By Norm Frauenheim

David Benavidez, who made more news after the Anthony Yarde fight than he did during it, is seizing the day.

Canelo’s day.

In a sure sign that Benavidez doesn’t intend to waste time waiting while in his prime, he followed up his stoppage of Yarde with an announcement that he plans to fight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for two pieces of the cruiserweight title on the Cinco de Mayo weekend.

A sudden step up in weight for another title was news, much of it precipitated by uncertainty about whether a third Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev fight will ever happen.

But the real significance was the date, May 2 at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Zurdo, who is scheduled for a Jan. 16 tune-up against Swede Robin Sirwan Safar, confirmed the fight and the date. So did his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya. Already, Benavidez has been installed a 3-to-1 favorite by on-line books.

Odds are: A boxing May Day, a possible sea change at the top of the sport, is happening.

For the last couple of decades, the Cinco de Mayo weekend has belonged to the reigning face of the game.

First, there was Floyd Mayweather Jr., who honored the celebration by wearing a mariachi costume that included everything but a trumpet. Then, Canelo Alvarez, who took it back for Mexico.

But Canelo’s September loss to a masterful Terence Crawford and subsequent fall from the top 10 in leading pound-for-pound ratings for the first time since 2018 leaves a possible opening, a vacant throne, there for a successor.

Boldly, Benavidez has put himself first in line.

“I don’t want to waste any more time,” Benavidez told reporters in Riyadh at the top of his post-fight newser after a solid, expected stoppage in a light-heavyweight title defense.

“I want greatness, and I had an opportunity to go up to challenge Ramirez for two titles at cruiserweight.

“I didn’t get the opportunity at 168, and now I am not getting it at 175. So, I am going to make my own lane and achieve greatness, one way or the other.’’

Benavidez, forced to wait for years, no longer has to, in part because of the momentum that came with his victory over Yarde. The Phoenix-born-and-forged fighter goes into his prime – he’ll be 29-years old on Dec. 17 – with his record unbeaten and his options unlimited.

That said, Yarde, a competent gatekeeper, isn’t exactly Terence Crawford. Guess here, Canelo would have easily beaten Yarde, too. Canelo still looms as a factor in what Benavidez can do, will do. For years, he frustrated Benavidez, denying him a shot at his 168-pound undisputed title.

Now suddenly without a belt, Canelo has lost some of his leverage, but none of his influence. He’s still a draw among Mexican fans, ever loyal and the boxing audience’s biggest demographic. Translation: He’s still box-office. Saudi promoter and Prince Turki Alalshikh paid him a reported purse of more than $100 million for fighting Crawford.

Now there are reports that Canelo wants to double down. Reportedly, he wants a rematch, and there are at least 100 million reasons for why he wants the sequel. 

But there are no reports on what Crawford intends to do. His brilliant decision over Canelo was proof, the punctuation point to a genuine legacy. It would be hard to repeat.

Why risk it against Canelo or anybody else, for that matter? Then again, Crawford, who maybe got half of what Canelo was paid, might ask for the $100 million-plus in a proposed rematch. That might be enough to draw him back into the ring instead of retirement.

Timing is a big factor, second to only the money. Crawford turned 38 just a couple of weeks after delivering a thorough exhibition of Sweet Science skill in a unanimous decision over Canelo. He’ll surely get older, but probably not better. For him, the clock is ticking. Can he still fight? Stupid question. But the longer he waits, the bigger the risk.

If – a big if – a rematch agreement could be reached in early 2026, May 2 – the Cinco de Mayo weekend — would loom, offering Canelo a chance to reclaim a defining date in a still evolving battle with an impatient rival determined to take it from him, one way or another.  

David Benavidez retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with seventh round stoppage over Anthony Yarde at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In round seven, Yarde began to bleed from his mouth and nose. Late in the round the pressure of Benavidez took over as he scored a knockdown from a non stop flurry of punches. Benavidez finished off Yarde when he continued he ferocious assault that was capped off by two left hooks on the chin and the fight was stopped at 1:59.

Benavidez, 174.3 lbs of Phoenix is 31-0 with 25 knockouts. Yarde, 173.9 lbs of London is 27-4.

Haney Drops, Decisions Norman; Wins Welterweight Title

Devin Haney became a three-division world champion as he won the WBO Welterweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Brian Norman Jr.

In round two, Haney dropped Norman with a hard left hook to the head that was followed by a crushing right.

Haney, 146.6 lbs of Miami won by scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113 and is now 33-0. Norman, 146.12 lbs of Decatur, GA is 28-1.

Jesse Rodriguez Knocks Out Fernando Martinez To Unify 115 Lb. Title

Jesse Rodriguez is now the WBA/WBC/WBO 115-pound champion with a 10th round stoppage over Fernando Martinez.

In round 10, Rodriguez landed a perfect left counter on the jaw that sent Martinez down for the count at 1:27.

Rodriguez, 114.6 lbs of San Antonio is now 23-0 with 16 knockouts. Martinez, 113.2 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 18-1.

