Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde | ESPN - January 28, 2023

[Wales]

Tons of talent but not a lot of ring smarts. Particularly when he finds himself getting trapped on the back foot.



Just how much is down to his trainer Tunde Ajayi, or just lack of high level experience is not clear.

combination of both.

Yarde has zero high level experience as an amateur having only had 12 amateur fights before going pro.
He’s trained by Ajayi who has no historical notable boxing credentials.
Considering Yarde is vastly inexperienced himself in the ring his trainer insists on him having virtually no sparring at all.
Ajayi has an “alternative” training style and if I’m honest if it had any success or credibility top fighters would have been banging down his door to be trained by him - not happening.

Yarde must’ve had a once in a generation natural talent / attributes for boxing. To have achieved what he has achieved pretty much on natural talent alone is incredible.

Bertebiev boxed amateur from age of 10 under tutelage of the best coaches in his country. Fought and learnt from fighting 300 amateur contests against elite international amateur opponents before turning professional with a former Olympic amateur coach who’d proven himself by guiding Pascal to world champion at LHW.

Yarde had 12 amateur fights then went pro with a guy because the gym was near his house .

[Ruthless-RKO]

Beterbiev Vs. Yarde “Ends By Stoppage” Predicts Bob Arum

“Absolutely, particularly to the UK,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to Boxing Social about bringing different fighters like Artur Beterbiev to the UK to fight. “The UK is taking over, in a good way, the sport of boxing because the fan interest in the UK surpasses any place in the world.

“I don’t know if it’ll be a routine stoppage, but it’ll be a stoppage one way or the other,” Arum said when asked if this will be a ‘routine stoppage’ for Beterbiev over the 31-year-old Anthony Yarde.

“You’re in with Yarde, who punches very well, and Beterbiev has been down a number of times in his career. So the fight can end either way. One thing I guarantee you, it ends by stoppage.

“If I could say money and not have judges for the fight, I would be very happy,” said Arum.

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[Ruthless-RKO]

Artem Dalakian-David Jimenez: WBA Title Fight To Land On Beterbiev-Yarde Show

Artem Dalakian is set to hit the road for his next title defense.

BS.com has confirmed that Dalakian’s mandatory title defense versus Costa Rica’s David Jimenez is now signed and sealed. The bout will take place on January 28 at OVO Arena Wembley in London, in supporting capacity to the Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde lineal/WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight championship.

“Artem Dalakian and David Jimenez have signed contracts for the fight,” Dmitry Eliseev, co-founder and vice president of Union Boxing, told Boxing Scene.

The development comes more than two weeks after a deal was reached in principle by both sides, which was good enough to avoid a purse bid hearing being called by the WBA.

Dalakian (21-0, 15 KOs) will attempt the sixth defense of the WBA flyweight title he won in a September 2018 win over former two-division titlist Brian Viloria in Inglewood, California. The balance of his reign has taken place in Ukraine, with all five title defenses taking place in Kiev. However, Dalakian—an Azerbaijan-born boxer who lives in Kiev, Ukraine—has not fought since a ninth-round knockout of Luis ‘Nica’ Concepcion last November 20.

Staging his next fight at home was not at all an option in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine which has left much of the nation in ruins in addition to the unsafe conditions surrounding everyday residents.

There was consideration given to staging the mandatory title fight in Jimenez’s native Costa Rica, which would have allowed promoter Ernesto Salvador’s Fight Club Costa Rica to take the lead. It was since decided that both boxers stood to make far more at a neutral location.

Jimenez (12-0, 9 KOs) emerged as the number-one contender following an upset win over Ricardo Sandoval on July 16 in Los Angeles. Sandoval was the IBF mandatory challenger but never cashed in that opportunity, instead seeking to go the WBA route.

It miserably backfired as he was outworked by Jimenez, a 30-year-old contender from Cartago, Costa Rica who rose to the occasion in his U.S. debut. The fight took place on the undercard of rising lightweight contender Ryan Garcia’s sixth-round knockout of Javier Fortuna, helping raise Jimenez’s profile ahead of his first career title fight.

The winner of the fight will be poised to line up a big opportunity. Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing has begun the groundwork for a potential flyweight tournament in 2023, hoping to land all four titlists in the company’s continued quest to establish an undisputed champion in as many weight divisions as possible.

Matchroom promotes WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez (19-2, 14 KOs; 2 NC) and former 115-pound titleholder Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs), who will next face Mexico’s Cristian Gonzalez for the vacant WBO flyweight title.

Rounding out the division is IBF flyweight titlist Sunny Edwards, the best pure boxer in the division. Hearn is working on plans for a Martinez-Edwards unification bout, while Rodriguez—with a win over Gonzalez—could land that winner or whomever emerges victorious in the now-signed Dalakian-Jimenez flyweight title fight.

