Charlie Edwards (19-1, 7 KOs) is set to face Thomas Essomba (13-8-1, 4 KOs) for the European bantamweight title at the iconic York Hall.
Edwards, 31, recently relaunched his career with a convincing victory over Georges Ory at the same venue in April.
The buildup to this fight has been fueled by personal animosity, as Edwards revealed that Essomba's past disrespect after his world title fight with Julio Cesar Martinez has been a motivating factor.
"These are the fights that get the fire burning. I’ve had Essomba in my line of sight for a while now and I’ve not forgotten the disrespect he showed me. My brother may think he knows me better than anyone, but there is nothing Sunny can do to stop me from devastatingly ripping the European title from Essomba by vicious knockout."
Watch Edwards vs. Ory highlights: Watch
Despite being the favorite, Edwards is aware of the challenge ahead. Essomba, 36, is determined to defend his title and has emphasized that this is a voluntary defense, not one that Edwards has earned.
"People need to remember who the champion is in this fight. This is my belt, and this is a voluntary defense. I have given Charlie this opportunity; he hasn’t earned it. I am not leaving York Hall without that belt."
The dynamic is further complicated by the involvement of Charlie's brother, Sunny Edwards, who manages Essomba. Despite their familial bond, Sunny is firmly in Essomba's corner for this fight.
"This is a great opportunity for both fighters. For our champion Thomas Essomba, it’s his biggest night of his career – defending his European title. For my brother, it’s an opportunity to save his career and return to big nights. I will be supporting Essomba fully just like I would with all the fighters I manage."
Fight card:
▪️Charlie Edwards vs. Thomas Essomba, 12 rounds, for the EBU European Bantamweight title
▪️Germaine Brown vs. Grant Dennis, 8 rounds, super middleweight
▪️Jesse Brandon vs. Miguel Angel Nunez, 6 rounds, super lightweight
▪️Joel Bartell vs. Nikolas Dzurnak, 6 rounds, middleweight
▪️Brandan Olbrechts vs. Brayan Mairena, 6 rounds, lightweight
▪️Hannah Robinson vs. Laura Reoyo, 6x2 rounds, super lightweight
▪️Tom Welland vs. Darwing Martinez, 4 rounds, featherweight
▪️Danny Boardman vs. Yin Caicedo, 4 rounds, featherweight
▪️Hasnan Ali vs. Victor Edagha, 4 rounds, light heavyweight
