By Norm Frauenheim –
GLENDALE, Ariz. – There were no surprises on the scale. Off-the-scale, there weren’t many either.
On the scale, at least, Sunny Edwards and Jesse Bam Rodriguez were identical, 111.6 pounds each, Friday morning at the official weigh-in conducted by the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission.
They repeated that weigh-in in a staged version later in the day at Desert Diamond Arena just a few feet away from where the ring awaited them for Saturday night’s DAZN-streamed flyweight-title unification fight.
It was on that stage that the dramatic differences between them became evident. The left-handed Rodriguez (18-0, 14 KOs) had little to say. The right-handed Edwards (20-0, 4 KOs) had plenty to say.
Edwards is sometimes called the UK’s pound-for-pound best. You might get an argument from heavyweight champion Tyson Fury about that.
Place Edwards next to Fury, and it might be hard to find the flyweight. Fury was 268.8 pounds for his last fight. Even by heavyweight standards, Fury is mammoth, more than two times bigger than Edwards, the International Boxing Federation’s 112-pound champion
But Edwards’ mouth is just as big.
It continued to roar, Fury-like, at what promoters called a ceremonial weigh-in. After he stepped off the scale, he continued to call Rodriguez a cheater.
The drug-cheat theme started on social media a few days ago. It continued Thursday during a news conference when he called Rodriguez a cheat because of his relationship with SNAC and sports-nutritionist Victor Conte.
Friday, Edwards weighed in by pointing to the inside of each of his arms.
“Clean veins, clean veins,’’ he said.
By now, no interpretation of the body language was necessary.
Then, he grabbed the microphone and offered his own narrative of what had transpired in the moments leading up to the staged weigh-in. He said that Rodriguez had kept him waiting.
“Bam was still getting the needle outta his arm,’’ Edwards said.
Then, he promptly – and appropriately – dropped — the mike just as Rodriguez and his corner exited the stage, shaking their heads in dismay and perhaps anger.
The tension is there — nothing ceremonial about it — and it’s building for a contentious fight on the DAZN card (5 pm PT/8 pm ET/ 1 am UK).
Edwards offers no real evidence to support his allegations. Promoter Eddie Hearn, Scott Fletcher of the Arizona Commission and Conte have all told 15 Rounds that both fighters have been undergoing anti-doping tests.
Edwards said on X (formerly Twitter) that he was tested by VADA Friday. Still, he continues his trash-talk campaign, which is seemingly intended to distract Rodriguez, the World Boxing Organization’s flyweight champion.
If it’s working, it’s not evident. Rodriguez, a quiet fighter from San Antonio, stayed composed in the face of Edwards’ latest rhetorical assault Friday.
“Mentally and emotionally, I’m as ready as I’ve ever been for any fight,’’ he said.
The favored Rodriguez, who plans to jump back up to super-fly (115 pounds) after Saturday, acknowledges that Edwards represents a challenge. The UK fighter is elusive. He’s often best when fighting off his back foot.
There’s no argument about Edwards’ ring style. It poses problems, both for Rodriguez and perhaps a crowd expected to be predominantly Mexican-American.
Can Edwards win a decision?
“He can’t win at all,’’ Rodriguez said in what might be a simple summation of what he thinks of Edwards and what he hopes to do to him.
