Tag: Anthony Yarde

Anthony Yarde knocks out Dec Spelman in Round 6

Light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde stopped Dec Spelman in the sixth round Saturday in London.

Anthony Yarde took care of Dec Spelman on Saturday night in London. Now it’s on to a bigger challenge, Lyndon Arthur.

Yarde stopped Spelman in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout, the Londoner’s second consecutive knockout since he was stopped in 11 rounds by then-titleholder Sergey Kovalev in August of last year. He KO’d journeyman Diego Ramirez in February.

The fight on Saturday was competitive for five rounds, as Yarde demonstrated no urgency in unleashing his considerable power.

Then, in Round 6, he stepped up the pressure. He landed a series of punishing blows until Spelman finally went down. He was able to get back to his fit but wasn’t fit to continue, prompting referee Michael Alexander to stop the fight. The official time was 2:42.

Spelman (16-5, 8 KOs) had never been stopped.

“This win meant a lot,” Yard said afterward. “I was sharp. Everyone knew about last year with the Kovalev fight, everyone knows my ambition. I’m still inexperienced. I’m being more patient, being defensively responsible.

“When I want to open up I can, but it’s about learning in the ring, working the jab, getting back into defensive position after the shots.”

Yarde (20-1, 19 KOs) is now expected to face the unbeaten Arthur (17-0, 12 KOs) for the Commonwealth title as soon as next month, although no date or site has been set.

Yarde was in talks to face Arthur earlier this year but the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sport.

“I’m ready to fight whenever,” Yarde said. “Obviously (coronavirus) has impacted everything and we’re hearing about a second wave. I’m just staying in the gym, staying ready.”

Anthony Yarde knocks out Dec Spelman in Round 6

Light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde stopped Dec Spelman in the sixth round Saturday in London.

Anthony Yarde took care of Dec Spelman on Saturday night in London. Now it’s on to a bigger challenge, Lyndon Arthur.

Yarde stopped Spelman in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout, the Londoner’s second consecutive knockout since he was stopped in 11 rounds by then-titleholder Sergey Kovalev in August of last year. He KO’d journeyman Diego Ramirez in February.

The fight on Saturday was competitive for five rounds, as Yarde demonstrated no urgency in unleashing his considerable power.

Then, in Round 6, he stepped up the pressure. He landed a series of punishing blows until Spelman finally went down. He was able to get back to his fit but wasn’t fit to continue, prompting referee Michael Alexander to stop the fight. The official time was 2:42.

Spelman (16-5, 8 KOs) had never been stopped.

“This win meant a lot,” Yard said afterward. “I was sharp. Everyone knew about last year with the Kovalev fight, everyone knows my ambition. I’m still inexperienced. I’m being more patient, being defensively responsible.

“When I want to open up I can, but it’s about learning in the ring, working the jab, getting back into defensive position after the shots.”

Yarde (20-1, 19 KOs) is now expected to face the unbeaten Arthur (17-0, 12 KOs) for the Commonwealth title as soon as next month, although no date or site has been set.

Yarde was in talks to face Arthur earlier this year but the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sport.

“I’m ready to fight whenever,” Yarde said. “Obviously (coronavirus) has impacted everything and we’re hearing about a second wave. I’m just staying in the gym, staying ready.”

Fight Week: ‘Mean Machine,’ Anthony Yarde to return to ring

Egidijus Kavaliauskas faces Michael Zewski on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Lithuanian’s first fight since he lost to Terence Crawford.

FIGHT WEEK

A capsulized look at the coming week in boxing.

EGIDIJUS KAVALIAUSKAS (21-1-1, 17 KOs)
VS. MIKAEL ZEWSKI (34-1, 23 KOs)

Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (left) was stopped by Terence Crawford in his most-recent fight. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

When: Saturday, Sept. 12
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN+
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Miguel Marriaga vs. Joet Gonzalez, featherweights; Andrew Cancio vs. Saul Rodriguez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Kavaliauskas by KO 8
Background: Kavaliauskas is probably best known for his nickname, “Mean Machine,” and a solid effort in his ninth-round TKO loss to titleholder Terence Crawford in December. There is more to him than that. The 32-year-old Lithuanian, a 2008 Olympian, has a solid skillset and he can crack. Seventeen KOs in 21 victories is impressive. The bad news is that he’s in a rut. He’s 0-1-1 in his last two fights, a disappointing draw with Ray Robinson in March of last year and the setback against Crawford. Kavaliauskas must win this fight if he hopes to get another title shot. “I am excited to return to the ring, as I still have unfinished business,” Kavaliauskas said. “I still believe I have what it takes to become a world champion, and that journey resumes against a tough opponent in Mikael Zewski.”