Mason Decisions Noakes to Win Vacant WBO Lightweight title

In a terrific back and forth brawl, Abdullah Mason won the vacant WBO Lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Sam Noakes

In round three, Noakes began to bleed around the left eye due to a clash of heads. In round four, Mason was cut under the right eye.

Mason, 134 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice and is now 17-0.. Noakes, 134.9 lbs of Kent, ENG is 17-1.

At 21, Mason is now the youngest world champion.

Mielnicki Jr. Stops Nmomah in 9

Vito Mielnicki Jr. stopped Samuel Nmomah in round nine of their 10-round middleweight bout.

In round nine, Mielnicki landed a perfect counter right that hurt Nmomah. Mielnicki followed that up with a flurry that was punctuated with a left that put Nmomah hard on the canvas and the fight was stopped at 3:09.

Mielnicki, 159.1 lbs of Roseland, NJ is 22-1 with 13 knockouts. Nmomah, 159.6 lbs of Lagos, NIG is 21-1.

Mohammed Alakel remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Jiaming Li in a junior lightweight bout.

In round five, Alakel dropped Li at the end of the frame with a perfect counter right to the head.

Alakel, 131.6 lbs of Riyadh, SA won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 7-0. Li, 132.4 lbs of Zho Hi, CHN is 7-6.

Julio Porras and Pius Mpenda fought to a six-round draw in a super middleweight bout

All three cards read even at 57-57.

Porras, 167.9 lbs of Sonora, MEX is 13-0-1. Mpenda, 166.12 lbs of Tanzania is 11-4-2.

In round five, Porras began to bleed from his nose.

Mohammad Alohammad stopped Umash Chavan in the opening round of their four-round junior lightweight bout

Alomohammed dominated and landed a flurry in the corner that forced Chavan to turn his back and the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Alomahammed, 129 lbs of Riyadh is now 2-0 with one stoppage. Chavan, 129.9 lbs of Mapusa, IND is 3-2.

Juan El Guerito De Pito made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Barker Sswanyama in a bantamweight fight.

In round four, Ssewanyana was deducted a point for holding.

The 16-year-old De Pita, 116.9 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is 1-0. Sswanyama, 115.3 lbs of Uganda is 1-2-1.

David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde – Light Heavyweight
David Benavidez: 174.3 lbs 

Anthony Yarde: 173.9 lbs 

David Benavidez 

On Anthony Yarde’s comments around taking away his title

“Nobody is taking anything from me. I’ve been training really hard for this fight. I’m eager to get in the ring to see what Anthony Yarde is all about and I’m excited to feel his power. I want to give the fans a great fight. There’s a lot of great talent on this card, but I’m going to steal the show and have the best fight of the night. David Benavidez will have the best fight of the night and I’m going to walk out with both my titles.”

On if there was any strategy weighing in well below the limit 

“There was no strategy behind it. I feel good and the weight cut was easy. I saved a lot of energy and didn’t have to do too much to cut the weight to 175 pounds, so I’ll use that extra energy for the fight.”

Anthony Yarde 

On what lessons he’s looking to apply from his prior fights on Saturday night 

“I’m just ready to fight. The past doesn’t matter, it’s only the present and the future. I’m excited.”

On what he’s visualizing ahead of Saturday night 

“Taking home the victory is all I’ve been visualizing. I want to do it in an explosive and exciting way. It’ll make for a great story because it’s him [David Benavidez]. 

Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney – Welterweight 

Brian Norman Jr.: 146.12 lbs 

Devin Haney: 146.6 lbs 

Brian Norman Jr. 

On his takeaway from Devin Haney’s demeanor

“It’s about that time. 24 hours to go. The talking is over. Let’s get this action started.”

On what he’s going to eat and focus on over the next 24 hours

“I might eat a few steaks, maybe some sweet potatoes. I have a chocolate cake waiting on me – we’re eating well. Everybody come on through.”

On how Devin Haney will bring out the best in him

“Everyone is going to find out…Norman gang over everything. This belt on my shoulder – I came in with it and I’ll walk out with it, too. Everyone will respect me after this one, just watch.”

Devin Haney 

On how he shows Brian Norman Jr. that there are levels to boxing 

“The talking is done. Now it’s time to do work.”

Fernando Martinez vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – Super Flyweight

Fernando Martinez: 113.12 lbs 

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez: 114.6 lbs 

Fernando Martinez 

On how he brings The Ring Magazine Championship home to Argentina 

“I am the champion. I’m coming for those belts – they belong to me. Let’s go, Argentina.”

On how his defeat of Kazuto Ioka gives him confidence to beat one of the best  pound-for-pound fighters in the sport

“I went and beat [Kazuto] Ioka. I’ve been called the person that goes on and takes on challenges and beats champions. I have all the faith that we can go and win this for Argentina. I also have faith that we can win this for my mother, for my daughters, and we’re going to do this. This is for Argentina.”

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 

On Martinez’s claims that he’s a “king killer”

“There’s one king and that’s me. He won’t kill me tomorrow…I’m immortal.”

On how surprised he is about the lack of respect from Fernando Martinez 

“They’re all clowns [Fernando Martinez’s fans]. Tomorrow I’m going to tame this little kitty.”

