Unbeaten light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev on Saturday stopped Britain’s Anthony Yarde in a thrilling eight rounds at London’s Wembley Arena to retain his WBC, IBF and WBO belts.
The Russia-born Canadian sent the Briton to the canvas with a punishing right and, after a count, the challenger’s corner signaled to referee Steve Gray to stop the fight 2 minutes, 1 second into the round.
Beterbiev, 38, was behind on two of the three judges’ scorecards at that point, but the victory, against an underdog who turned out to be a real threat, took his professional record to 19-0-0.
Photo: Reuters
Yarde, 31, is now on 23 wins with three defeats and no draws.
Both men had cuts on their faces after trading blows at a ferocious pace from the opening bell — Yarde under his right eye and Beterbiev on his left eyelid. Yarde twice lost his gumshield in a fight that saw both men hammered against the ropes and landing stinging blows.
Beterbiev made every punch count, but Yarde held in and landed a crunching right in round five before then being caught by an uppercut.
Round seven was another classic, Yarde pushing Beterbiev into a corner, but the champion turned it around to rain down blows on the Briton.
“He gave one of the best fighters in the world the toughest fight he’s ever had,” Yarde’s promoter, George Warren, said. “I had him up [on the scorecard]. It was a pendulum fight almost, it swung like a pendulum. Anthony started really well. He showed that he can hurt him and keep him off him and at bay.”
Beterbiev, booed as he entered the ring and applauded as he left it, sank to his knees in joy as the referee stepped in and said afterward that he was prepared to take the punches and counter.
Asked about a bout with Russia’s unbeaten WBA champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed title, Beterbiev said he hoped that might happen.
“I want Bivol,” he said. “This right now is everything. In this fight we have four belts, it’s a really good fight I think.”
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