Latest news with #Yafai
The Sun
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Galal Yafai reveals beatdowns he took from his older champion brothers knocked him into the fighter he is today
GALAL YAFAI reveals the beatdowns he took from his champion older brothers knocked him into the fighter he is today. Yafai grew up as the youngest boxer in the household and admits it was constant civil war at home older siblings Gamal and Kal. 4 4 4 He told SunSport: "My mum would come in screaming and shouting, we'd always end up fighting but I knew my place when you're like ten years old or nine years old. "Two-three years is a big difference. When they were 13-14 years old and I'm only just 10, it's a big jump. So yeah, I knew my position. I used to get beaten up on a little bit!" Despite taking his fair share of brotherly blows, Yafai admits the real wars came between Kal and Gamal. He said: "They were closer in age and I think they felt sorry for me a little bit because I was a little bit smaller than them. "They had the real big fights and my mum used to come out shouting and it was kind of like hillbilly style. It kind of helped us to get where we got to. "Kal was always better than me, Gamal was always bigger and better so I don't think I ever got the better of everyone really. "I could hold my own, well I could hold my own when I got a bit older, but I think they took it easy on me. "But they always helped me anyway, it helped in my career." Yafai trained as a teenager and watched his older brothers become amateur champions - later replicating that success in the professional ranks. The youngest of the pack only began boxing again at 18 but by 2021 he was on the Olympic champion after packing in his job working in a Land Rover factory. Boxing icon Tyson Fury spotted posing topless in Scots town as he chats with locals Now he is undefeated and 9-0 as a pro - meanwhile ex-world champ Kal, 36, is retired and Gamal, 33, now coaches the younger generation. But Yafai - who returns on Saturday against Francisco Rodriguez Jr in a bid to earn a shot at WBC and WBO champ Kenshiro Teraji - doubts brother Gamal will be part of his corner team - preferring he remains just a fan for now. He said: "My coach Rob McCracken sorts all that out and I just like my brothers being there. They help me just being there and showing me support and having my back. "My brother Kal's been in my corner before as like a second in America. But as long as Rob's in my corner and my brothers are there supporting me, yeah, I'm happy." 4
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Galal Yafai vs. Francisco Rodriguez Jr. preview: 'Great fight for the fans, not so good for myself'
The saying goes that comparison is the thief of joy, but you wouldn't know that from the look on Galal Yafai's face this week. The fresh-faced, beaming 32-year-old looked relaxed and composed at his final press conference on Thursday afternoon, edging closer to his 10th outing in a fast-moving professional boxing career. On Saturday night, live on DAZN, Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs) defends his WBC interim flyweight title against the experienced Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (39-6-1, 27 KOs) in front of a home Birmingham crowd. He does so while eyeing the next step in writing his own history as a fully-fledged world champion. Advertisement Since winning gold at the 2020 Olympic Games, Yafai has been compared to a litany of others in the sport. That list includes his older brothers Kal and Gamal, the stylistic technician that was the now-retired Vasyl Lomachenko, as well as fellow British Olympic gold medalists turned world champions Anthony Joshua and James DeGale. You could argue, easily, that it's a humbling group of fighters to be grouped with, but Yafai seems uninterested in such yardsticks. 'I don't want to be compared with anyone,' Yafai stated upon turning over into the pro ranks in 2022. Thrown into the relative deep end in a 10-rounder for his debut, the similarities between him and Lomachenko started, and they gained momentum when his southpaw style — accompanied by eye-catching front-footed flurries — started paying dividends against a plethora of challengers. 'I don't want to jump the gun too much and put myself in the same brackets as Lomachenko,' he claimed. 'To even be put in them brackets is so humbling, he's an unbelievable fighter that I've watched for years. Advertisement 'When I won the gold medal, I had people telling me I've joined greats who aren't even from Great Britain like Oscar De La Hoya, Pernell Whittaker, Muhammad Ali and all these fighters who have won Olympic gold. I'm not as good as them, but one thing we've all got in common is we're all Olympic champions and that's one thing that will live with me forever.' Fast-forward three years and Yafai is now just two fights away from becoming just the third male Briton to be crowned a world champion after winning an Olympic gold. Japanese star Kenshiro Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs) holds the full title at 112 pounds, and Yafai is targeting a return later this year to Japan — the site of his Olympic triumph — to challenge the champion monikered 'The Amazing Boy.' But Rodriguez Jr. is the man that stands in the way of Yafai and that dream, and Saturday's blend of styles suggests that we could be in for a memorable dust-up between two offensive protagonists. 'He's a great fighter, Rodriguez,' Yafai explained on Thursday. 'Anyone that knows him, he comes forward, I come forward. It should make for a great fight for the fans, not so good for myself and him. Advertisement 'Rodriguez should be my hardest fight, on paper. Let's hope it's not in reality on Saturday. I've had to fight Sunny [Edwards], who was number one with the Ring Magazine, then I've had to fight the WBC number one Rodriguez, and then I'll have to go to Japan probably and fight the pound-for-pound fighter who's got the WBC and WBA belts in Teraji. I've not had it easy, have I?' If Yafai is longing to be recognized by his own achievements in the sport, then a fire-fight victory over Rodriguez this weekend could go some way to laying those foundations. The further down the weight classes you ply your trade, the more pressure that is (unfairly) put on you to make sure you "entertain'" — and Yafai's smooth attacks crafted by heavy hands appear up to the task. He claims not to have had it the easy way, but fighters like Yafai wouldn't want it any other way.