On what the most important factor is for Saturday night 

“Be myself. This is no different. It’s just another fight to me, but I’m going to go out there and show the world who Bam Rodriguez is.”

Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes – Lightweight 

Abdullah Mason: 134 lbs 

Sam Noakes: 134.9 lbs 

Abdullah Mason 

On his last impression from the faceoff

“We’re going to cook tomorrow night. We’re going to eat.”

On what he needs to focus on over the next 24 hours 

“I have an appetite for smoke, so let’s see Saturday night.” 

Sam Noakes 

On how he makes Abdullah Mason make him feel his heavy hands 

“You’ll see tomorrow.”

On how he brings the title home and puts on a show for the fans 

“By giving them a Sam Noakes knockout.”

Samuel Nmomah vs. Vito Mielnicki Jr. – Middleweight 

Samuel Nmomah: 159.6 lbs 

Vito Mielnicki Jr.: 159.6 lbs 

Jiaming Li vs. Mohammed Alakel – Super Featherweight 

Jiaming Li: 132.3 lbs 

Mohammed Alakel: 131.6 lbs 

Pius Mpenda vs. Julio Porras Ruiz  – Super Middleweight

Pius Mpenda: 166.12  lbs 

Julio Porras Ruiz: 167.9 lbs 

Umesh Chavan vs. Sultan Almohammed  – Super Featherweight 

Umesh Chavan: 129.9 lbs

Sultan Almohammed: 129 lbs 

Barker Ssewanyana vs. Juan El Güerito de Tepito – Bantamweight

Barker Ssewanyana: 115.3 lbs 

Juan El Güerito de Tepito: 116.9 lbs 

ENDS 

About Riyadh Season

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. Most recently, Riyadh Season 2024 reached a major milestone after the number of visitors for the year exceeded 20 million for the first time.

Riyadh Season has hosted a number of memorable boxing showdowns including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st Century between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, two undisputed light heavyweight title clashes between Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol, Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois in front of a record crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium and September’s blockbuster showdown between pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez and undefeated superstar Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.

About The Ring Magazine

Since its inception in 1922, The Ring Magazine has been the cornerstone of boxing journalism, earning it the title as ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Today, The Ring is more than just a magazine – it’s a growing multimedia empire poised to redefine how the world experiences boxing and combat sports. The Ring is not just chronicling the history of boxing; it’s actively shaping its future. Whether through its digital platforms, community events, or innovative partnerships. The Ring is committed to making the sport more accessible, exciting and engaging for a global audience.

ABOUT DAZN
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, streams over 110,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.? DAZN is the global home of European football, women’s football, boxing, and MMA, as well as the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more, including FIFA Club World Cup 2025. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.? DAZN is a global, privately owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 4,000 employees. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit? www.dazngroup.com.? 

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, November 20, 2025 – Today, in Boulevard City in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Ring Magazine’s no. 2-ranked David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) and no. 4-ranked Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs), along with the co-main event’s Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) and Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) and accompanying undercard fighters, sat down for the final press conference ahead of Saturday night’s prestigious four 12-round fight card, “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions,” part of Riyadh Season. It all starts on Saturday, November 22 (9 p.m. ET), live worldwide exclusively on DAZN PPV. 

In a card encompassing numerous fights that very well could headline cards elsewhere, “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” also features no. 9-ranked fighter Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) battling for the vacant WBO Lightweight Title. Additionally, Ring Magazine’s no. 1-ranked Fernando Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) is set to take on WBO Super Flyweight Champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), while Vito Mielnicki Jr. (21-1, 12 KOs) and Samuel Nmomah (21-0, 5 KOs) duel in a 10-round bout for the WBO Global and Vacant WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Championships. 

Hosted by the voice of DAZN Boxing, Todd Grisham, the fighters expressed their gratitude for being part of this exceptional card in Riyadh while looking ahead to Saturday night’s matchups.  

Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say: 

David Benavidez 

On where Anthony Yarde ranks amongst his toughest opponents

“I’ve had my eye on Anthony Yarde for a long time. I know he’s a great fighter. He has a lot of heart, he has a lot of power, and the thing I like about him is no matter who he’s up against, he’s in there to make it a great fight. Me, I like to make every fight like I’m in a war. I like to give the people the fights they want to see. I had a great training camp. I’ve trained extremely hard and you know this fight is going to live up to the moment. Anthony Yarde, he’s trying to capture a World Title. I’m trying to capture all the titles and unify all the titles in the Light Heavyweight division so there’s a lot at stake here. This has been the hardest I’ve trained out of any of my fights, so I’m very excited. I’m going to go in there and give everyone a war. Boxing fans are really the ones who are going to win on Saturday night. From the top to the bottom, you have myself and Anthony Yarde, Brian Norman Jr. and Devin Haney, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, and Abdullah Mason. This card is stacked. It’s going to be a great night of boxing for everybody watching.” 

On if he’s expecting a war or if he will dominate 

“I’m looking to dominate but whatever happens I’m ready for. If it’s going to turn into war then I’m going to turn it into a war, but I’m definitely going to dominate.” 

