BoxRec

What are Yarde's chances of becoming world champion ? In my view, he's not going to make it. Defensive liabilities stand out to me.

IMO it depends if he can take a punch

He's more likely to win a title than not to win one. He still has yet to step up to that level though. He looks like a wrecking machine so far and I have the impression that he's capable of more than he's shown so far.

For Yarde to be a world champion, he'll have to get through the Iron Curtain: Gvozdyk/Kovalev. He's never been hit much as a pro so his confidence is very high. All of that can change when he's getting hit by death's punchers. If he has the toughness of Alvarez or Barrera he may succeed; if not, he can join the navy.

For the current moment it seems to me, that he can beat Beterbiev, but not any of the other champs.

Yarde will be a champion at some point.

The Reeves fight was just what he needed. Highlighted perfectly the good (patience) and what will need work when he faces the elite. (defensive sharpness).

Kovalev can wait, Yarde might even win now or he might not, but time is definitely on Yarde's side. All boxer's need careful guidance as they progress, even exceptional talents like Ali and Tyson.

For young fighters each fight should be a challenge and a learning experience, but within safety margins. Still not sure what went wrong with Harrison and Price, but we all saw what a confidence shattering first defeat lead to. Can't see Yarde going the same way.

Fans will get impatient, but its always forgotten once the big fights eventually come, the key is to stay busy. Who now remembers those idiots criticising Mike Tyson as he demolished one opponent after the next?

Very powerful but in need of a step up.

I'd like to see him fight Jack but I think PBC/DAZN conflict will prevent that.

jujigatame wrote: ↑10 Mar 2019, 10:14 Very powerful but in need of a step up.

I'd like to see him fight Jack but I think PBC/DAZN conflict will prevent that.

Agreed! He's not near ready for a world title shot yet. Maybe 3-4 more fights.

I think before we can answer that he needs to prove who is the better of he and fellow UK prospect Joshua Buatsi.

That should be a cracker.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing him in with Kovalev sooner rather than later.

Kovalev will be a huge favourite, obviously, but he has not looked the killer he once was for a while now.

Yarde might find that he is getting him at the right time if he fights him later this year.

keirw wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 06:34 I actually wouldn't mind seeing him in with Kovalev sooner rather than later.

Kovalev will be a huge favourite, obviously, but he has not looked the killer he once was for a while now.

Yarde might find that he is getting him at the right time if he fights him later this year.

It would be a win / win situation not too dissimilar to when AJ found himself in with Wlad.

The young hungry cub facing the aging lion. A loss would be a minor blip, and they can come again. But win, and it's lift off!

Only difference is Yarde has plenty of options at the moment on the domestic and European scene, so they might not feel its worth the risk just yet. Whereas AJ and the general heavyweight scene at the time was so barren of talent or interesting match ups, there wasn't really anywhere else other than to go, and clearly they felt he was in with a real shot at beating Wlad to propel him right to the very top, and so it proved to be a very lucrutive risk.

I don’t recognise any of the names on Anthony Yarde’s resume. He only ever had 12 bouts as an amateur and is a late starter (only taking the sport seriously from the age of 16).

He seems to resemble a 175lbs version of Chris Eubank Jr. He’s overly-reliant on his athletic prowess and can be defensively irresponsible, by taking his opponents’ shots in order to and his own. I’m not overly-impressed with his boxing fundamentals. either

I don’t think that he’s ready to face Sergey Kovalev just yet. He’s too inexperienced and raw. We don’t know if his heavily-muscled physique can cope with going twelve rounds against world-rated opposition that would put him under relentless pressure for all 36 minutes of the bout. Guys with big muscles, who probably struggle making weight, tend to run out-of-gas quickly when forced to compete at a high-tempo for prolonged periods.

Yarde’s supporters persistently claim that we’ll only see the best of him when he’s matched with world-rated opposition, because otherwise he’ll simply go through the motions and under-perform. I’m not so sure myself. It’s a case of wait-and-see in all honesty.

I think if a quality fighter like Sullivan Barrera can't win a strap it will be hard for Yarde - might be fighting for a vacant title soon perhaps November 2019 when Kov retires

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 07:22 I don’t recognise any of the names on Anthony Yarde’s resume. He only ever had 12 bouts as an amateur and is a late starter (only taking the sport seriously from the age of 16).

He has no big names on his record but has comfortably beat a couple solid EBU level type guys. Though never for the EBU title, as Warren appears to have a bad relationship with them.

keirw wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 10:21

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 07:22 I don’t recognise any of the names on Anthony Yarde’s resume. He only ever had 12 bouts as an amateur and is a late starter (only taking the sport seriously from the age of 16).

He has no big names on his record but has comfortably beat a couple solid EBU level type guys. Though never for the EBU title, as Warren appears to have a bad relationship with them.

If we exclude world-rated fighters from consideration, I’m struggling to find any decent domestic opposition that Yarde has faced, with the list below based on Boxing Monthly's top-ten British ratings:

• Callum Johnson
• Joshua Buatsi
• Hosea Burton
• Liam Conroy
• Craig Richards
• Nathan Thorley
• Steven Ward
• Jake Ball
• Miles Shinkwin

Are there any decent British fighters that I’ve failed to mention?