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Undercard Press Release

As Boxing Scene previously reported, the WBA flyweight championship clash between the champion Artem Dalakian from Ukraine and Costa Rican challenger David Jiminez will take place in support of the forthcoming Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde showdown at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport.

Ilford man Yarde challenges for the WBC, WBO and IBF world light heavyweight titles held by the undefeated Montreal resident, who holds a record of 18 wins with all 18 coming via a stoppage.

Dalakian, 35, won his world title belt in February 2018 with a points victory over Brian Viloria and has subsequently made five successful defences. He is unbeaten in 21 professional fights, with 15 of his wins coming via stoppage.

Jiminez, 30, has previously won the WBA Latino title and the WBA Gold world flyweight championship and is unbeaten in 12, with nine KOs.

Also on the bill and in title action against opponents to be confirmed shortly, light heavyweight star in the making Karol Itauma (9-0, 7 KOs) will fight for a first professional belt with the WBC International title being on the line and, also at light heavy, Willy Hutchinson (15-1, 11) will battle for the WBO Intercontinental championship.

A clutch of Queensberry's top young prospects have secured a spot on the card.

The prospects on parade are 11-times National champion as an amateur, Charles Frankham, who was also a World Youth Championship bronze medallist and winner of gold at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

The 23-year-old Charles - known as 'Boom Boom' - is currently 6-0 in the professional ranks and making significant improvements under the guidance of new trainer Roger Lee.

Charles' first cousin, Joshua Frankham, will also feature at Wembley, with the four-times National champion and former England international having his seventh professional fight after illness ruled him out of a November appearance at The O2.

Big-hitting cruiserweight Tommy Fletcher will have his fourth pro fight. The 20-year-old 'Norfolk Nightmare' has sent ripples through the division with three mighty knockouts to date, with two of them coming in the first round.

Last time out in November he poleaxed the Czech Jiri Krejci with a punishing left uppercut to close his show at The O2.

The 5-0 featherweight Umar Khan, 20, returns to action after impressing at York Hall in November with a shutout victory over Alexander Taylor, along with the hugely popular Brick Lane southpaw Khalid Ali.

The 4-0 'Bengal Tiger' was last in the ring back in September when he outpointed Dario Borosa via a 60-54 margin at York Hall.

Another welterweight, Sean Noakes, will have his fourth fight as a professional after a successful first year of three four-rounders that resulted in two shutout victories and a second round stoppage for the Maidstone man.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Interesting facts about Artur Beterbiev

• He was born as Artur Asilbekovich Beterbiev on 21st January 1985 in Khasavyurt, a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, and is of Chechen descent.

• During the first Chechen war, when Artur was aged 10, many civilians were left homeless. Although there was no war in Khasavyurt itself, but a fairly large flow of migrating families passed through, so the Beterbiev family helped to shelter refugees in their apartment, which reached up 30 people at times. Looking back, he recalled, "At that time our house was still unfinished, there was no second floor, some rooms, but we still found a place for everyone. The boys in their rooms, the girls in their own - that's how they lived."

• He lost his father early when he was still just a teenager after a car accident on a highway resulted in Asilbek Beterbiev losing too much blood.

• At 16, he enrolled in a sports scolarship in the RSUFC, but the amount of 150 Rubles per month was not enough to help his struggling family after the loos of their father.

• He beat Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev twice in the amateurs despite them being international teammates. Kovalev always maintained that Beterbiev was gifted the decisions against him and also went one further in their war of words to say he always dominated him in their many sparring sessions.

• He lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk in the amateurs - firstly at the 2011 World Championships quarter-finals, then again in the London 2012 Olympics. Usyk went on to win both competitions in the heavyweight division. The second defeat to Usyk in the London Summer Games was his last ever bout in a vest, as he made his pro debut the following year in 2013. During their 2011 bout, Beterbiev landed a devastating body shot in the final round, which dropped Usyk to one knee, but he stood back up and finished the fight well enough to still win.

• However, they fought three times, and in their first bout in 2007, Beterbiev secured the win over Usyk in a light-heavyweight contest, which he won by 12-10 on the judge's scorecards after four rounds.

• At the Beijing 2008 Olympics, he controversially lost to local boxer Zhang Xiaoping in the round of 16, who went on to win the gold medal.

• He reportedly ran his amateur record to 295-10, winning two European golds (2006 & 2010) and a World Championships gold in 2009 (plus a Silver in 2007).

• Notable amateur scalps: Michael Hunter; Oleksandr Gvozdyk; Igor Mikhalkin; Yuniel Dorticos; Thabiso Mchunu; Kenny Egan.

• As a pro, he is the only reigning world champion to have a 100% KO ratio, with 18 wins all coming by knockout. On average, he KOs his opponents every 4.6 rounds.