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Anthony Joshua was such a student of the game he would ask amateur boxing hopefuls for advice, reveals Galal Yayai
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ANTHONY JOSHUA was such a student of the game he would even ask amateur boxing hopefuls for advice. AJ only started boxing at 18 but just four years later he won Olympic gold for Great Britain in London. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Anthony Joshua at Team GB's Sheffield HQ in 2020 Credit: Getty 3 Galal Yafai trained alongside AJ Credit: PA:Press Association And after turning professional, he won the unified heavyweight world titles under the mentorship of GB head coach Rob McCracken. Flyweight Galal Yafai - who won gold in Tokyo in 2021 - spent time with AJ at the GB's Sheffield HQ and was blown away by his eagerness to learn - from all comers. Yafai told SunSport: "It's quite crazy really and it's not a disrespectful thing, but sometimes he'd ask someone who's like a young kid who's just getting on the team, who's not even on the full podium squad that's on like an academy, which is like the younger team. "He'd ask them questions and I'd be like bloody hell, why are you asking him, him a question? READ MORE IN boxing GAME ROVER I worked at a Land Rover factory but hated it so much it inspired Olympic dream "They just get on the team, he should be asking you, you're the Olympic gold medalist, you're the unified world champion. "But yeah, he'd always ask questions even from people - I don't want to say below him - but that are new to the team, way less experienced, not even just a little bit like way less experienced. "But he'd always give time, he's always good to myself and everyone around." Joshua, 35, parted ways with McCracken after losing to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, in September 2021. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS He has since been cornered by Robert Garcia, Derrick James and most recently Ben Davison. AJ has been out the ring since September when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois, 27, before undergoing elbow surgery. He is yet to return to camp and Yafai - who faces Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr on Saturday - warned not to rule out a reunion with McCracken in Sheffield. Boxing icon Tyson Fury spotted posing topless in Scots town as he chats with locals Yafai said: "I was there when Josh was there and he became like part of the family and it was quite surreal at one stage because he was one of the most famous people in Britain, especially sportsman, but he became just someone that you'd see every day in the gym when he was in camp anyway. "So I almost became numb to it but he was a great fighter and a superstar. He helped everyone in in British boxing and I looked up to him when I was coming through. "If he ever came back Sheffield it'd be good to see him around but I don't know that's something that him and Rob would have to go through but crazier things have happened." Yafai bids to earn a shot at unified WBA and WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji - but first has to get past veteran Rodriguez Jr. He said: "I'd expect it, but you never know in boxing. Rodriguez is a top five competitor. "He's a former champion, he fought the best of the best, so it's not an easy fight. People don't really know him too well but I can't look past him. "He's a really good fighter and that's the thing nowadays, if people don't know who you're fighting, they don't think they're that good, which is the biggest mistake someone can make because he's a really good fighter but he's just not hugely well known here. "I'm not looking past him. He's a great fighter and hopefully I can get rid of him Saturday." 3 Yafai facing off with Francisco Rodriguez Jr Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Anthony Joshua was such a student of the game he would ask amateur boxing hopefuls for advice, reveals Galal Yayai
ANTHONY JOSHUA was such a student of the game he would even ask amateur boxing hopefuls for advice. AJ only started boxing at 18 but just four years later he won Advertisement 3 Anthony Joshua at Team GB's Sheffield HQ in 2020 Credit: Getty 3 Galal Yafai trained alongside AJ Credit: PA:Press Association And after turning professional, Flyweight Galal Yafai - Yafai told SunSport: "It's quite crazy really and it's not a disrespectful thing, but sometimes he'd ask someone who's like a young kid who's just getting on the team, who's not even on the full podium squad that's on like an academy, which is like the younger team. "He'd ask them questions and I'd be like bloody hell, why are you asking him, him a question? Advertisement READ MORE IN boxing "They just get on the team, he should be asking you, you're the Olympic gold medalist, you're the unified world champion. "But yeah, he'd always ask questions even from people - I don't want to say below him - but that are new to the team, way less experienced, not even just a little bit like way less experienced. "But he'd always give time, he's always good to myself and everyone around." Joshua, 35, parted ways with McCracken after losing to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, in September 2021. Advertisement Most read in Boxing Exclusive Exclusive CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS He has since been cornered by Robert Garcia, Derrick James and most recently Ben Davison. AJ has been out the ring since September when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois, 27, He is yet to return to camp and Yafai - who faces Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr on Saturday - warned not to rule out a reunion with McCracken in Sheffield. Advertisement Boxing icon Tyson Fury spotted posing topless in Scots town as he chats with locals Yafai said: "I was there when Josh was there and