Boxing fans will be treated to one of the hardest-hitting match-ups of the year this weekend when unified light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev travels to London to defend his IBF, WBC and WBO titles against Anthony Yarde.
Beterbiev has yet to go the distance since turning professional in 2013, stopping all 18 of his opponents inside the distance en route to becoming arguably the best fighter at 175 lbs on the planet.
Yarde, who holds an impressive 88% KO rate himself, will be challenging for world title honours for a second time having fallen just short against the formidable Sergey Kovalev in 2019. The outcome of Saturday’s clash could set up a mouth-watering undisputed showdown with WBA champion and 2022 Fighter of the Year Dmitry Bivol.
Here’s everything you need to know about a top night of boxing in the capital.
Where: OVO Arena, Wembley, London
When: Saturday 28th January, 2023
How To Watch: BT Sport. The main card is expected to start at 7pm GMT (2pm ET) and ringwalks for Beterbiev vs Yarde will begin at approximately 10.30pm GMT (5.30pm ET).
Tale Of The Tape:
Beterbiev
Place Of Birth: Khasavyurt, Russia
Residence: Montreal, Canada
Age: 37
Alias: N/A
Record: 18-0 (18)
Height: 5’11½’’
Reach: 73’’
Stance: Orthodox
Last Fight: Beterbiev maintained his 100% knockout record against former light-heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr, stopping the American in just two rounds in June 2022.
Yarde
Place Of Birth: Hackney, London, United Kingdom
Residence: Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom
Age: 31
Alias: The Beast From the East
Record: 23-2 (22)
Height: 6’0’’
Reach: N/A
Stance: Orthodox
Last Fight: In November Yarde stopped Stefani Koykov in three rounds in Telford to set up his world title shot at Beterbiev.
What They Say:
Yarde: “January 28 will be my night. My destiny playing out in my home city, and this is what I have been longing for throughout my professional career, which started at Wembley. I won’t make any big predictions for this fight against a strong unified champion in Artur Beterbiev, but what I will say is that I will leave nothing to chance, and I am at my best when I fight fire with fire.”
Beterbiev: “I never back down from a challenge, and Anthony Yarde is a top contender who asked for this fight. I look forward to fighting in London for the first time since the Olympics. Yarde called me ‘slow’ after my fight with Joe Smith Jr., but slow and steady wins the race.”
Full Fight Card:
Artur Beterbiev vs Anthony Yarde, WBC, IBF, and WBO light-heavyweight titles
Artem Dalakian vs David Jimenez, WBA flyweight title
Willy Hutchinson vs Emil Markic, WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
Karol Itauma vs Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna, WBC International light-heavyweight title
Charles Frankham vs Joshua Ocampo, super-featherweight
Umar Khan vs Sandeep Singh Bhatti, featherweight
Sean Noakes vs Santiago Garces, welterweight
Tommy Fletcher vs Darryl Sharp, cruiserweight
Joshua Frankham vs Joe Hardy, welterweight
Khalid Ali vs Ivica Gogosevic, super-welterweight
Moses Itauma vs TBA, heavyweight
Betfred Odds*:
Beterbiev: 1/8
Yarde: 6/1
Draw: 18/1
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
