The 175-pound match will be shown on BT Sport in the UK and LIVE on the GAME+ in the US
London calls for the light-heavy king. WBC, WBO and IBF World Champion Artur Betterbiev will defend his belt against the great British challenger Anthony Yarde at OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday, January 28.
The WBO No. 1 contender knocks out Beterbiev in Montreal (18-0, 18 KOs), the only world boxing champion with a 100% knockout. He will be competing professionally for the first time in the UK, with the highly honored former amateur athlete having competed at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Promoted by Frank Warren and Queensberry, in conjunction with Top Rated, this massive 175-pound bout will be shown exclusively on BT Sport in the UK and streamed online. live and exclusive on ESPN+ in the US
Ticket The Beterbiev vs Yarde match at The O2 on Saturday, January 28, 2023 will go on sale at 11am on Thursday, November 24 from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.
“This is definitely going to be the biggest test of Anthony’s career to date and we’ve made sure he gets the best conditions possible by guaranteeing him the home-field advantage.” Yarde promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry said. “This will be a big event at OVO Arena Wembley, the same venue where Anthony made his professional debut in May 2015.
“Of course, we know a great champion like Beterbiev is not afraid to move and almost all of his biggest wins have come outside of his current home country of Canada. Boxing is all about timing, and we hope it’s time for Anthony to unleash his huge potential and land one of the biggest wins by a British boxer.
“It will be a spectacular show staged with our friends at Top Rank, and I am sure it will be an event that the public will support in large numbers to support the effort. achieve Anthony’s dream.”
Top Rank President Bob Arum said: “This is a fight between two of the most destructive light heavyweights and I look forward to the great Artur Beterbiev showing his extraordinary talent in front of the others. UK’s incredible fans. “Anthony Yarde was in Artur’s last game, and he certainly didn’t lack confidence. He’s a dangerous fighter, and I know Artur will be on the field in one of the toughest fights of his illustrious career.”
Beterbiev won his first world championship in November 2017 defeating Enrico Koelling in the 12th round and defending his IBF belt on two more occasions – including against England’s Callum Johnson – before stepping into into a reunification match against WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019. Ukrainian The then undefeated Gvozdyk puncher was stopped in the 10th round. Beterbiev defended his title against Adam Deines and Marcus Browne before the three-belt unification match against WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. in June at the Hulu Madison Square Garden Theater, where the American was stopped after two innings. In the amateur category, Beterbiev won silver at the 2007 World Championships before winning gold at the 2009 event. He also won gold at the 2006 and 2010 European Championships.
“I never back down from a challenge and Anthony Yarde was the leading candidate who asked for this fight. I look forward to fighting in London for the first time since the Olympics,” said Beterbiev. “Yarde called me ‘slow’ after my fight with Joe Smith Jr., but slow and steady wins the race. And on January 28, I will win in London.”
The Wembley event represented Yarde’s second attempt at world championships (23-2, 22 KOs), who had previously traveled to Chelyabinsk, Russia, to face longtime champion Sergey Kovalev, ultimately being defeated. stopped in round 11 after almost being forced to finish on his own in round 1/8. Yarde’s first title came in match 11 when he knocked out Chris Hobbs in four rounds for the South Zone title.
Yarde then hit seven straight fights with the European or Intercontinental WBO belt at stake, or both, as Yarde took out each of those foes in seven innings or less. After Kovalev, Yarde continued to fight the pandemic against Dec Spelman and the domestic battle against Lyndon Arthur. Yarde made a split decision against his rival Manchester, and after a quick comeback fight in Birmingham, Yarde sought redemption against Arthur. Classic Yarde returns, and he knocks Arthur out in four innings to once again claim WBO’s No.
“January 28 will be my night,” Yarde said. “My destiny plays out in my home city, and this is what I have been looking forward to throughout my professional career, starting at Wembley. I’m not going to make any big predictions for this fight with strong unified champion Artur Beterbiev, but what I will say is I’m not going to let anything stand a chance, and I’m in the best state when fighting fire.”