Zewski replaced Amir Imam as Kavaliauskas’ opponent. The Quebecois also was a solid amateur and has a gaudy pro record but that might be misleading. He has beaten no one of note. And the one time he faced a recognizable opponent, he was outclassed by Konstantin Ponomarez in 2015. He has won eight consecutive fights against second-tier opponents since. He’s solid but probably not in Kavaliauskas’ class.

ANTHONY YARDE (19-1, 18 KOs)
VS. DEC SPELMAN (16-4, 8 KOs)

Then-light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev (right) was tested by Anthony Yarde but emerged victorious. AP Photo / Anton Basanayev

When: Saturday, Sept. 12
Where: BT Sport Studio, London
TV: BT Sport (in U.K.)
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Mark Heffron vs. Denzel Bentley, middleweights; Cedrick Peynaud vs. Ekow Essuman, welterweights
Prediction: Yarde by KO 3
Background: Yarde has endured a tragic stretch: He lost both his father and grandmother to the coronavirus only days apart in late March and early April, after which he pleaded with the public to act responsibility in the face of the pandemic. He now returns to work. The Londoner pushed then-light heavyweight titleholder Sergey Kovalev harder than some thought he would before he was stopped in 11 rounds in August of last year. He rebounded by knocking out 4-49-3 journeyman Diego Jair Ramirez in two rounds in February. Yarde is a huge puncher: Only one of his victories has come by decision. He’s ranked by two of the four major sanctioning bodies, meaning he’ll get another shot at a title fairly soon if he continues to win. Spelman isn’t the pushover Ramirez was but he’s probably no threat to Yarde. He’s coming off back-to-back decision losses to unbeaten prospects Shakan Pitters and Lyndon Arthur. Yarde reportedly is being lined up to face Arthur.

“The people want explosive action and knockouts so I will not be hiding behind my jab and sending everyone to sleep,” Yarde said. “This will be all about me reminding people that I am the force of the division and I am heading right back to the top where I intend to dominate and reign for a long time to come. I respect Dec Spelman as a fighter but this is the chance for me to show everyone what they can expect when I get to share a ring with Lyndon Arthur.”

[lawrence-related id=4073,7971]

Fight Week: ‘Mean Machine,’ Anthony Yarde to return to ring

Egidijus Kavaliauskas faces Michael Zewski on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Lithuanian’s first fight since he lost to Terence Crawford.

FIGHT WEEK

A capsulized look at the coming week in boxing.

EGIDIJUS KAVALIAUSKAS (21-1-1, 17 KOs)
VS. MIKAEL ZEWSKI (34-1, 23 KOs)

Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (left) was stopped by Terence Crawford in his most-recent fight. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

When: Saturday, Sept. 12
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN+
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Miguel Marriaga vs. Joet Gonzalez, featherweights; Andrew Cancio vs. Saul Rodriguez, junior lightweights
Prediction: Kavaliauskas by KO 8
Background: Kavaliauskas is probably best known for his nickname, “Mean Machine,” and a solid effort in his ninth-round TKO loss to titleholder Terence Crawford in December. There is more to him than that. The 32-year-old Lithuanian, a 2008 Olympian, has a solid skillset and he can crack. Seventeen KOs in 21 victories is impressive. The bad news is that he’s in a rut. He’s 0-1-1 in his last two fights, a disappointing draw with Ray Robinson in March of last year and the setback against Crawford. Kavaliauskas must win this fight if he hopes to get another title shot. “I am excited to return to the ring, as I still have unfinished business,” Kavaliauskas said. “I still believe I have what it takes to become a world champion, and that journey resumes against a tough opponent in Mikael Zewski.”

Zewski replaced Amir Imam as Kavaliauskas’ opponent. The Quebecois also was a solid amateur and has a gaudy pro record but that might be misleading. He has beaten no one of note. And the one time he faced a recognizable opponent, he was outclassed by Konstantin Ponomarez in 2015. He has won eight consecutive fights against second-tier opponents since. He’s solid but probably not in Kavaliauskas’ class.

ANTHONY YARDE (19-1, 18 KOs)
VS. DEC SPELMAN (16-4, 8 KOs)

Then-light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev (right) was tested by Anthony Yarde but emerged victorious. AP Photo / Anton Basanayev

When: Saturday, Sept. 12
Where: BT Sport Studio, London
TV: BT Sport (in U.K.)
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Mark Heffron vs. Denzel Bentley, middleweights; Cedrick Peynaud vs. Ekow Essuman, welterweights
Prediction: Yarde by KO 3
Background: Yarde has endured a tragic stretch: He lost both his father and grandmother to the coronavirus only days apart in late March and early April, after which he pleaded with the public to act responsibility in the face of the pandemic. He now returns to work. The Londoner pushed then-light heavyweight titleholder Sergey Kovalev harder than some thought he would before he was stopped in 11 rounds in August of last year. He rebounded by knocking out 4-49-3 journeyman Diego Jair Ramirez in two rounds in February. Yarde is a huge puncher: Only one of his victories has come by decision. He’s ranked by two of the four major sanctioning bodies, meaning he’ll get another shot at a title fairly soon if he continues to win. Spelman isn’t the pushover Ramirez was but he’s probably no threat to Yarde. He’s coming off back-to-back decision losses to unbeaten prospects Shakan Pitters and Lyndon Arthur. Yarde reportedly is being lined up to face Arthur.

