With his British Fighting Championship title defence looming on the horizon, Harry Edwards reflects on his journey since clinching the belt at the end of last year. His enthusiasm is palpable as he discusses his recent successes and the hard work he’s poured into his training regimen.
“They’ve been great! I had a really successful 2023, winning 3 fights and two of them by finish so it was definitely a positive finish to the year. Since then, I’ve just been grafting, developing my skills, and also working towards building some size as a featherweight fighter. I’ve tended to be on the smaller side of the 66kg weight class, so I dedicated a good couple of months at the end of last year building some strength and size alongside learning new skills. All this is really starting to come through in my training and my sparring rounds. I’m sharper, more athletic and more powerful than I’ve ever been!”
For Harry Edwards, attaining a regional belt signifies the culmination of his efforts as an amateur fighter.
“It absolutely is. My goal as an amateur has always been to fight the very best guys and get those invaluable experiences before I head into the pro ranks. Getting regional belts means that not only have you been testing yourself with the best guys, but also overcoming them. That said, I’m not letting it get to my head. The belt is cool, but I’m still just a fighter and the main thing for me that’s special about belts is how they guarantee me the hardest and most compelling match ups. They don’t have any magic powers to make me tougher or more skilled, they only give me the chance to test myself against the best fighters in the UK, which is the main aim for me.”
Harry Edwards on Training With The Best
His recent training stint in Bangtao Muay Thai has added layers to his skill set and provided invaluable experiences.
“Well, right off the bat I can tell you that Bangtao blew me away! It was really encouraging to see that a lot of the techniques that were being taught were similar to things that we are working here on our side of the globe, but the biggest difference was the depth of skill among the guys on the mat. At any given class you’d have 20 to 35 people who at a minimum are high level amateur fighters or pros, alongside fighters who you’d recognise from the biggest promotions in the world. It was an amazing opportunity to test yourself, see what styles from different countries and regions are like, and to have a pretty honest look at your skillset to see what you need to work on. It’s safe to say that my month out there exposed areas I needed to improve and taught me new tricks that I absolutely will be bringing to the cage at BFC 5.”
With Joseph Kenworthy set to challenge him, Harry remains focused and respectful, acknowledging his opponent’s strengths while expressing confidence in his own abilities.
“So, I first saw Kenworthy when he fought my teammate Mason Yarrow at BFC 4. Obviously, I can’t be totally impartial, but my honest opinion is that Mason made a mistake in that fight that doesn’t happen 8 or 9 times out of 10, and if it had stayed on the feet, I think Mason would’ve been coming away with a stoppage victory. However, I am impressed with Kenworthy’s abilities, he’s got some unorthodox movement and angles in his striking and his grappling is good, showing a lot of good top pressure and control. All that said, I think in every department I out class him. I believe if he tries to stand with me I have the more technical and powerful striking, and I’ve already proved once at BFC that trying to grapple with me is not the best idea.”
Closing Thoughts
As he gears up for the title defence, Harry Edwards remains vigilant, ensuring he’s prepared for any challenges that may arise.
“I think it’s important to never overlook anyone. While there might be similarities, no one fights exactly the same as anyone else. So, when I get in the cage with Kenworthy, he will present a new set of challenges that I have to respect and deal with accordingly. Coming in with an attitude of, “Oh he’s just another XYZ kind of fighter, I’ll smoke him”, is a sure way of getting beaten. I’m doing my best, through my training and sparring, to build the best possible version of what a Joseph Kenworthy could be and beat it. I’m doing striking with Charlie Lynch Spence, Oscar Ownsworth, Mason Yarrow and other tall technical strikers, and I’m grappling with the biggest and baddest guys. I believe that my network of teammates are more than enough to prepare me for anything Kenworthy can throw at me and I’m excited to prove that I’m right.”