On if there is a chance that he is overlooking Anthony Yarde on Saturday night

“Definitely not. I’ve never overlooked anybody and that’s why I’m in the position where I’m at now. I’ve given Anthony [Yarde] all the respect he deserves and studied him for a long time. This has been the hardest I’ve trained out of any fight, so I’m extremely ready. I’m extremely ready for whatever he brings to the table and there will only be one man who gets to raise his hand…that man will be David Benavidez.”

On how much pressure he is feeling to knock out Anthony Yarde 

“There’s no pressure. Honestly, I love what I do and I’m extremely ready for this moment. I just want it to be Saturday night already so we can go out there and show out. There’s no pressure at all.”

On his prediction for Saturday night

“I’m going in there to win the fight, whether I get the knockout or I get the decision, I’m looking to dominate, so I’m going to get the victory no matter what.”

Anthony Yarde 

On his claims about putting David Benavidez to sleep

“I want to thank everyone here…Frank Warren and HE Turki Alalshikh. I was picked personally for this fight and we’re here again. I feel like this is the best version of me and I’ve always said I don’t want the easy route. I’ve always said I want to beat someone – that’s why I went to Russia and challenged [Sergey] Kovalev, I know the risk. Everyone told me ‘don’t go to Russia,’ and I said, ‘I’m going.’ Then I got [Artur] Beterbiev. Everyone said he’s a monster, ‘don’t fight this guy, he has 18 wins and 18 knockouts.’ I said, ‘give me him.’ I don’t care who it is. The better the fighter I’m fighting is a better reward for me. You’ve seen me get better each time. This occasion…I want everyone to tune in. I don’t even like to call this an undercard because every fight on this card is a main fight. Let’s make it happen and put on an excellent night of boxing. It’ll be one for the history books.”

On David Benavidez’s biggest vulnerabilities 

“I’m not the type of person that talks for the sake of talking. Everyone can watch him [Benavidez] on TV and say, ‘he does this well,’ or ‘he’s not great at this.’ Personally, I’m only going to know what he’s about when I’m standing in front of him in the ring.”

On why his third shot at a World Title will be the one 

“I keep hearing, ‘third time’s the charm,’ but I don’t really believe in luck. I feel like I’m a better fighter now, a bit more experienced. David [Benavidez] believes he’s going to have his hand raised, and as he should, but I believe the same. This is my time and my moment. Turki Alalshikh called me himself because he wanted me for this fight. Other fighters had their names in the hat, but he called me personally and said, ‘this fight, the way we fight…it’s going to be the clash of the titans…’ I’m excited for Saturday night and I hope everyone else is. I’m ready.”

On his final prediction ahead of Saturday night

“All I know is it’s going to be very exciting. I’m not the person who will go off with predictions, but I do think stylistically this fight will end in a knockout. I want my hand raised and I respect him [Benavidez] highly. I respect his resume, what he’s done in the ring, his highlight reels – they all motivate him. The better the fighter in front of me, the better version of me you’ll see. I’m excited.”

Devin Haney 

On if he feels he should be the favorite with his career accomplishments 

“This is a dream come true of mine. A dream come true to be fighting for another World Title. This is not my first rodeo so it won’t be anything different. I look to bring back the WBO title back home to my family and my team.” 

On his strategy for Brian Norman Jr.

“We fight everybody differently. Like I said, this is not my first rodeo. I fought [Jose Carlos] Ramirez differently than I fought [Vasyl] Lomachenko. I fought him differently than Regis [Prograis], so the world has to see what gameplan my team and I have drawn up. I’m going to beat this guy.”

On calling Brian Norman Jr. a bum

“No, I think he’s a great fighter.” 

On his final prediction for Saturday night

“Devin Haney. WBO Champion.” 

Brian Norman Jr. 

On what he says to those who believe he is not ready to deal with a fighter of Devin Haney’s caliber

“I truly feel like either you got it or you don’t. Of course he has done wonderful things and what he had going on but it’s time for another face to come up and do his own thing. That’s where Brian Norman Jr. steps in.”

On how he plans to force Devin Haney into exchanges with him

“It’s only as far as he can go. We’re in a box. It’s not like he can just run forever so no matter if he runs or if he stays there, no matter what, the boy is going to sleep.” 

On how confident he is that he can get a decision win against Devin Haney or if he has to knock him out 

“I can win by any means necessary. If I want it to go to the cards I can do that, if I want to knock him out I’m definitely going to do that anyway as is. It’s me stamping my name in the game.”

On what will happen Saturday night

“That boy is going to sleep.”

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 

On how hard it was to make the decision to be here instead of his wife and newborn son 

“We knew the date was going to fall close to the fight date so we kind of just planned how things were going to go out and they planned exactly the way we expected, but that’s just more fuel to the fire, that’s more motivation to go out there and get the win. It’s all for him. My daughter and my son are what it’s all about, this is what I do it for. Come Saturday night I’m going to come out victorious and take these belts back to both of them.”

