BN Preview: Richards and Edwards look to make up for lost time | Boxing News
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WASSERMAN will be looking to push Charlie Edwards and Lerrone Richards forward if they come through 10-rounders at Bethnal Green’s York Hall on Friday night (April 12).
Richards has been frozen out at 168lbs since a points win over Ecuador puncher Carlos Gongora in December, 2021. That result left Richards well placed in the rankings but he has only fought twice since in low-key wins over journeyman Harry Matthews and Mickey Ellison.
The South London left-hander was initially matched with Steed Woodall for this bill until a back injury ruled out the strong 29-year-old from Birmingham. In steps Adrian Duenas Cota at around seven days’ notice, a 25-year-old Mexican with an 8-0 (6) record.
Cota has five wins inside two rounds, upset 2-0 Mohamed Zawadi in Canada and is coming off a four-round stoppage of 15-2 Argenis Espana, a 34-year-old from Spain. Espana was a southpaw and stood 6ft 1ins tall – a couple of inches then Richards – but Cota is sure to find Richards harder to get to.
Richards has been kept on the outside because he’s a hard-to-beat southpaw with a low profile – a member of what used to be known as the Who Needs ‘Em club – while Edwards has had all manner of difficulties.
The 31-year-old says he has been on a “deep dark rollercoaster” since his defence of the WBC flyweight title against Mexico’s Julio Cesar Martinez in August, 2019 was ruled a no-contest.
Now up at 118lbs, Edwards, 18-1-0-1 NC (7), has fought only three times since. Now off the booze, he’s teamed up with Stephen Smith in Liverpool and insists he’s feeling better than ever before.
In their first fight together, and Edwards’ first since outpointing Nicaragua’s Darwing Martinez last June, Edwards meets Georges Ory, a 32-year-old southpaw from France who won the vacant European belt at 118lbs with a disputed points win over Barnsley’s whole-hearted Josh Wale in October 2018.
Wale, who also sparred Edwards, feels Charlie is too good and questioned Ory’s form on away soil. He has fought outside France only once – in Monaco, no less – in his 17-3-1 (2) career and says he is more concerned about the judges than Edwards.
Ory lost the European title in his second defence in November 2019 to fellow Frenchman Karim Guerfi. The doctor advised the referee to stop the fight at the start of the 10th because Ory was struggling to see out of his left eye. He had been cut in the second after a clash of heads and the damage worsened. Ory was spirited before suffering his first inside-the-distance defeat.
He kept his guard tight and loaded up on big counters and had spells on the front foot, but never put any sort of dent in Guerfi, a long combination puncher known here for losses to Lee McGregor and Jordan Gill.
Ory has won all six since. That includes a 12-round points win over Mexico’s Rosendo Hugo Guarneros at super-flyweight title in June 2022.
Guarneros was stubborn enough to last 10 rounds with Sunny Edwards – Charlie’s younger brother – and had two wins over Sheffield’s Tommy Frank. A pro since December, 2013, Ory is a capable operator.
Edwards seems to fancy an early night, promising that he will be more “destructive” under Smith and may find the uppercut works.
The 5ft 6ins Edwards claims he should never have fought at 112lbs, but he was good enough to take the WBC belt off Nicaraguan puncher Cristofer Rosales in December, 2018 in a minor upset.
His only win of any note up at 118lbs so far was against Wolverhampton’s Kyle Williams, a landslide 10-round points win in September 2020.
Ory is the best Edwards has faced for a while and the first left-hander since Juan Hinostroza in his fourth fight in July 2015. Edwards, who’s sparred Brandon Daord, can win a good fight on points.
The clash for the vacant Southern Area super-welterweight title between Barnet’s Jordan Dujon, 9-3, and Acton’s Kingsley Egbunike, 8-3-1 (1), was pushed back three weeks on the wishes of Wasserman and we stick with our original prediction from the March 21 issue. Dujon, a points winner over six when they met two years ago, can win again.
Channel Five televise.
The Verdict: Richards and Edwards can remove some question marks hanging over them with victories.
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