimed.

โ€œEdner Cherry is a very experienced fighter. ย He is a strong guy and good puncher.

โ€œI am in great shape and Iโ€™m ready to fight 12 rounds.

โ€œThis could very well be the toughest fight of my career.ย  He hasnโ€™t lost in seven years. ย But we are very prepared, studied the fight well and are ready to go come Saturday.

โ€œMy youth will play a huge part in this fight. Iโ€™m much younger than him and, without a doubt, I will win this fight.โ€

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