he became like part of the family and it was quite surreal at one stage because he was one of the most famous people in Britain, especially sportsman, but he became just someone that you'd see every day in the gym when he was in camp anyway. "So I almost became numb to it but he was a great fighter and a superstar. He helped everyone in in British boxing and I looked up to him when I was coming through. "If he ever came back Sheffield it'd be good to see him around but I don't know that's something that him and Rob would have to go through but crazier things have happened." Yafai bids to earn a shot at unified WBA and WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji - but first has to get past veteran Rodriguez Jr. Advertisement He said: "I'd expect it, but you never know in boxing. Rodriguez is a top five competitor. "He's a former champion, he fought the best of the best, so it's not an easy fight. People don't really know him too well but I can't look past him. "He's a really good fighter and that's the thing nowadays, if people don't know who you're fighting, they don't think they're that good, which is the biggest mistake someone can make because he's a really good fighter but he's just not hugely well known here. "I'm not looking past him. He's a great fighter and hopefully I can get rid of him Saturday." Advertisement 3 Yafai facing off with Francisco Rodriguez Jr Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
I worked late shifts at a Land Rover factory but hated it so much it inspired my Olympic dream, says Galal Yafai
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GALAL YAFAI would be so tired from training that he would nod off during his factory shifts - but he never slept on his Olympic dream. The pint-sized flyweight had to watch older brothers Kal and Gamal win titles in the professional ranks while he worked overnight for Land Rover. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Galal Yafai won Olympic gold in 2021 Credit: PA And juggling the exhausting shifts with training almost caused him to throw in the towel on his boxing career - before he got on the Team GB squad. Yafai, 32, told SunSport: "It was a Land Rover factory in Solihull, they've got a big factory there that build the Land Rovers Discoveries and Defenders. "So I was working there, delivering the parts and whatnot for like three years in the factory. So it's full time it's proper work, it weren't part time. "So I kind of had to juggle boxing and work at the same time for three/four years and I actually got to a point where I was going to quit boxing. READ MORE IN BOXING BOXING SCANDAL World champ trainer and Amir Khan's former opponent guilty in cocaine trial "I just thought, you know what, I'm 22, 23, now, I'm enjoying life. I'm going out and getting paid. I got my apartment with my brother and I was just enjoying life. "But just the stress of work too, it was getting hard to juggle boxing so luckily I got onto the Great Britain team, just before I decided to leave." Yafai would train from 5pm, clock in for work at 8pm and finish sometimes at 7am - before doing it all again. He hated it so much that the boxer was inspired to go to the Olympics - just so he could finally hand in his P45 after sleeping on the job. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Yafai said: "It was just a nightmare. I'd have to train and go straight to work and do an eight-nine hour shift. I used to dread going into work. "I remember I used to see my brothers boxing, as pros and think, 'Oh, they're so lucky to get to just box for a living. I have to go to work and I have to train as well.' Anthony Joshua given hero's welcome on boxing trip to Ghana as Brit shows off his motorbike skills "It was hard training too so I'd have to to box and go straight to work, which was a nightmare, and do an eight hour shift. "I remember I'd fall asleep on my little buggy, I used to drive a buggy around and I used to fall asleep on there sometimes and some of the gaffers would go mad at me. "But yeah, I just thought, 'You know what, I need to stick at this because I could do something.' And thank God it worked out." Yafai packed up his job and became a full-time amateur boxer for Team GB - earning a spot on the 2020 Tokyo team. And after winning gold, Yafai turned pro a year later with Eddie Hearn and the hopes of replicating older brother Kal - the ex-WBA world champion. And Yafai made a super-quick start in the paid ranks - boxing in a ten-rounder for the WBC International title in his very first bout. He said: "Me and my coach thought I was good enough to start off in ten rounders. I used to drive a buggy around and I used to fall asleep on there sometimes and some of the gaffers would go mad at me. Galal Yafai "And Eddie said, 'Well, why not go for an international title?' We were like, 'Brilliant.' "But I want to get to a world title, so any minor title in between is, yeah, not too bad, I won't put it up on my mantelpiece, but it's nice to have. "It just so happened to be WBC International and hopefully I'll be fighting for the WBC full title soon." Yafai returns on Saturday in his home of Birmingham against Francisco Rodriguez Jr, Mexico's former WBO champ. Awaiting the winner is a shot at unified WBA and WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji. Yafai said: "I'd expect it, but you never know in boxing. Rodriguez is a top five competitor. "He's a former champion, he fought the best of the best, so it's not an easy fight. People don't really know him too well but I can't look past him. "He's a really good fighter and that's the thing nowadays, if people don't know who you're fighting, they don't think they're that good, which is the biggest mistake someone can make because he's a really good fighter but he's just not hugely well known here. "I'm not looking past him. He's a great fighter and hopefully I can get rid of him Saturday."
