Charlie Edwards saves his career after lost years – just don’t call it a comeback

Charlie Edwards found his boxing heart and soul late last Friday night at York Hall in a fight for his life.

After 10 rounds, Edwards was given a lopsided decision over Frenchman Georges Ory for a belt that guaranteed him a new world ranking, but the catchily-named WBC International silver bantamweight title and the promises that come with it were not the real prize in a fight he had to win.

“It’s been a long and tough few years,” said Surrey-born Edwards at the end. “I could have walked away, but I never did – this was not a comeback. I just had to keep fighting.” There was, by his own admission, a lot of drinking in the lost years.

Edwards, the older brother of former IBF flyweight title holder Sunny, is still only 31. He has officially only lost once in 21 fights but nothing is ever simple in the boxing business, and nothing is ever as it seems. He has also made the move from flyweight to bantamweight, an increase of just six pounds, but to boxing’s smaller men, that is a massive shift. And it is also the type of move that saves a career.

In the summer of 2019, Edwards lost his WBC world flyweight title at the O2 when he was dropped in the third round and then hit on the canvas by Julio Cesar Martinez. There was bitter confusion in the ring; Edwards could not continue, Martinez was given the title at first, then it was declared a no-contest.

“I had to go through some dark times after the Martinez fight,” said Edwards. “I still have a lot of good years. I have to stay positive.”

It has been a slow and difficult road since that violent August night and the free fall that followed. Edwards was left in pain in the ring, his world title days were a distant memory before he had even got back to the dressing room.

Edwards took over a year out, had a win, then took another year out before another win. There was just one more win before the fight last Friday and that means that Edwards fought just three times in nearly five years. He lost some great years but he insists that he has not lost his best years.

The fight at York Hall was not a comeback, but it was important that he won and that he looked good doing so – winning and looking good winning are two very different things. Edwards has a new trainer, new management team and a new broadcaster – with the fight shown on Channel 5. He looked, finally, like the old Charlie Edwards. The years and the pounds suit him. He might just be the best Charlie Edwards.

In 2016, when Edwards was just 23 and unbeaten in eight fights, he fought for his first world title against John Riel Casimero; it was a brutal fight and Edwards was stopped in the 10th. It was always a bold fight but Edwards had momentum, he had amateur pedigree and he had belief. Casimero was a bit special and Edwards was a better fighter for the loss.

It was simply too much, too soon, but Edwards had a few quick victories, took the British title and just over two years later, he won the WBC world flyweight title when he beat Cristofer Rosales at the O2. It was a great achievement; the Martinez fight was his second defence and was always going to be a hard fight.

The fight was ruled a no-contest and in December of 2019, Martinez stopped Rosales for the vacant WBC flyweight title. Edwards was nowhere to be seen and on the road to the dark side of the boxing street. He was a few months into the lost years – last Friday night, those years officially finished.

“I won the world title at 25 and that is young,” said Edwards. “I’m still young now and fresh – I have changed as a man, I’m stronger and smarter.” He is also back in world title contention – just don’t call it a comeback.