Sunny Edwards

Lyndon Arthur says the world title winning exploits of his boxing ‘twin’ Sunny Edwards has proved an inspiration and an achievement he is eager to emulate.

Sunny, of course, seized the IBF flyweight world title in a sensational fashion with a fleet-footed masterclass against the South African legend Moruti Mthalane in April. His nimble footwork and rapier-like array of shots saw to it that a glittering red belt was soon being couriered to his doorstep in Sheffield.

The 25-year-old world champion ventured across to Manchester this week to the famous Collyhurst and Moston gym, where the uncompromising headmaster is former European champion, the Black Flash, Pat Barrett.

One of Barrett’s star pupils is one of Britain’s and the world’s leading light heavyweights, who is known in boxing circles as King Arthur. Lyndon catapulted himself to the forefront of the division with a display of precise punch picking in his December showdown against big domestic rival Anthony Yarde in London.

The 30-year-old WBO Intercontinental and Commonwealth champion returns to the capital next Saturday (July 30) when he headlines the show at the Royal Albert Hall, taking on the unbeaten, 15-0, Italian Davide Faraci, live on BT Sport.

Inseparable amateur teammates Lyndon and Sunny were back in tandem as the light heavy was put through his paces by Barrett on Wednesday and the older of the pair reflected that he cannot fail to be inspired by his flyweight friend.

“Sunny, man, it was great, wasn’t it,” considered the 18-0 man. “It was just a great thing, I am a bit lost for words, it was just mad and amazing. I’ve watched him coming from ABA finals – and he got beaten in one of them – to the pinnacle of professional boxing.”

The typically reserved – publicly, at least – Lyndon doesn’t give much away at the best of times, but he was visibly ecstatic following Sunny’s triumph. Much more so than after his own successes.

“It is not just me,” he explained. “I know with a lot of boxers, you tend to get more excited about your friends or family fighting than you do about yourself. My reaction showed my feelings.

“It was crazy in the sense that we met on GB (elite amateur squad) and we just clicked straight away and have kept as friends and now we are both here.”

The obvious question remained. How did the quietly eloquent and imposing light heavyweight end up in cahoots with the impish – and some might say outspoken – flyweight?

“Have you seen the film Twins? It is the same sort of thing and we naturally bounce off each other and have done since we met. It just happened organically, it was not forced and we have stayed friends and had a strong relationship ever since.”

Away from his Sunny outlook, Lyndon has a job on his hands against Faraci next week and he is not underestimating the task.

“I have watched a few of his fights and he is a threat. I am the key to his world title shot and his lottery ticket, so to speak. He will take this fight more seriously than any other so I have to be ready.”

Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the July 10th Royal Albert Hall bill and makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).

The Mancunian’s bitter rival Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) returns in a non-title ten rounder.

Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).

 WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) meets Mexico’s Diego Andrade Chavez (13-4-2, 1 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.

Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).

Elsewhere on the card, 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali (2-0) will have his third professional assignment against Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs), with Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.

(by Kristian von Sponneck)

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