Charlie Edwards has made it clear that he will never step into the ring to settle a rivalry with his younger brother Sunny, despite their competitive relationship. Both siblings have held world titles in their boxing careers, and while they are each aiming to return to the top of the sport, the elder Edwards insists that a brother-versus-brother fight will never happen.
Charlie, 31, is preparing for his European bantamweight title fight against Thomas Essomba, a match that has sparked additional intrigue as Sunny, 28, manages Essomba and has openly declared his support for his fighter over his brother. However, Charlie is no stranger to his brother’s efforts to get under his skin and remains unfazed, stating that their competitive nature has existed since childhood and was largely driven by their father.
In a recent interview, Charlie spoke candidly about the sibling rivalry and his decision not to fight Sunny. “That’s my dad’s dream,” he revealed, adding that he no longer maintains a close relationship with their father. “He always played us against each other, but for me, no thank you. I love my family, and I could never live with myself if I hurt my brother in the ring.”
Sunny is expected to be at ringside when Charlie steps into the ring at York Hall, but Charlie believes his brother’s presence will only push him to perform better. He views the added attention as a positive, stating, “It brings more eyes, more attention to this fight. When I perform, it brings more viewers.”
Charlie Edwards is looking to revitalize his career after a series of personal challenges have limited him to just four fights since 2020. His focus is now on getting back to world title contention in a new weight division, having previously held the WBC flyweight title.
In the wider world of boxing, redemption is a key theme, with Anthony Joshua also seeking a comeback after his shock loss to Daniel Dubois. Edwards, who has personal ties to both fighters, weighed in on Joshua’s future. He roomed with Joshua during their amateur days with Team GB and sparred with Dubois as teenagers. Despite Joshua’s recent struggles, Edwards believes the former two-time heavyweight champion can bounce back, provided he’s doing it for the right reasons.
“Anthony Joshua is still the biggest name in British boxing,” Edwards said. “He just needs to rest, recover, and reassess. I hope he’s doing it for himself and not trying to please anyone else.”
While Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has mentioned a potential rematch with Dubois, Tyson Fury, or Deontay Wilder as possible next opponents, Edwards suggests a different path. He believes Dillian Whyte would be the ideal comeback fight for Joshua, citing their history and the marketability of the match-up.
“If I was advising him, I would go for someone like Dillian Whyte,” Edwards said. “They’ve had beef, it will sell, and it would make a great match-up. I wouldn’t advise him to go straight back into a rematch with Dubois. Rebuild a little bit, then go for Dubois and get your revenge.”
Edwards is confident that Joshua can defeat Dubois but insists the timing needs to be right for his former teammate to regain his footing in the heavyweight division