• Trained by Mark Ramsey,

• He started his paid career under Canadian promoter Yvon Michel, but following lengthy legal proceedings, they eventually split amicably in 2021. Beterbiev then entered into new a co-promotional agreement with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, but left after just one fight together and subsequently signed to Bob Arum's Top Rank.

• His next fight with Yarde will be his 14th consecutive championship contest.

• In his personal life, Artur is married with four children.

• He is friends with Ramzan Kadyrov, the dictator at the helm of Russia’s Chechnya region and ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Kadyrov has been accused of well-documented human rights abuses, including forced disappearances, torture, summary executions and an ongoing purge of Chechnya’s LGBTQ+ community.

[Thomastearns]

The more I think about this, the more credit I give to the Yarde camp for taking this.

It's a gamble alright, but if it comes off, then everyone should acknowledge Anthony Yarde for stepping up.

I'm glad he did, but he absolutely did not have to, not right now.

[Evander]

Pondered on this match up for awhile now.
The only time I saw them face to face, Beterbiev was slamming his hand into a table.
Let's see them in the week leading into the fight.

[Evander]

He gave Kovalev a good run some years ago.
Does Yarde have it in him to go 12 hard rounds should it go that way ?

[Ruthless-RKO]

[joshj909]

Honestly thought this had already happened. Another undeserved shot. Yarde has not proven he can beat Beterbiev at all. I predict a satisfying KO for Beterbiev.

[Evander]

Beterbiev has been in England preparing for some time now hasn't he ?

[Evander]

Yarde going to make the weight ?

[Thomastearns]

“I’m relaxed, I’m good and it is the biggest fight of my career,”

“You know what, I watched boxing even before I started and I like to watch the big moments and how they all come around. My best performances have always been when I have been the underdog."

“I like being in that position at this stage of my career and I just feel like January 28 is going to be a very special night for me.”

"I had my pro debut in that arena and now I am about to have my unification bout in that arena and leave as the unified champion of the world.”



Yarde certainly sounds like he's ready.

Beterbiev has age and previous injuries all against him.

All that remains is for Yarde to have the optimum plan going in and a certain amount of flexibility as the fight goes on.

Beterbiev will definitely not be as relaxed as he looks.


https://www.voice-online.co.uk/sport/bo ... is-career/

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[Fightnight Scores]

I'd go along with Artur there......it will be....interesting

Don't think you could write Yarde off.....this fight really is in the same vein as it was in an ultimately failed calculated risk when he went up against Kovalev. Catch the man at the right time and get the upset win to be propelled to stardom.

It didn't pay off last time....

[punchoutsb]

Can't really see this going any other way than a one-sided beatdown by Beterbiev.

[Thomastearns]

"I know why the Kovalev fight didn’t go my way, I know why the fight didn’t go my way in the amateurs, I know why they gave the decision to Lyndon Arthur in the first fight.

“When all these things happened, it was when I went against my natural instinct and what I said I was going to do from the beginning.

“After that first fight with Lyndon Arthur I said ‘no more games, I know exactly what I’m going to do. And I’m going to do it’.

“It is like back to the future.”


Good interview with Yarde by WBN. He opens up about just how difficult it is to climb boxing's treacherously slippery ladder.

Especially when you're a dangerous fighter without a name or a top promoter behind you. Those early years can be full of frustration and confusion.

https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2023/01 ... beterbiev/

[skanksta]

I agree with "levels".

You can never write Yarde off course - he's as good a one-shot banger as there is.
But Bert's not an idiot !
It's not like he's gonna have a careless wild shootout like he did against Callum Johnson. He'll take Yarde's threat very seriously indeed. He'll keep a high guard and start fairly cautiously. Don't give Yarde a chance and wait for his opening. That might take a round or two or it might take 10, but Yarde will make mistake at some point, because he's not in the same league technically, and when he does Bert wins by stoppage.

[SendoTakeshi]

Beterbiev is 38 yo.
He has to decline sooner or later later.
Maybe that's the fight his age is gonna show and we actually see him in danger.

[DrDuke]

Can't really see this going any other way than a one-sided beatdown by Beterbiev.

With a brutal stoppage.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!

[Thomastearns]

The big question is, can Yarde fight going backwards?

It's almost guaranteed that he'll have to at some point this Saturday.

Almost, but not quite.

His one big hope is that he can land an early bomb on Beterbiev. Yarde has a unique style and it will take Beterbiev a few rounds to figure it out.

Those few rounds will be precious as the chances of Yarde outboxing Beterbiev later on are not good.

[gilgamesh]

Beterbiev is going Yard on Yarde

[gregregegg]

Yard is big, fresh, fast, can whack and is tough. I kinda said the same about joe smith but I still think yard should just throw some crazy heat early. Treat it like a 4 round war.