“The people want explosive action and knockouts so I will not be hiding behind my jab and sending everyone to sleep,” Yarde said. “This will be all about me reminding people that I am the force of the division and I am heading right back to the top where I intend to dominate and reign for a long time to come. I respect Dec Spelman as a fighter but this is the chance for me to show everyone what they can expect when I get to share a ring with Lyndon Arthur.”

[lawrence-related id=4073,7971]

Nigel Benn loses brother Mark to coronavirus

Nigel Benn announced on his Instagram account that his brother Mark has died from the virus.

Another boxer has lost a family member to coronavirus.

Nigel Benn announced on his Instagram account that his brother Mark has died from the virus. That comes on the heels of Anthony Yarde losing both his father and grandmother to the disease.

Wrote Benn: “My brother Mark passed Away 2day (Covid 19), as we all were growing up Mark was the Joker of the Benn house hold, May he Rest In Peace love u Mark.”

Benn, 56 and retired for more than two decades, was back in the news last year. He was set to face Sakio Bika in a comeback fight but called it off after he was injured.

The Londoner was a two-division titlerholder in the 1990s.

 

Anthony Yarde loses father, grandmother to COVID-19 days apart

British light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde lost his grandmother to coronavirus just day after his father died from the same disease.

British light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde lost his grandmother to coronavirus just day after his father died from the same disease.

Yarde made the announcement on Twitter Friday night. He wrote:

“We have now lost my nanna to this virus. My dad and his mother have passed days apart. It’s serious! People are still going out when they don’t need to. I know theres (sic) a lot of opinions about COVID19 and I have mine but I just know opinions ain’t worth risking your life and others. Just stay home.

“RIP Dad 27.3.20. RIP Nana 2.4.20. My heart really goes out to all the people suffering in different ways.”

Yarde, a 28-year-old who lives in east London, announced his father’s death last Saturday on Instagram. He wrote that his dad had no health issues before contracting the virus.

“My dad passed away from this virus yesterday,” he wrote. “He was fit with no health issues.”

As of Saturday, roughly 1.2 million people had contracted coronavirus worldwide. Almost 63,000 people have lost their lives.

Light heavyweight Anthony Yarde says father has died from coronavirus

British light heavyweight Anthony Yarde has announced on Instagram that he has lost his father to coronavirus.

British light heavyweight Anthony Yarde has lost his father to coronavirus.

Yarde, a 28-year-old who lives in east London, made the announcement Saturday on Instagram. He wrote that his father had no health issues before contracting the virus.

“My dad passed away from this virus yesterday,” he wrote.  “He was fit with no health issues.”

He went on: “The more people go out and mingle the longer this isolation will last and the more it will spread.

“I’m not a doctor but I do know if you stay home you are less likely to catch it and pass it on. It’s seriously not worth the risk.”

As of Sunday evening, roughly 720,000 people had contracted coronavirus worldwide. Almost 34,000 people have lost their lives.

Sergey Kovalev says he had to lose 35-plus pounds for Canelo Alvarez fight

Sergey Kovalev posted an Instagram Live video over the weekend complaining about his knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez on November 3.

Excuses? Explanations? You decide.

In an Instagram Live video posted recently, former light heavyweight titleholder Sergey Kovalev sounded off – in Russian – about his knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez on Nov. 2, claiming that the deck was stacked against him from the very start and that he did not have an ideal training camp.

Alvarez, moving up from middleweight, scored a vicious knockout of Kovalev in the 11th round to take Kovalev’s piece of the light heavyweight crown. For his trouble, Kovalev earned a reported $12 million payday, a portion of which went to co-promoters Top Rank and Main Events.

Kovalev’s spiel on a recent episode of the Everlast Talk Box podcast was translated. Here are four takeaways:

  • He entered entered training camp for the Alvarez fight weighing 211 pounds (96 kilograms), when he normally walks around at 190 pounds (86 kilograms).
  • There is no guarantee that he will return to the light heavyweight division, as he suffered from insomnia and loss of appetite as he was trying to make weight.
  • He admitted that he accepted the Alvarez fight for money and asserted that he didn’t have enough time to recover from his fight against Anthony Yarde in August. Kovalev stopped the Briton in the 11th round after nearly getting knocked out himself earlier in the fight.
  • And people who bet on him to win in an attempt to “get rich quick,” as opposed to his true fans, were “losers”