MAN Magazine Summer 2019

SPORT
C
harlie Edwards
is still a tender
age of twentysix,
and it was
fifteen years ago when he
was just eleven that boxing
really became a part of his
life, “I was short and fat,
and I just wanted to lose
weight,” he shared.
But it wasn’t long after
starting the sport that he
realised he had a talent to box.
With his baby face, and strong Croydon
accent it is a surprise to listen to Charlie
speak with the level of composure and
compassion you’d expect from someone
double his age.
“I’ve been told I have an old head
on young shoulders. I’m obsessed with
pushing limits. To me, there’s no such word
as ‘can’t’, and this motivates me.”
Charlie’s father has been one of his main
backers from the beginning, believing his
son had the skill and determination to go
professional, “My dad loved it!”
“-Dad raced national hot rods for Great
Britain, so he knows about competitive
sport... But my mum was dubious, because
I guess I’m a mummy’s boy, so she didn’t
watch my first pro fight.”
Charlie explains how both his parents
are inspirations to him; with his mother
having been through “hell and back” with
breast cancer, radiotherapy and three major
head operations, “If she is struggling it
upsets me, because I just want to see her
smile – and I know that me achieving fulfils
her... I’m just really grateful that my sister
is supportive and cares for my mum, as it
allows me to continue with the dream.”
Having already had so many victories,
Charlie shares what ‘continuing the dream’
means for him, “My dream is to cement
myself in world history with my titles.
We come on this earth from the spiritual
being – yeah, we go off track – but we
each have a purpose. My life purpose is
boxing... because by being successful I can
help change humanity a little bit and help
motivate people. I am living my best life
when my career is on track.”
Despite his mum’s absence at his
professional debut fight in 2015, Charlie
had his first official win, and this remained
steady until his ninth fight, when he lost,
“- it wasn’t my day that night, and I’ve not
lost since.”
76
MY DREAM IS TO
CEMENT MYSELF
IN WORLD
HISTORY WITH
MY TITLES...
He claims to have learnt a big lesson as
well as experienced personal growth as
a result of the defeat, “I wasn’t as good
as I thought I was – you need to have the
right team of people surrounding you, and
it helped me see who the glory hunters
were; who was real, who was fake – And
it made everything clear to me. Now, I just
don’t get caught up in the hype. We live
in a fickle world – especially in the sports
or entertainment industries and I believe
I needed to lose because the straight run
of wins would have gone to my head. But
I keep my feet firmly on the ground with
my wins now, because I am ready for it.
And the benefit is that I’ve already been
defeated and dealt with it, so there’s no
pressure.”
Edwards explains more about being in
the ring, “It’s a mad experience to be hit
so hard, but not to be knocked out cold,
and that fight did make my head buzz. But
for me, fighting is about hitting and not
getting hit.”
“If I’m feeling a bit lost in my head, I just
channel it all into boxing – It’s my escape
from reality and life. And obviously, fitness
is a factor, but mentality is important for
boxing.”
Charlie talks about the Law of
Attraction, and how it has impacted his
life for the better to help him with success,
“The film and book ‘The Secret’ is very
commercial, but it opens the doors for a
lot of people, and I would advise people
to read or watch it, because after I first
watched the film, I visualised in the mirror
every night winning the bronze and then
I visualised having the bronze and I then
won the bronze at my next fight.”
MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2019
sevenstarmedia.co.uk