Galal
Yafai

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Galal Yafai MBE signed a long-term promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in January 2022.

Birmingham’s Yafai fulfilled his lifelong dream and became Olympic Champion as he brilliantly won Team GB’s first boxing gold of Tokyo 2020, impressively outpointing the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam to secure gold in the Flyweight division – Britain’s 19th gold medal of the Games.

Yafai comes from a proud boxing family, with old brothers Kal and Gamal having successful careers in the professional ranks after beginning as amateurs. 2008 Olympian Kal won a European silver medal in 2010 before turning pro and winning the WBA Super-Flyweight World Title in 2016, with Gamal winning Commonwealth and European Titles.

Galal was put straight into a 10-rounder for his professional debut in February 2022, but only needed half of those to stop Carlos Vado Bautista. The 29-year-old then stopped Miguel Cartagena two months later at Madison Square Garden to claim the WBC International Flyweight Title.

Completing his maiden year as a pro on the undercard of Dmitry Bivol-Gilberto Ramirez in November, Galal was paired with ranked Flyweight Gohan Rodriguez and battled to a split decision victory in a solid learning fight.

Due to make his ring return in San Antonio on April 8, Yafai's fight with Moises Calleros was brought forward a week to land on the same bill as Anthony Joshua-Jermaine Franklin at the O2 in London. Yafai earned his third stoppage victory in four professional fights, getting Calleros out in the fourth round.

Olympic hero Yafai earned a Birmingham homecoming in his fifth bout, headlining a NXTGEN card in his own city. Yafai dismantled former British champion Tommy Frank in one round and quickly landed a slot on the huge Flyweight unification show between Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards in December.

Yafai stepped up against Rocco Santomauro and earned an impressive points victory in Arizona to close out the year. Back out in April 2024 in Las Vegas, Yafai battled through a horrific cut above the eye to stop Agustin Gauto late on.

Yafai returned with a quick run out on the Dixon-Harper bill in September and took out Sergio Oliva in the third round before facing off with rival Sunny Edwards ahead of their November 30 showdown in Birmingham.

Galal lost to Sunny as an amateur but got his revenge in their grudge match, stopping the former World Champion in the sixth round to win the WBC Interim World Flyweight Title.