On Fernando “Puma” Martinez promising to push him harder than he’s ever been pushed

“Just tune in to DAZN on Saturday night you’ll see. You’ll see why Eddie Hearn just said what he said about me. I’m a special fighter and I’m going to go out there and prove that to everyone once again. This is going to be another fantastic performance from myself and I’m just ready to go out there and get the job done.”

On if he agrees this fight will be a war or a one-sided victory

“Honestly, this fight, it ends how I want. I can take it the distance or I can stand there and end the night early. Whatever I’m feeling that night, I’ll go out there and make it happen.” 

On his official prediction for Saturday night

“I just know I’m going to win, my hand is going to be raised at the end of the night. I’m going to take that belt and take these belts back to my children and that’s that.” 

Fernando Martinez 

On his style and why he’s been so successful in his career

“I want to say thank you to Saudi Arabia for the opportunity. In terms of what I have, we’re very experienced and have fought against some big champions along the way. We’ve also been to the Olympics, so I feel like we’re completely prepared to win this fight on Saturday night” 

On why legends of the sport couldn’t beat Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

“Becasue he’s never faced a ‘Puma’ Martinez from Argentina and he’s never faced a ferocious ‘Puma’ from Argentina who’s going to eat up ‘Bam’ Rodriguez on Saturday night.” 

On how big of a victory this will be for him and Argentina on Saturday night

“To be honest, it’s a massive fight for me and I think it will be totally historic for Argentina. There’s never been a fight in which an Argentinian has fought to unify so many belts in just one fight and I want to make my mark and be up there with the big names that Argentina has. I just want to be up there with the great champions and become a legend in Argentina.” 

On his official prediction for Saturday night 

“I win this fight by knockout.”

Sam Noakes 

On why his style will give Abdullah Mason so many problems

“Everyone keeps saying my style is one dimensional and all that. I feel like from the outside it looks easy to deal with but he’ll find out Saturday night that it’s not going to be very easy to deal with.”

On why he isn’t receiving the respect he thinks he deserves as the underdog

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me being the underdog. All that means is that everyone betting on me is going to win a nice bit of money doesn’t it?”

On what the scenes will be like if he surpassed Jack Green to become the greatest athlete from Maidstone, Kent, England 

“That’s news to me, I didn’t even know that. Bringing it back, I got a few people coming out here. It’s brilliant for me and obviously the fans and my hometown.” 

On what his prediction is for Saturday night

“Sam Noakes by knockout.”

Abdullah Mason 

On his long term goals in the sport of boxing 

“I’m just here, I’m ready.”

On what he learned about himself after being knocked down and why he’s confident it won’t happen again Saturday night

“That was definitely revealing a lot for the better. It showed the resilience I had, it showed everything that was good, it showed the corner, it showed everything that a fighter needs in a ring. Most importantly, I’m ready to take it a step further this Saturday.” 

On his prediction for Saturday night

“Boxing gets to gain its new favorite young talent and I’m going to be dominating the lightweight division from Saturday night on forward.”

Vito Mielniki Jr.

On how satisfied he is right now with his pro career

“My professional career is off to a hot start. I had a great amateur career as well. But to be a part of an event of this magnitude, to have this stage to showcase my talent, to showcase that I’m on another level than this guy, is exactly what I’m gonna do on Saturday night.”

On whether or not he’s impressed by what he’s seen from Samuel Nmomah

“He’s a good fighter, but nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m just excited. Excited to be on the platform and showcase my talent. He’ll see on Saturday night.”

On what kind of statement he’s looking to make to the boxing community 

“I’m here to make a statement in the whole middleweight division. This is my third fight in the division, but my third straight undefeated opponent. I’m just ready to give him his first blemish.”

Samuel Nmomah 

On what kind of fighter he is and what his gameplan is for Saturday night 

“I want to thank everyone for coming and giving me this opportunity. Thank you to Turki Alalshikh and Ring Magazine. I don’t have a plan, I’m just here to do work. Vito, are you ready?” 

On why Vito Mielnicki Jr. was the opponent he wanted for Saturday night 

“When I received the opportunity for this fight, I was really excited to sign the contract because I was already looking ahead to facing Vito [Mielnicki Jr.]. Believe me, we’ll see on Saturday night.”

Carl Moretti, Vice President, Top Rank

On why he thinks Abdullah Mason is ready for “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions”

“I want to thank everybody for putting a great card together. With Sam Noakes and Abdullah Mason you have two contrasting styles: Sam only knows how to knock people out and come forward while Abdullah can box and punch at the same time. I think the only southpaw that Sam has ever fought was Vincenzo Finiello – a fellow countryman – and he stopped him in four [rounds]. Abdullah Mason is no Vincenzo Finiello, we know that. We wouldn’t put our guys in fights that we didn’t think we could win. Nowadays, anyone can fight for a title, but the goal is to win. On Saturday night, Top Rank will have the WBO Lightweight Champion in Abdullah Mason.”  