This also applies to the EBU’s 175lbs ratings:

• Dominic Boese
• Mehdi Amar
• Enrico Koelling
• Karo Murat
• Hakim Zoulika
• Adam Deines
• Timur Nikarkhoev
• Timy Shala
• Sergei Ekimov
• Mustafa Chadloui
• Leon Bunn
• Ali Akhmedov
• Yoann Kongolo
• Siarhei Demchenko

If I also review the top-15 ratings of the WBC, WBA, IBF & WBO, none of the contenders listed by those governing bodies have faced Anthony Yarde either:

• Adam Deines
• Badou Jack
• Blake Caparello
• Callum Johnson
• Charles Foster
• Craig Richards
• Dominic Boesel
• Doudou Ngumbu
• Eleider Alvarez
• Emil Markic
• Enrico Koelling
• Fanlong Meng
• Felix Valera
• Igor Mikhalkin
• Isaac Chilemba
• Jean Pascal
• Joe Smith Jr.
• Joshua Buatsi
• Karo Murat
• Lenin Castillo
• Marcus Browne
• Meng Fanlong
• Michael Lee
• Mike Lee
• Radivoje Kalajdzic
• Robert Parzeczewski
• Sean Monaghan
• Sullivan Barrera
• Sven Fornling
• Trevor Mccumby
• Umar Salamov

According to the BoxRec's rankings, which are admittedly very dubious in nature, Anthony Yarde hasn’t beaten any fighter currently rated within the top-50 of the light heavyweight division.

If you review Anthony Yarde’s last five opponents, they seem to be journeymen used to either help prospects (who eventually became high-profile names) learn their ring-craft or assist fighters on the comeback trail, with many of these defeats suffered four or five years ago:

• Travis Reeves: Karo Murat (2018)
• Walter Gabriel Sequeira: Avni Yildirim (2016)
• Dariusz Sek: Robin Krasniqi (2014)
• Tony Averlant: Joshua Buatsi (2018), Dominic Boesel (2016) & Juergen Braehmer (2013)
• Nikola Sjekloca: Tyron Zeuge (2015), Callum Smith (2014), Arthur Abraham (2014) & Sakio Bika (2013)

I’m not saying you’re wrong, by the way, but I am highlighting the previous point I made, in relation to my lack of familiarity with the names on Anthony Yarde’s resume.

Maybe it’s simply due to a knowledge gap on my part, but I'm not sure I could've done much more research into the matter?

I must admit, I would have much preferred him to go down the domestic/EBU title route.

Problem is most top British LHWs are with Hearn and Warren's love of the WBO European title often removes his fighters from EBU rankings.

Yarde may not be ready for a title shot yet, he may never be. But if (as I suspect) is Kovalev is on the slide, maybe he needs to get to him before another young fighter does.

If he loses, he goes back to the situation he is in now.

He's got great power and decent skills but his management seem reluctant to put him in with punchers, he's also in a division full of beasts

keirw wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 14:15 I must admit, I would have much preferred him to go down the domestic/EBU title route.

Problem is most top British LHWs are with Hearn and Warren's love of the WBO European title often removes his fighters from EBU rankings.

Yarde may not be ready for a title shot yet, he may never be. But if (as I suspect) is Kovalev is on the slide, maybe he needs to get to him before another young fighter does.

If he loses, he goes back to the situation he is in now.

There is probably a reason why he has not gone up against any of the top #5 UK guys. I think 3 of them beat him right now. He does have potential for sure, it is too early for him to step up I feel, even for mature Kov.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 17:36

keirw wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 14:15 I must admit, I would have much preferred him to go down the domestic/EBU title route.

Problem is most top British LHWs are with Hearn and Warren's love of the WBO European title often removes his fighters from EBU rankings.

Yarde may not be ready for a title shot yet, he may never be. But if (as I suspect) is Kovalev is on the slide, maybe he needs to get to him before another young fighter does.

If he loses, he goes back to the situation he is in now.

There is probably a reason why he has not gone up against any of the top #5 UK guys. I think 3 of them beat him right now. He does have potential for sure, it is too early for him to step up I feel, even for mature Kov.

which 3 you think beat him? im guessing you mean johnson and buatsi, who else?

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 17:36

keirw wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 14:15 I must admit, I would have much preferred him to go down the domestic/EBU title route.

Problem is most top British LHWs are with Hearn and Warren's love of the WBO European title often removes his fighters from EBU rankings.

Yarde may not be ready for a title shot yet, he may never be. But if (as I suspect) is Kovalev is on the slide, maybe he needs to get to him before another young fighter does.

If he loses, he goes back to the situation he is in now.

There is probably a reason why he has not gone up against any of the top #5 UK guys. I think 3 of them beat him right now. He does have potential for sure, it is too early for him to step up I feel, even for mature Kov.

He's going to be 28 this August, so he better get moving. I fear he's wasted a couple of years on developing properly with poor match planning.

hes not even been a pro 4 years....3 years 10 months. hes due a step up now for sure but he hasnt moved THAT slow

jamamb wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 17:40 hes not even been a pro 4 years, hes due a step up for sure but he hasnt moved THAT slow

I think he could've been moved faster. There's no doubt of his talent, and I kinda feel he's been held back and if it hasn't already, it's going to catch up to him. He should be entering prime years now and he seems ill prepared.

his last opponent was supposed to be a guy who lasted 12 vs gvo and won some rounds and was former euro champ, that wouldve been a decent fight but then the guy got injured. they should have had a better plan b though. its defo true theres a very steep step from who hes fought to world class opposition

jamamb wrote: ↑11 Mar 2019, 17:44 his last opponent was supposed to be a guy who lasted 12 vs gvo and won some rounds and was former euro champ, that wouldve been a decent fight but then the guy got injured. they should have had a better plan b though. its defo true theres a very steep step from who hes fought to world class opposition

Amar? True. I'd like to see him move up the competition over like three or four fights in the next 12-18 months. He's got the goods. Needs to be better challenged in the ring. That'll get him over.

Cripes!
Kov/Yarde has been ordered


The sanctioning body advised the parties that they have thirty (30) days to negotiate and reach an agreement. If an agreement is not reached within the time frame set, a purse bid will be ordered pursuant with the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.