Lewis Edmondson Alleges Ben Whittaker left Ezra Taylor ‘in tears’

With tensions already high between Lewis Edmondson and Ezra Taylor, the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion isn’t holding back as their long-awaited clash draws near.

Edmondson will defend his titles on October 25 as part of the undercard for Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena. The bout marks his first defence of the Lonsdale Belt, which he claimed last year with a career-best win over Dan Azeez.

Despite a controversial majority decision loss to Daniel Lapin in his last outing, Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs) remains confident heading into his showdown with Taylor (12-0, 8 KOs), who enters as the mandatory challenger.

The rivalry has been simmering for months, with both fighters trading verbal jabs publicly. However, it was Taylor who recently accused Edmondson of delaying the fight. Speaking on Queensberry’s ‘Locked In’ podcast, Taylor told host Dev Sahni that Edmondson was responsible for the hold-up.

“The Cannon” may have taken the first shot, but “The Saint” was quick to fire back.

“He’s got an A-star in talking s***,” Edmondson told Boxing News. “We were pushing for this fight before any belts were involved, but he never responded. He acted like he was a big deal — I don’t know why. He’s had 17 amateur fights and hasn’t won anything as a pro, apart from a few Mickey Mouse belts.”

“I don’t know if he actually believes all the nonsense he says or if it’s just for show, but we’ll find out on October 25.”

Edmondson, who boxed for England as an amateur and has won multiple national titles, believes his credentials far outweigh Taylor’s — and he’s ready to prove it in the ring.

Asked why Taylor finally agreed to the fight, Edmondson didn’t mince words: “What else is he going to do? He’s 31 years old. Frank [Warren] probably said, ‘Mate, if you don’t take this fight, then f*** off.’”

Taylor comes into the bout off a unanimous decision win over Troy Jones, a performance that saw him tested but ultimately victorious. Edmondson, however, sees cracks in the Nottingham fighter’s game — ones he claims have been exposed behind closed doors.

“I know Ty Mitchell broke his eye socket in sparring,” Edmondson alleged. “And Ben Whittaker left him in tears — bottom lip wobbling in front of his mates. Ben’s a top-level Olympian, but no man could ever make me cry in the ring.”

With the back-and-forth in full swing, both fighters will finally get the chance to settle the score on October 25. The buildup may be personal, but the outcome will be decided by skill, not soundbites.