On what makes Brian Norman Jr. so special

“Saturday night you’ll see why for sure but I really can’t wait for this show, I can’t wait for this fight, I can’t wait for social media. I’ve never seen so many experts in my life tell Devin [Haney] what to do and tell Brian [Norman Jr.] what to do. Let’s see what they say after the fight because they’re all going to be wrong. It’s the best fight in the welterweight division, whoever wins this I can’t wait to see who doesn’t call out the winner. It’s been a trip the whole time, but we’re very confident on what Brian Norman Jr. can do. Bill Haney’s been selling this fight from start to finish. He’s a trip man, he’s one of a kind. He kind of reminds me of the captain of the Titanic who’s bragging that he saw the iceberg. Well, Brian Norman Jr. is the iceberg and we know how that worked out for everybody, so we can’t wait for the bell to ring Saturday night.”

Frank Warren, Promoter, Queensberry  

On Top Rank’s confidence in Abdullah Mason beating Sam Noakes on Saturday night

“It’s great to be here in the world’s capital of boxing – Riyadh – for the Riyadh season and Ring show. What do I think of those comments? We’re here with my man [Sam] and he’s undefeated. He is one of the best young fighters in the United Kingdom – everything that’s been asked of him he’s done. He’s won every title all the way through British Commonwealth, European, and now we’re at the World Title. Abdullah is a good fighter, but let me tell you, he’s going to have his hands full. He won’t have to go looking for him [Sam], not at all. It’s going to be a great, fantastic fight.” 

On why he thinks Anthony Yarde gets the win here in Riyadh 

“First of all, what a fantastic card this is. When you look at this main event and the next three world title fights they feature all undefeated fighters fighting each other. Anthony’s been with us since day one. When you look at where he’s come from – having just 12 amateur fights – to where he is today, he’s had two World Title fights. I thought he was definitely going to win one of them, but he’s learned along the way…this is a big moment in his career. He is in with David [Benavidez], who we respect, 30 [wins] and 0 [losses], but he’s in with a fighter who I promise you will give him the toughest fight he’s ever had. He believes in himself as we believe in him and I genuinely feel there could be an upset on Saturday night.”

Eddie Hearn, Chairman, Matchroom Sport 

On if he’s surprised how good of a fighter Jesse Bam Rodriguez has become

“Thank you to Turki Alalshikh and everyone involved with Ring Magazine. It’s incredible to be back in Riyadh after what was a breathtaking event last week. Another Ring card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – over 60,000 people on a very sweet night when Conor Benn beat Chris Eubank Jr. This is the Night of the Champions on Saturday night in Riyadh, but let’s be honest, this is the main champion here. I know he’s too humble to say it, but this is the guy [Jesse Bam Rodriguez]. This is everybody’s favorite fighter in boxing and every fighter on this card’s favorite fighter…he’s definitely one of our favorites, too. I think this is the only reigning Ring Magazine champion on this card and he’s done it all. The two men down there – Robert Garcia, his incredible trainer, and Kevin Rooney – they told me about this guy for years and at just one week’s notice he stepped up two divisions to win the World Title beating Carlos Cuadras and he never looked back. He stepped down to the Flyweight division to win the World Title – a unified [fight] against Sunny Edwards. He then went up against [Juan Francisco] Estrada, then unified against [Phumelela] Cafu, and now he’s attempting to unify again. Like I said, there’s some incredible fighters on this card, but this is the real pound-for-pound star. He’s already top five pound-for-pound. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is 25 years of age and it’s so good to see the younger weight classes get recognition because this guy has all the talent in the world. On a card that’s filled with incredible boxers, what you’re watching here is one of the greatest fighters of our generation. The fight against [Fernando] “Puma” Martinez is one of the best fights in the sport. Of course, we want to say congratulations to the birth of his son yesterday. To him, Robert Garcia and the whole team, I truly believe this man is the future pound-for-pound star of the sport.” 

ENDS 

About Riyadh Season

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. Most recently, Riyadh Season 2024 reached a major milestone after the number of visitors for the year exceeded 20 million for the first time.

Riyadh Season has hosted a number of memorable boxing showdowns including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st Century between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, two undisputed light heavyweight title clashes between Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol, Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois in front of a record crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium and September’s blockbuster showdown between pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez and undefeated superstar Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.

About The Ring Magazine

Since its inception in 1922, The Ring Magazine has been the cornerstone of boxing journalism, earning it the title as ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Today, The Ring is more than just a magazine – it’s a growing multimedia empire poised to redefine how the world experiences boxing and combat sports. The Ring is not just chronicling the history of boxing; it’s actively shaping its future. Whether through its digital platforms, community events, or innovative partnerships. The Ring is committed to making the sport more accessible, exciting and engaging for a global audience.

ABOUT DAZN
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, streams over 110,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.? DAZN is the global home of European football, women’s football, boxing, and MMA, as well as the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more, including FIFA Club World Cup 2025. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.? DAZN is a global, privately owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 4,000 employees. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit? www.dazngroup.com.? 

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, November 19, 2025 – Today, Ring Magazine’s no. 2-ranked David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) and no. 4-ranked Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs), along with co-main event fighters Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) and Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) held an open media workout ahead of this weekend’s high-powered four 12-round fight card, “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions,” as part of Riyadh Season, live from ANB Arena in Saudi Arabia’s capital, taking place on Saturday, November 22 (9 p.m. ET), live worldwide exclusively on DAZN PPV.

