I wish I was a 6ft 4in heavyweight
Boxing is crowded with contenders bellowing about their greatness long before proving it, but Galal Yafai defies this bravado culture."People on the outside assume boxers are always so confident. Just because I won Olympic gold, they think I must be full of myself – but that's not true at all," Yafai tells BBC Sport."There are times I think 'I can't do this' or 'I might lose that fight'."Yafai believes facing those negative thoughts head-on can neutralise their impact.And it is this level-headed approach that may have helped the 32-year-old reach the pinnacle of amateur boxing with that Olympic title and now puts him on the brink of global honours as a professional.Ten years ago, the Birmingham native was juggling boxing training with working shifts at a Solihull car factory.On Saturday, he returns home to defend his WBC interim title at the BP Pulse Live Arena against Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr.Victory could lead to a unification bout with WBA and WBC titlist Kenshiro Teraji and Yafai would not hesitate in travelling to the champion's home turf."I've got a good connection with Japan - I won Olympic gold in Tokyo," he says."Going back there to fight a world champion for a unified title would be incredible. I'd absolutely be up for it."
The flyweight working hard for recognition
Yafai's dominant win over former world champion Sunny Edwards in November boosted his profile and strengthened his case to become Britain's latest global boxing star."After what I did against Sunny, I've got a few more people watching me," he says. "Not just beating him - but how I beat him.""It wasn't a hard fight, six rounds which were comfortable for me. I had a little holiday a week or so later and was then back in the gym."Yet Yafai is under no illusions about where he sits in boxing's hierarchy of public interest.Flyweights rarely top the billing on fight nights or dominate headlines and are often overshadowed by the sport's bigger men."We don't get the plaudits. I wish I was 6ft 4in and a heavyweight," Yafai adds with a wry smile."But I'm fine having to do double the work of middleweights and heavyweights to get the recognition."
Small frame, big ambitions – Yafai targets world glory
Yafai is expected to overcome Rodriguez Jr, a former strawweight world champion with 39 wins, six losses and one draw.His previous contest was changed from a points win to a no-contest. BBC Sport contacted the Texas boxing commission for clarity, while Yafai says he is also unsure of the reasons."You get those weird stories in boxing," Yafai says. "But he's a tough, proven fighter and all I can do is focus on what I have do. I'm sure that'll be enough on the night."Beyond Rodriguez, a showdown with Teraji awaits. There is perhaps an even bolder move - stepping up to challenge Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez, the American two-weight world champion who stopped Edwards in 2023."Bam's a great fighter and I'm not deluded, I'd probably do myself an injustice going up to face a champion like him," Yafai says."But I was ringside when he stopped Sunny and I saw enough to know how I could beat him."For now, though, the target remains clear."First, I must win on Saturday," Yafai says. "And then can I go on and win a world title."When I retire from boxing, I want to sit back and say I was Olympic champion and world champion. That's the legacy I'm chasing."
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