WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) survived a rough eighth round to come back to stop mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde (18-1, 17 KOs) in the 11th round on Saturday night at the Traktor Sport Palace, in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Referee Luis Pabon stopped the fight officially at 2:04 of round 11.

Yarde came close to pulling off a major upset in the eighth round in this drama-filled bout. After being out-boxed in the first seven rounds, Yarde hurt Kovalev and had him on the brink of defeat. It wasn’t to be though. Yarde depleted his gas tank after eight rounds, and Kovalev took over the fight in the ninth and cruised to victory.

In the 11th, Kovalev nailed Yarde with a hard jab to knock him out. By this time in the fight, Yarde was exhausted and hurt from the punishment he’d absorbed in the 10th round. The 28-year-old Yarde had nothing left after round eight. That was the round in which he had hurt Kovalev.

By Barry Holbrook / boxingnews24.com
https://www.boxingnews24.com/2019/08/boxing-results-kovalev-vs-yarde-undercard/

Photo Mikey Williams / Top Rank

ANTHONY YARDE WILL challenge long-standing world champion Sergey Kovalev for his WBO World Light Heavyweight championship in Chelyabinsk, Russia on August 24. The fight will be broadcast live and exclusive in the UK on BT Sport.

Yarde, 18-0 with 17 Kos, has again accepted the delayed mission of heading into the home nation of the world champion known as Krusher in order to fulfill the first part of his dream of holding multiple world title belts and ruling the division for years to come.

The 27-year-old now gets the opportunity to take on the most experienced and formidable of the current world champions, with the 36-year-old having clocked up 28 Kos from his 33 wins. Kovalev has operated in world title competition since parting Nathan Cleverly from his WBO belt in August 2013 in Cardiff.

“This is my time now and I am going to show the world what I am all about,” said the challenger, the self-styled Beast from the East of London. “Waiting for my time to come around could have been a frustration but we turned it into a positive and I am even more ready to seize the moment.

“Everything has fallen perfectly into place for me, this will be my coronation as world champion and I am going to realize my dream by beating the most decorated of the current world title holders.

“I am more than happy to achieve my goal in Russia and I think it is only right that a great world champion such as Kovalev is given the opportunity to defend in his home country. He has earned that right.

“What I know is that on August 24 another world title belt will be under British ownership and I will have done it the hard way, one that nobody will be able to question.

“My promoter and my manager have made all the right moves to get me into this position and I thank Frank Warren and Tunde Ajayi for creating this opportunity for me. They have done their part and it is now up to me to deliver.”

Frank Warren said the self-belief of his light heavyweight star was the key to accepting a mandatory challenge on away territory.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for Anthony and he has earned his shot by working his way to the No.1 spot in the rankings,” said the promoter. “He has showed what he is all about by being prepared to go into Kovalev’s back yard and it demonstrates the confidence he has in his own ability.

“Everybody knows Kovalev is a tremendous puncher and a fearsome presence in the ring. It is something we first saw over here when he fought Nathan Cleverly and he has continued to operate at the very highest level.

“Anthony possesses tremendous self-belief and we back him to come away with the spoils but, whatever does happen in the fight, it is one that he will take a lot of valuable experience from.”

Yarde’s trainer-manager Tunde Ajayi added: “We’re here now! It’s been stage by stage, it’s been calculated and everything is timing, which I have said from the start.

“The time is now and we are about to shock the world. I cannot remember a fighter with so little experience going over to another man’s back yard to take on a great champion, so I don’t want to hear any excuses when Anthony knocks him out.

“I know that is going to happen.”

PURSE BID – WBO LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE   Sergey Kovalev vs. Anthony Yarde

Gentlemen:

As per Section 11 through 14 of the enclosed copy of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests (www.wboboxing.com), please be advised that a Purse Bid will be held at 11:00 a.m. EST on Monday, April 8th, 2019 at the World Boxing Organization headquarters:

1056 Muñoz Rivera Avenue
San Juan, PR 00927

Pursuant to our WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests on Purse Bid procedures, kindly note:

The Minimum acceptable bid for the WBO Light Heavyweight Division  is $300,000.00 (Three-Hundred Thousand Dollars).