Also taking part in the open workout was no. 9-ranked fighter Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) ahead of their clash for the vacant WBO Lightweight Title. Stepping into the ring before his Super Flyweight contest for the WBA, WBC, WBO & Ring Magazine Titles, Ring Magazine’s no. 1-ranked Fernando Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) showcased his moves, though his opponent WBO Super Flyweight Champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), was not in attendance due to his wife entering labor. 

Kicking off Saturday’s expansive undercard, Vito Mielnicki Jr. (21-1, 12 KOs) and Samuel Nmomah (21-0, 5 KOs) made their entrances before a 10-round bout for the WBO Global and Vacant WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Championships. A host of undercard fighters also held workouts in front of the media, including Barker Ssewanyana (1-1) and Juan Pérez Guerito before their 4-round Bantamweight contest; Umesh Chavan (3-1) and Sultan Almohammed (1-0) ahead of their 4-round Super Featherweight fight; Jiaming Li (7-5, 4 KOs) and Mohammed Alakel (6-0, 1 KO) as they go head-to-head in a 6-round Super Featherweight bout. Pius Mpenda (11-4, 5 KOs) and Julio Porras Ruiz (13-0, 9 KOs) also worked out prior to their 6-round Super Middleweight battle. 

Here is what the fighters had to say from Boulevard City in Saudi Arabia’s capital: 

David Benavidez 

On how this experience in Riyadh is different for him 

“It feels really good. I’m really excited and happy to be here – very blessed. I’m just happy to be here with my family and we’re looking forward to giving everyone a good show this Saturday night.” 

On if Saturday night’s fight will feel different than others

“No. I’ve faced fighters that have a lot of power and I’ve faced fighters that are really motivated – Anthony Yarde is that type of fighter. I’ve worked extremely hard in my training camp as you guys can see. I’m 100% ready. I’m already at weight and I’m still moving like this in the ring. Imagine when I rehydrate? I’m very excited and ready to give everyone a good show.” 

Anthony Yarde 

On how this preparation compares to his fights against Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev 

“I don’t know why, but I actually don’t get nervous for my fights. Especially when I’ve made it to a certain level. Even when I went out to Russia, there were no nerves. Some people say ‘you’re crazy’ or ‘that’s weird.’ I think it’s because, where I come from, even the level I’ve made it to already, it’s all just positives. I can’t explain it, but to be here for the third time, fighting someone like David Benavidez, on an occasion like this? Amazing.”

On how he beats a fighter like David Benavidez 

“Land on his chin. We have to just wait and see. It’s not that I’m not giving you nothing, but it’s one of those things where you only know once you’re in front of somebody. What sells this fight naturally and organically is the fact that people have seen us both fight. People know how I approach my career. I approach it like a professional and on an occasion like this, you see the best of me. Stylistically, it’s inevitable that you’re going to get a clash because we both like to come forward and we both like to look for a knockout victory. I’m a natural light heavyweight…been a light heavyweight my whole career. He’s moved up and he’ll try to come and do whatever he wants. I need to be a World Champion. I will be a World Champion.” 

On what he visualizes for the fight on Saturday night  

“Getting the victory, that’s all that’s on my mind. How it happens, we don’t know. This fight, it just feels ripe. The way it’s all happened, the occasion, it just seems ripe, like a fruit.”

On if it’s a fair assessment that he’s found a second wind for closing fights stronger 

“Fair, I take all of my criticisms, I take all of them, because I feel that’s the only way you can grow. Some people don’t like to receive criticism. The only time there’s going to be criticism is when there’s a fault there in someone’s eyes. Even Roy Jones Jr., he got criticized in his prime. Mike Tyson, he went the distance one time and started getting criticized. Then you have people like myself. I can honestly look back at my fights and say ‘I could’ve been better there,’ but it’s all about progression.”

On what he wants to show the American boxing fans on Saturday night

“With all my fights, I want to impress, I want to be entertaining. That’s just my style, that’s the reason I got into boxing. Mike Tyson was a big inspiration for me. Before I knew about boxing, I didn’t know anything about weight classes. All I saw was a small guy knocking out these big guys. Entertainment, pure entertainment. When I went into boxing, I wanted that same flair. I started boxing late, I had a bunch of fights. I started learning how to box when I was 18 years old. I had my first ever amateur fight just before I turned 20. It’s all been very quick but my mindset is ‘if you’re behind you need to work harder.’”

On where David Benavidez ranks among his toughest opponents 

“Within the top three definitely. They are World Champions for a reason. Even when people ask me to rate [Artur] Beterbiev and [Sergey] Kovalev, you can’t do that because they’re different stylistically. I fought them at different times. I fought Kovlev when I was an 18-fight prospect, and I did it in Russia. For Beterbiev, I had a bit more experience so you saw a better performance from me. At the time Beterbiev was this wrecking ball: undefeated, 18 fights, 18 wins, 18 knockouts, and I still pushed him and gave him his hardest test at that time. I’m a confident person and feel like I can beat anybody. There’s little tweaks I can make and we’ll see Saturday.”

