By: Sean Crose
Credit to Anthony Yarde for giving Artur Beterbiev a real show on Saturday night in the UK. Many, if not most, assumed that IBF, WBC and WBO world lightweight champion Beterbiev would have an easy night of work against the famous Yarde. While it’s true that Beterbiev was able to stop his man in the round of 16, there’s no denying that Yarde not only went to Wembley on Saturday to win, but had plenty of moments to himself ahead of the opposition. undefeated 18-0. Suffice it to say, the fans, who watched live from Wembley as well as those watching from home, enjoyed a delightful pitch.
Sure enough, Yarde 23-2 took the initiative first, trying to engage his men while avoiding any strong Russians. The second match saw Beterbiev calmly stalking Yarde while Yarde himself was able to shoot well at approaching enemies. Like Beterbiev, Yarde is also a man who holds a lot of power. In fact, only one of Yarde’s 21 victories came in the distance. However, the third round was a match of jabs, with Yarde being the more aggressive of the two.
However, in the fourth round, Beterbiev’s punches started to work. Yarde fought back bravely, but it was clear that the defending champion’s shots did damage. Beterbiev continued to land hard and well into the fifth round, although Yarde was able to land hard on his own. By the sixth inning, Yard was in action, while Beterbiev’s face looked bruised. And Yarde continued to impress in the seventh round – until Beterbiev bounced back at halftime. Yarde saw his last major moment in the fight. By the eighth round, he was knocked out by a Beaterbiev punch. The man stood up, but clearly didn’t look well.
The action continued, only for Yarde’s corner to wisely halt proceedings seconds later.