BETERBIEV ACCEPT YARDE’S USYK SUPPORT
ARTUR BETERBIEV gives a nonchalant response when asked about his former amateur rival offering some advice to his upcoming rival Anthony Yarde ahead of the world lightweight belt clash at OVO Arena , Wembley on January 28.
British challenger Yarde sat next to unified heavyweight champion Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December while Tyson Fury was quelling the threat from former rival Derek Chisora.
He claims the Ukrainians gave him some advice on how to continue confronting the formidable Russian-Canadian.
Beterbiev was eliminated by Usyk at both the 2011 World Championships and the 2012 London Olympics.
“I don’t know,” giggled 37-year-old Beterbiev when asked if a few gems from Usyk would help Yarde in his quest to break him off from the WBC, WBO and IBF world championship belts.
“If it helps him, then good for him. What can Usyk give him?”
It has been suggested that Usyk can impart experience benefits when fighting him.
“And?” Still smiling, said Beterbiev, who was a little more open-minded when explaining why, upon stepping up into the light weight division, Canelo Alvarez chose to challenge Dmitrii Bivol for a world championship belt, instead. because he himself gave two at the time. .
“Why do you think? You need to ask Canelo, not me. How can I answer this? If it’s a war coming to me, I’ll take it, but I don’t dream of this fight. .
WORLD FLYWEIGHT TITLE LAND AGAIN AT WEMBLEY IN YARDE’s BIG NIGHT
The WBA WBA flyweight title clash between Ukraine champion Artem Dalakian and Costa Rican challenger David Jiminez will take place in support of the upcoming Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde blockbuster in OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport.
Ilford man Yarde challenges the WBC, WBO and IBF world lightweight titles held by the undefeated Montreal resident, who holds a record 18 wins with all 18 coming after injury time.
Dalakian, 35, won the world championship in February 2018 with a point win over Brian Viloria and subsequently made five successful saves. He is undefeated in 21 professional matches, with 15 of his wins coming from injury time.
Jiminez, 30, previously won the WBA Latino title and the WBA Gold world flyweight championship belt and is undefeated in 12 games, with 9 KOs.
Also in the bill and in the title fight against opponents that will be confirmed soon, light heavyweight star making Karol Itauma (9-0.7 KO) will fight for his first professional belt with WBC International title awaits and, also in lightweight, Willy Hutchinson (15-1, 11) will compete for the WBO Intercontinental Championship.
Queensberry’s series of top young prospects have secured a spot on the card.
The prospect in the parade was 11-time national champion as an amateur, Charles Frankham, who was also a bronze medalist at the World Youth Championships and won gold at the Commonwealth Games. and European Championship.
23-year-old Charles – known as ‘Boom Boom’ – currently leads 6-0 in the professional arena and is making significant progress under the guidance of new coach Roger Lee.
Charles’s first cousin, Joshua Frankham, will also feature at Wembley, with the four-time national champion and former England international having his seventh professional match after illness prevented him from appearing in November. at The O2.
Heavy cruiser Tommy Fletcher will have his fourth professional fight. The 20-year-old ‘Norfolk Nightmare’ has rocked the league with three strong knockdowns so far, with two of those coming in the first round.
Last appearance in November, he knocked out Czech Jiri Krejci with a punishing left headbutt to close his performance at The O2.
5-0 featherweight Umar Khan, 20, is back in action after impressing at York Hall in November with a landslide victory over Alexander Taylor, alongside hugely popular Brick Lane men’s Khalid. Ali.
‘Bengali Tigers’ 4-0 was his last in the ring in September when he overcame Dario Borosa by a 60-54 margin at York Hall.
Another welterweight, Sean Noakes, will have his fourth bout as a professional after a successful first year with three four-quarter rounds resulting in two split wins and a second-half stop for the Maidstone man.
