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Meet the Yafai family - with brothers Kal and Gamal backing Galal to become Britain's pound-for-pound king
Familial dynasties are common in boxing. Already this year we have seen bloodlines cross paths again with Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn reigniting their fathers’ rivalries in an all-out brawl.
Plenty of sons have followed their parents into the sweet science, but the Yafai family has seen Kal, Gamal, and Galal are the first generation to don the gloves.
The three brothers have all gone to achieve impressive feats in the world of boxing, in both the amateur and professional codes, but it appears that Galal has the potential to take the Yafai name to a higher echelon.
This Saturday, Galal will hope to retain his WBC interim title against Francisco Rodriguez Jr, 39-6-1 (27), with victory taking the flyweight one step closer to a bout with current champion Kenshiro Teraji.
Who are the Yafai brothers?
Galal Yafai is the only active professional boxer in his family, with the Olympic gold medallist and interim flyweight world champion just nine fights into his career.
Now 32-years-old, Galal took part in two Olympic games, first taking part in the Team GB squad for Rio 2016. Unsuccessful in Brazil, Galal combined shifts at a Land Rover factory with his amateur career, returning to the Olympics in 2021 at the delayed 2020 Tokyo games.
This time he was victorious, earning gold in the flyweight tournament out in Japan. He turned pro in 2022, with his current record a perfect one of 9-0 (7).
Galal is not the only Olympian in the family, with eldest brother Kal taking part in the 2008 games in Beijing. At the time of writing, Kal Yafai is the only world champion in the family, having held the WBA super flyweight belt between 2016 and 2020. Kal’s record as a professional finished at 29-2 (15).
Gamal Yafai did not quite scale the same heights as either of his brothers, although he did match Galal’s feat of winning a bronze medal at the European Championships. As a pro, Gamal earned Commonwealth and European honours at super bantamweight, but he was unable to build on his successes to challenge at world level. He would retire with a record of 19-3 (11).
The Yafai family connection to Birmingham City boxing club
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Despite the medals and titles, the brothers have not forgotten their roots.
Having grown up in the near vicinity of Birmingham City boxing club, it is no surprise that all three brothers ended up turning the gym into a second home.
Frank O’Sullivan MBE had given almost seven decades of service to the club, helping the Yafais take their first steps into boxing, and when their old coach could not continue, they stepped in to fill his shoes.
Kal and Gamal, both retired after final bouts in 2023, have taken up the mantle from O’Sullivan, a legendary figure in the Midlands boxing scene.
Among their charges is younger brother Mikyle, who is still a teenager.
Galal pitches in to train prospective fighters when he is not focusing on his own preparation with trainer and manager Rob McCracken.
The 33-year-old's current focus will be on defending his WBC interim flyweight title this weekend in his hometown, Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr the contender on Saturday night, live on DAZN.
Can Galal Yafai live up to brothers’ expectations?
Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Rather than traditional sibling rivalry, it appears that the Yafai brothers have always worked together in order to push each other to greater heights.
It is clear that Kal and Gamal believe their younger sibling to be the best of the bunch, with some bold claims made.
Gamal took to Twitter in May to claim that 12 months later, his brother would be viewed as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the United Kingdom, whilst also tipping Galal to receive recognition as one of the 10 best fighters in the world.
This is not a new phenomenon. Kal claimed that his younger brother could go on to win a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, although Gala would not achieve that feat until the next games in Tokyo.
Arguably in his prime at 32, Galal is nine fights into his professional career. Since turning over in 2022, he has fought three times a year, but it appears unlikely he will be able to keep the same level of activity in 2025 as he awaits a shot at WBC and WBA champion Kenshiro Teraji.
A bout with the Japanese flyweight would enable Galal to earn two belts with one victory, catapulting the Yemeni-Brit into unified status after just 11 fights, if things go to plan.
If Galal can end 2025 as a full world champion, then perhaps his brother’s claims of top 10-status might become a wise prophecy.
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