WBO President Francisco Valcárcel, Esq. will preside purse bid proceedings.

Kindly note the following provisions:

  1. If the Champion is injured and depending on the type of injury and the needed recovery time, the WBO Championship Committee, in accordance to the WBO Regulations, will decide if the title is vacated or an interim championship is ordered.
  2. If the Challenger is injured or refuses to fight, he loses his position in the rankings and the WBO World Championship Committee can determine the next available contender, or it can order an Elimination bout with the two best available contenders, and the Champion can be permitted a Voluntary bout.
  3. Signed contracts shall be filed to the WBO Offices within five (5) days upon the adjudication of the Purse Bid.

Section 13 (a) subsections (1) (A) and (B) of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests provides:

  1. The Purse for Championship Contests held and completed pursuant to Purse Bids shall be distributed as follows:

(1) CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH AN EXISTING CHAMPION

(a) In fights for the Title between the Champion and the Mandatory Challenger held in the country of origin, residence or nationality of the Champion, the Champion shall receive 75% of the purse and the Challenger shall receive the remaining 25%.

(b) In fight for the Title held in any other country, the Champion shall receive 80% of the purse and the Challenger shall receive the remaining 20%.

Please be advised that the parties must comply fully with the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests regarding Purse Bid procedures.

Yours Truly,

Luis Batista Salas, Esq. 
Chairman WBO Championship Committee  

WBO Bouts: Anthony Yarde, Daniel Dubois Double Picked Up By ESPN+

Two of the biggest punchers in British boxing — light heavyweight Anthony Yarde and heavyweight Daniel Dubois — are ready to put on a Friday afternoon show for American fight fans.
 
In the main event, Yarde will defend his WBO Intercontinental belt in a 10-rounder against Baltimore native Travis “Seveer” Reeves at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London. In one of the co-features, Dubois will battle former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO Global belt.
 
Yarde-Reeves will headline a live five-fight stream beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN+.

Yarde (17-0, 16 KOs) has knocked out 15 opponents in a row, a streak that dates back to his second professional bout in June 2015. He is the WBO No. 2 contender for the belt currently held by Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Before a potential world title shot, he must get past Reeves (17-3-2, 7 KOs), a 38-year-old Baltimore native who has won two bouts in a row. In his last ring outing, Jan. 17 in Las Vegas, he knocked down Lanell Bellows (18-3-2 at the time) twice en route to a well-earned unanimous decision win.
 
Dubois (9-0, 8 KOs) is the latest in the long line of fearsome British heavyweight punchers, a London native who has turned heads since turning pro in April 2017. His only decision victory came in his last bout, a dominant performance over veteran Kevin Johnson that streamed on ESPN+. Dubois was originally supposed to face Cojanu in December, but he contracted the flu during fight week and had to pull out. Cojanu (16-5, 9 KOs) challenged Joseph Parker for the WBO heavyweight title in May 2017, losing a unanimous decision in a game effort. In his most recent bout, he pushed unbeaten prospect Nathan Gorman the 12-round distance in a losing effort.
 



Nicola Adams has postponed her 8 March fight against Mexican Arely Mucino – the Briton’s first shot at a world title – because of injury.

The two-time Olympic champion, 36, was due to challenge for the WBO flyweight title at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

But a statement from promoter Frank Warren said Adams had “picked up an injury during her preparations”.

“The world title bout will now be rescheduled to take place later in the year,” the statement added.

Undefeated British light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde will now face Travis Reeves of the United States as the main event.

A bout with Mucino would have been Adams’ sixth since turning professional in 2017 and she said in January she wanted to win her first title to emulate her “hero” Muhammad Ali, who boxed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1971 and 1979 exhibitions.

The contest was also set to take place on International Women’s Day.

Adams earned a unanimous points victory to defeat Isabel Millan of Mexico in her previous fight in October.

