It’s Always Sunny for Edwards

Unbeaten British star Sunny Edwards looks to extend his streak against feisty Filipino Jayson Mama in Dubai on Saturday.

Edwards is 16-0 following his IBF flyweight title win against Moruti Mthalane in April, but he will be tested against fellow undefeated contender Mama (16-0).

He could continue the excellent run of Filipino fighters, which includes Reymart Gaballo vs Nonito Donaire, but boxing betting markets will have Edwards as favorite.

Assessing Edward’s Record

Being an undefeated fighter doesn’t always mean much in boxing, but Sunny Edwards’ win over Mthalane bodes well for the Brit.

It was his first real test after fighting some ordinary boxers, but the unanimous-decision victory gives him confidence ahead of his title defense.

He has won numerous titles throughout his fledgling career. Edwards benefited from facing soft opposition and this fight against Mama is a level below what he faced earlier this year.

Edwards has called out WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez, so there are bigger fights on the horizon. However, he must stay focused and keep his mind on the job.

Mama has already thrown an early jab at the champion, saying he ran from Mthalane, who had been unbeaten for 12 years.

“Edwards was running all night. I hope he doesn’t run when he fights me, but I think he will run from me,” Mama told BoxingScene.

We can’t see Edwards running away from this fight. He should be keen to knock out Mama, having not produced a finish since beating Pedro Matos in 2019.

He has scored five unanimous-decision victories in a row, which is unusual for a champion. He owns only four knockouts from 16 fights, and that’s his biggest weakness.

Putting away Mama will be a challenge, considering he is unbeaten. If Edwards wants a taste of the big time, putting on a show in Dubai should be at the forefront of his intentions.

Betting online markets will have Edwards at a short quote to defend his title. He will be much shorter than what he paid against Mthalane.

Can Mama Kill a Man?

We are not talking about a literal kill, but Jayson Mama could kill the hopes of Edwards ever getting a big money fight.

The 24-year-old Filipino is unbeaten at 16-0 following a slew of low-level fights. He hasn’t fought anyone of note, but he has the slight height advantage over Edwards.

Mama fought 38-6-1 Teeraphong Utaida in 2019, which was his toughest fight to date. He won via unanimous decision before handling much easier opponents in four subsequent fights.

There are some analysts who believe Mama has a puncher’s chance against Edwards.

“Mama has the edge in punching power because that is not the strength of Edwards, who likes to box. He has heavy hands and every punch is loaded. Second, he is a body puncher, which is very important because he is facing a champion that likes to move,” said veteran boxing analyst Ed Tolentino.

“Edwards is a switch hitter, in fact, he has a fast counter-left hook. If Mama comes in with his guard down, he will be quickly countered by Edwards. He is not as strong as Mama but he is faster.”

The sportsbook is unlikely to respect Mama’s chances. Edwards will be the raging-hot favorite, but bettors shouldn’t rule out a shocking upset win.