Via Adam Baskin: 175 lb IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev will defend against WBO’s mandatory Anthony Yarde on January 28 on ESPN+ and BT Sport at the OVO Arena in London, England.
Beterbiev, 37, will be the guest boxer when he goes up against Yarde, 31, although he is the champion, the more accomplished boxer and will likely be a much-loved favourite.
Without this match, Beterbiev will face WBA lightweight champion Dmitry Bivol for the title in the first half of next year.
Unfortunately, Beterbeiv is defending against Yarde and won’t be able to face Bivol until the second half of 2023. Beterbiev vs. Bivol probably won’t take place until 2024 as Canelo Alvarez wants to face Dmitry in September 2023, which is September 2023. a big money fight.
Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) succeeds Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) when he defeated WBO lightweight champion Joe Smith Jr by a knockout in the second round last June in New York. .
Bob Arum, Beterbiev promoter, said: “I look forward to Artur Beterbiev performing for the diehard UK fans.
“Anthony Yarde was in Artur’s last game, and he certainly didn’t lack confidence. I know Artur will be activated.”
It’s too bad that Betterbiev won’t defend his three belts in Canada because it’s a bad image for a champion to defend his title in the challenger’s homeland.
If Yarde is famous and has done great things in his career, it makes sense for Beterbiev to go against him in England, but it is not. Yarde earned the WBO mandatory spot by defeating Lyndon Arthur by knockout in the fourth round last December.
Arthur beat Yarde by decision to split 12 rounds in their first match of 2020, but he lost in the rematch.
Earlier this evening, Yarde defeated little-known Stefani Koykov (14-2, 12 KOs) by knockout in the third round in a draw at the Telford International Center in Telford, England.
“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,” said Betterbiev.
Yarde was right about two-time Olympic champion Beterbiev lacking hand speed, but what he didn’t say was that his punching resistance was poor and that he had never beaten an opponent of his caliber in his entire career. his profession.
When Yarde challenged former WBO 175 lb champion Sergey Kovalev for the title in 2019, he was knocked down by a stab in the eleventh round.