Mucino, 29, claimed her world title in February 2018 and has a record of 27 wins, two draws and three losses in 10 years as a professional.

via https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/47280224

BALTIMORE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT Travis Reeves will now be in the opposite corner to Anthony Yarde at the Morningside Arena in Leicester on February 23 after original opponent Mehdi Amar was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Reeves, 17-3-2, has suffered only one defeat in his last 17 fights in a challenge for the IBO world title against Karo Murat and last fought in January at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he recorded a unanimous points victory over Lanell Bellows.

With former European champion Amar not in a position to travel, Reeves will provide the next test on the journey to the top for Yarde, who will have his 18th professional fight in Leicester.

The 27-year-old has quickly switched his attention to the new challenge to be put in front of him.

“Injuries are unfortunately an unavoidable part of boxing and it is just the nature of the business,” reasoned the WBO Intercontinental champion. “There is nothing anybody can do about it and I am just happy that a good replacement has been lined up for me.

“I have still got a job to do and I intend to put on a show in Leicester. Every fight and every win is important for me because everybody knows what is planned for me this year and I have got to move from strength to strength with no mistakes.

“Sergey Kovalev regained the WBO world title over the weekend with a strong performance but, as far as I am concerned, him holding the belt is just a temporary arrangement and it will be in my hands before too long.

“My time is coming but the next fight is always the most important and, for now, my focus is just on getting the job done in Leicester.”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “It is always a shame when you lose a good opponent, but we have a more than capable replacement in Travis Reeves, who has been active and is on a good run of form.

“This fight is about Anthony making a case for a world title shot and showing us all that he is ready to take the next big step. The light heavyweight division is right up there with the strongest in world boxing and Anthony is in a great position to make his entry into the elite and I firmly believe he has got what it takes.”

Anthony Yarde’s defence of his WBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title against Travis Reeves at the Morningside Arena shares top billing with British super featherweight champion Sam ‘Bullet’ Bowen. Local fighters CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood do battle for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title, with Nathan Gorman, Lyon Woodstock, Ryan Garner, Willy Hutchinson, Tommy Fury, Ryan Hatton and Mark Chamberlain also featuring on the card.

Tickets are available from £40 are on sale NOW via Eventbrite

Anthony Yarde will be back in the ring in less than three weeks’ time.

The undefeated light-heavyweight, who holds a lofty position in the WBO rankings, was most recently in action in June and holds a record of 16-0 with all but one coming inside the distance.

Yarde, 27, stopped Polish southpaw Dariusz Sek inside seven rounds at the O2 Arena in London, exclusively live on BT Sport.

And he will fight on the same platform again on October 20 at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

The Ilford man, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, is set to defend his WBO Inter-Continental title against Argentina’s Walter Gabriel Sequeira (21-4, 15 KOs) at the top of a card being promoted by Frank Warren.

Sequeira, 31, was last in action in April when he retained his Argentinian title with a sixth-round stoppage of Gaston Alejandro Vega.

Also on the card, there will be action for the Joe Mullender, whose last outing came against Lee Churcher for the vacant IBF European middleweight title last December, and the vacant British title will be at stake when welterweight pair Johnny Garton and Gary Corcoran square off.

Bradley Skeete, the man who recently relinquished the Lonsdale belt but was stopped inside two rounds when he challenged Kerman Lejarraga for the vacant European welterweight belt back in April, will return on the bill, while there is a super-middleweight contest between rivals Umar Sadiq and Zak Chelli set.

Further details regarding the card will be revealed in due course.

By Elliot Foster
https://www.boxingscene.com/anthony-yarde-vs-walter-gabriel-sequeira-set-october-20–132317

PROMOTER Frank Warren held the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s o2 Arena show where Anthony Yarde’s WBO Intercontinental and European Light Heavyweight titles will be on the line against Dariuz Sek.

ANTHONY YARDE (15-0, 14 KOs):

“I don’t know too much about Dariusz, but I go out and do my job. It doesn’t matter if he is southpaw, northpaw or westpaw. Sparring with southpaws have been different but nothing to worry me. When you have power, that relaxes you. I am not thinking this is a pushover. People talk about world title offers, but boxing is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

DARIUSZ SEK (27-3-3, 9 KOs):

“I am looking forward to the fight and I will win. I have seen his fights and we have adapted our training techniques to win the fight on Saturday. I will keep my distance and show him how it is done.