To Sam Voltz: Promoter Frank Warren has the strength Anthony Yard needs to defeat IBF/WBC/WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Arthur Beterbiev at the OVO Arena in London, England next Saturday, January 28. Beterbiev-Yarde event kicks off at 2:00 PM ET on ESPN+.
Few boxers give the WBO mandatory yardage (23-2, 22 KOs) after being beaten by Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and very average domestic-level fighter Lyndon Arthur in 2020.
The 31-year-old Yard is getting in the way of the undisputed title race between Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.
If Yard pulls off an upset with Beterbiev, no one will take the fight between him and Bivol seriously because of the difference in boxing skills. ‘Zuldo’ would make a worse impression than Ramirez.
Undercard
Artem Darakian vs. David Jimenez
Willie Hutchinson vs. Emil Markic
Karol Itauma vs. Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna
Charles Frankham vs. Joshua Ocampo
Sean Nokes vs. Santiago Garces
Tommy Fletcher vs. Darryl Sharp
Joshua Frankham vs. Joe Hardy
Khalid Ali vs. Ivica Gogosevich
Moses Itauma vs. TBA
Yard hasn’t fought the kind of competition that would give him any indication that he’s improved since a badly faded Kovalev knocked him out.
If Yard had some notable wins on his resume, he could flip Apple Cart and ruin the undisputed championship fight between Beterbiev and Bivol. You can.
Beterbiev = machine of destruction
“He’s a machine of destruction. He has the most perfect record in boxing, he’s a boxing champion,” Frank Warren told BT Sport of IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev. .
Warren said of Anthony Yard, “It’s a tough fight for our guy, but I think this could be his chance. ‘He can punch, he can box. We’ve seen it. He’s a little more experienced, and I generally feel he can flip the odds.
“He came too late,” Warren said of Yard hurting Kovalev late in the fight. If he had pushed himself, he would have beaten him.
Kovalev had a great amateur record, a great pro, a great amateur record. As you said, it’s a tough battle. One thing about both is that they’re both big punchers, so I don’t think they’ll go far.
“He does; he can do it,” Warren said of Yards being able to knock out anyone.
“It was a terrible time for him. He lost three members of his family to Covid. It took a lot from him. showed him everything.
“Good luck. Hopefully the timing is right for this. He worked hard and now it’s up to him. He’s the one to win. He has to show everyone what he can do, and I think he can do it.
“They’re going to back him,” Warren said of the OVO Arena crowd backing Yarde on Saturday. [Beterbiev] Looking down at Anthony.
“We fought co-promoter Bob Arum. They think their guy is strong, but I like our guy too. It’s going to be very interesting.”
“Look, we know what he is. He’s a monster, but our man is a monster too. If he gets you, you go. We know he’s We know he’s been floored by Callum Johnson. “We know he can get caught and the difference is often made with a big puncher. But our man is more He’s a powerful puncher,” said Warren.
