Buoyed by a spirited showing on short-notice last winter, Rhys Edwards has newfound confidence in his ability and is ready to prove his quality among an uber-competitive featherweight division, both domestically and inching towards world level.

The inaugural WBC Boxing Grand Prix, in association with Riyadh Season, gets underway this week, with 128 fighters looking to book their spots in the next round. The first phase is set to get going from April 17-20, with 32 fighters per weight class (featherweight, junior-welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight) taking part.