Galal Yafai Halts Sergio Orozco In 3rd Round, Preserves Nov. 30 Sunny Edwards Showdown In Birmingham

It’s onto real business for Galal Yafai.

A Nov. 30 homecoming versus former IBF flyweight titlist Sunny Edwards was preserved with a third-round stoppage win over Sergio Orozco. Yafai floored the visiting Mexican in the third and forced a stoppage at 1:49 of that round Saturday at Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England.

The admitted mismatch was put together solely to get Yafai (8-0. 6 knockouts) back in the ring ahead of his anticipated crossroads bout versus Edwards (21-1. 4 KOs). Yafai, who won an Olympic gold three years in Tokyo, hadn’t fought since April 6 in Las Vegas.

Saturday’s fight, simply put, was a tune-up.

“I just needed a few rounds in the ring,” noted Yafai. “I actually feltl bad, I don’t wnat to flatter myself but I’m past this level.

Yafai allowed Orozco (9-9, 7 KOs) to linger around for a couple of rounds. Orozco was never hard to find nor did he land anything of consequence in his first fight outside of Mexico.

The main concern, particularly from Edwards, was that Yafai would suffer a cut or injury.

The threat of that scenario never surfaced as Yafai closed the show in the third. Orozco pushed his punches and left himself wide open for a right jab, straight left combo from the 31-year-old southpaw. The sequence was followed by a right uppercut and a left hand down the middle to force Orozco to fall into the ropes.

Referee Michael Alexander issued an eight count but ended the fight as Orozco was on his feet.

“I didn’t want to be this late in the promotion but I wanted to get in those rounds,” reiterated Yafai. “I hadn’t fought since April 6. Nov. 30 would’ve been closed to eight months out of the ring.

“That’s not the best thing to do versus someone who, well who they think is number one in the division.”

Now it’s onto a big domestic rivalry—albeit, a friendly one—for arguably the UK’s two best flyweights.

“Me and Galal, we are the two biggest names in our country, in our division,” stated Edwards. “Olympic Gold medalist [versus] former world champion. Our names have been rivals since our [older] brothers in the amateurs.

“I’m glad the fight is made.”

Edwards will travel to Yafai’s hometown for their Nov. 30 DAZN headliner from BP Pulse LIVE. Matchroom Boxing will host a press conference Tuesday in Birmingham to formally announce the event.

Edwards is rated No. 1 at 112 by The Ring. Yafai is the division’s No. 10 rated contender.

The bout will be his second since a stoppage loss to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) in their IBF/WBO flyweight unification last Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona. Edwards returned to the win column in a technical unanimous decision over Adrian Curiel (24-6-1, 5 KOs) on June 30 in Phoenix.

Interestingly, Saturday marked Yafai’s first-scheduled eight-rounder. He’s fought in all ten-rounders since his Feb. 2022 pro debut.

Yafai-Orozco was part of a five-fight DAZN show headlined by the Rhiannon Dixon-Terri Harper WBO lightweight title fight.

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