Two former titlists look to rebound when they meet inside the squared circle on June 29 at the upcoming Matchroom event. It has been a tumultuous road for the two recently, as they witnessed the highs and lows of sports in their last fights. But who will rise above the despair of an unfavorable result and the loss of a champion’s crown? Is it Sunny Edwards, who reigned supreme at flyweight for a couple of years and is itching to climb back to his throne? Or is it Adrian Curiel, who stood tall when it mattered the most and shocked the world with his fighting acumen?

Besides the high stakes for the two fighters from either side of the Atlantic, an exciting matchup awaits fans at Footprint Center in Phoenix, which also doubles up as a supporting act for the main event title showdown between Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. So, who will seize the golden opportunity to challenge for a title next as they fight it out over 12 rounds in a flyweight encounter? Let’s find out as we first try to form a better picture with their stats.

Sunny Edwards vs. Adrian Curiel: Tale of Tape

Edwards has swayed the fans and pundits with his technical prowess and he has an impressive record of 20-1-0 with 4 KOs to show for it to the fans. But do you know ‘Showtime’ has collected this record while standing tall with a not-so-tall stature of 5’3″ (160 cm) and a reach of 59.8″ (152 cm)? What’s more?

The British boxer, at 28, is in his prime years and looks to add more to his boxing resume and beef up his long list of followers. However, his KO ratio of 20% might be one stat that he might look to improve when he faces Curiel, as he tends to grind out a result rather than go for a kill. So, how does Curiel stack up against the natural flyweight, who registered a weight of 111.5 lbs (50.6 kg) when he last stood on the scales?

Despite Curiel being the younger of the two at 25, he has an uphill task in front of him. Why so? The Mexican fighter is moving up a division from Light Flyweight and faces a former world champion in his very first fight. That’s the end of struggles for him, as fans remember his taller frame of 5’4 (163 cm), which can help him accommodate the higher weight. In addition, the fans are eager to witness what the former IBF light flyweight champion can do at 112 and whether he can improve his current record of 24-5-1 with 5 KOs.

Interestingly, it’s not only his size advantage that might work in his favor. Curiel is also the more aggressive and powerful of the two, and his KO ratio of 21% also lays out a similar picture for the fans. But can ‘Gatito’ pull off an upset once again? A theme that has been running around his career recently.

Prediction: recent run of play, fighting styles, and what might affect the outcome

Curiel made waves in the boxing community in 2023 as he scored a violent and highlight-reel knockout of Sivenathi Nontshinga last November. Not only did the victory earn him a title at 108, but it also made him a household name. The Mexico City native was about to pull off another victory over Nontshinga until the latter absorbed all the punches in the first half, waited long enough to find an opening, and finished the fight via a 10th-round TKO.

Curiel is an aggressive boxer who likes to control the pace and put relentless pressure on his opponents. He doesn’t allow them to breathe as he fights on the front foot. He also doesn’t shy away from trading blows and sometimes leaves himself vulnerable to counters, which even Nontshinga exploited to the full. It is something that Edwards might exploit too, given his technicality.

Meanwhile, the fans might be a bit concerned about Edwards’ confidence, who is coming off his pro loss to Jesse Rodriguez. Despite starting with good momentum in his fight against Bam, he found himself taking brutal power shots from Bam after which, before the 10th round, his corner decided to put an end to the punishment. You still can’t brush aside the former champion, who is desperate to prove his worth and propel himself back into the conversation of the elites.

The Sutton native has mastered the skill of hitting and then getting away from the hitting range. He uses lots of movement and puzzles his opponents. His punching power, however, remains an issue. He doesn’t pack a lot of power behind his punches and if Curiel eats some of those to unload some of his own, it might trouble him. So, the match is perfectly balanced, where either of the two can edge past the other.

What do you make of this coming fight between Sunny Edwards and Adrian Curiel? Who do you believe will return to winning ways? Let us know in the comments below.