Newly crowned flyweight world titleholder Charlie Edwards has had a laid-back celebration since winning the belt from Cristofer Rosales last week in upset fashion and is looking forward to the possibility of unifying titles.
Edwards (14-1, 6 KOs), 25, of England won a unanimous decision — 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 — over Rosales (28-4, 19 KOs), 24, of Nicaragua on the undercard of the heavyweight rematch between contenders Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora on Dec. 22 at the O2 Arena in London.
“I’ve not been in mega-celebration mode,” Edwards said on Saturday. “I haven’t been drunk or started eating nonstop. I didn’t even have a drink after the fight, if I’m honest. I’m an ultra-professional. We just enjoyed our time with our loved ones. It was nice to just have a conversation and actually catch up with a few people.
“I’m looking forward to 2019 now, and I want to get what I actually deserve. I want to get all the fights I’ve wanted. I want to be in those big, competitive fights. I’m looking forward to getting the unification fights next year and keep building from there.”
Rosales was the clear favorite in his second title defense, having knocked out Daigo Higa in the ninth round on Higa’s home turf in Japan to claim the vacant belt in April and then making defense No. 1 by fourth-round knockout of hometown hero Paddy Barnes on Aug. 18 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
But Edwards impressively dethroned Rosales in his second shot at a world title. In September 2016, Edwards got an opportunity to challenge then-flyweight titlist John Riel Casimero and suffered a 10th-round knockout loss, also at the O2 Arena, on the Gennady Golovkin-Kell Brook undercard.
But Edwards has now won six fights in a row since that defeat. He is not happy just to have a belt in the 112-pound weight class. He wants more.
“I don’t feel satisfied. It’s made me more hungry,” Edwards said. “I want to unify the division and build a legacy. The hard work really does start now. It’s hard getting there, but it’s even harder staying there, so I’m completely focused on what’s next.
“I don’t feel any different. I’m buzzing to achieve a childhood dream, but I don’t think it’ll sink in until after my career’s done because I’m the type of fighter who always thinks about what’s next.”
One potential unification fight for Edwards could be a match with Moruti Mthalane (36-2, 24 KOs), 36, of South Africa, if he is successful in his second title defense against Japan’s Masahiro Sakamoto (13-1, 9 KOs) on Monday. The bout will take place on a world title tripleheader at the Wynn Palace in Macau, China, that also includes Donnie Nietes versus Kazuto Ioka for a vacant junior bantamweight title in the main event and Hekkie Budler defending his junior flyweight title against Hiroto Kyoguchi.