Devin Haney 

On how excited he is for Saturday night 

“I’m just happy to be here. Nothing has changed. It’s all business, but now it’s just time for me to do work.” 

On if this speed and footwork is a glimpse into Saturday night

“I am going to go in there and put on a great performance…show how great I really am, and become a champion again.” 

On his father’s comments about training camp 

“I was just very motivated. I know how good Brian Norman Jr is, how hungry he is. Ultimately, this is training camp. I had to take it up two notches and really push myself.” 

On fighting one of the top fighters in The Ring Magazine rankings 

“No disrespect to anybody, but I don’t believe in tune-up fights. I want to fight the best fighters in the world and I want to prove myself. I want to become a champion again. I want to get back on the throne and at least back where I once was.” 

On how he will fight Brian Norman Jr. 

“I look to bring out my whole arsenal. I want to show that I can box. I want to show that I can fight on the inside. I want to show everything. I want to show everything, especially what Devin Haney is made of, and just show that experience really matters and how great I really am.” 

On if he believes that Brian Norman Jr. is just another fighter

“No, I think Brian Norman Jr. is a good fighter. I take nothing away from him. I think he’s a really good fighter and I think he’s just going to bring the best out of me.”

On if he fears Brian Norman Jr.’s power

“No. I don’t fear anyone.” 

On if Brian Norman Jr. will feel his power 

“I think Brian Norman [Jr.] will definitely feel my power, but I think what really separates me in the fight is my skillset and experience. At the top, everybody can punch hard. Everybody can punch, but Brian will see something he’s never seen before on fight night.” 

Brian Norman Jr. 

On how it feels to have all these lights shining on him 

“This is why I put in the work and this is what I was made for. This is my territory.”

On what happened between today and yesterday that made him warmer 

“We’re getting closer to fight time, I get more and more excited.”

Fernando Martinez 

On if this is the best condition he has been in during his career

“I feel great, I feel like this is the best moment for my physical attributes and experience. I am ready to make history for Argentina.” 

On what has changed as he looks to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 

“I think what I first need to do is be a little more intelligent. I need to have a tear up when I need to have a tear up. As I said, I come here now prepared for a war. We’re very confident. I feel like we’re going to go into this fight and do our best. I want to say thank you to a lot of people and hello to the people back home in Argentina. To my mom, to my wife, to my daughters, to my brothers, I love you all. Thank you again to Turki Alalshikh for putting on a great card here in Saudi Arabia.” 

Sam Noakes 

On if he’s hiding anything for Saturday night

“I don’t really have much to show, to be honest with you. Make sure you tune in Saturday night. We’re nearly there now, so I don’t need to be doing too much in here [the ring].”

On if we can expect power and explosiveness from his hands 

“Yes. I think the record speaks for itself. I think we’re going to get that from both guys and I think that’s why we’re going to steal the show.” 

Abdullah Mason 

On how he feels following in the footsteps of Mark Crawford 

“It feels amazing. Right now, we’re just floating. We come from Cleveland and we’ll be bringing those titles back to Cleveland, Ohio. We are having fun with it and I can’t wait until Saturday.”

On what the show of athleticism was all about in the ring

“I was just having a little bit of fun. Every time I step inside the ring I do that – it’s where I have fun.”

Mohammed Alakel 

On why what he showed today is different

“I have more experience, more rounds sparring. I’m looking forward to putting on a good show.”

On what else he wants to prove

“That there’s talented boxers here in Saudi Arabia and with more than two days to go, I’m going to show that.”

On how the experience was in Big Bear

“It was good. It was hard work and I am enjoying it.” 

ENDS 

About Riyadh Season

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. Most recently, Riyadh Season 2024 reached a major milestone after the number of visitors for the year exceeded 20 million for the first time.

Riyadh Season has hosted a number of memorable boxing showdowns including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st Century between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, two undisputed light heavyweight title clashes between Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol, Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois in front of a record crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium and September’s blockbuster showdown between pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez and undefeated superstar Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.

About The Ring Magazine

Since its inception in 1922, The Ring Magazine has been the cornerstone of boxing journalism, earning it the title as ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Today, The Ring is more than just a magazine – it’s a growing multimedia empire poised to redefine how the world experiences boxing and combat sports. The Ring is not just chronicling the history of boxing; it’s actively shaping its future. Whether through its digital platforms, community events, or innovative partnerships. The Ring is committed to making the sport more accessible, exciting and engaging for a global audience.

ABOUT DAZN
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, streams over 110,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.? DAZN is the global home of European football, women’s football, boxing, and MMA, as well as the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more, including FIFA Club World Cup 2025. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.? DAZN is a global, privately owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 4,000 employees. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit? www.dazngroup.com.? 

This week, the boxing world spotlight will be on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this Saturday (November 22) for an action-packed matchup in Ring IV: Night of the Champions as David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) steps into the ring to defend his WBC Light Heavyweight Title against Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs). Headlining the co-main event, Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC) will put his WBO Welterweight Title on the line versus former undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs). The loaded pay-per-view card gets underway at ANB Arena and features four 12-round world title fights in different divisions. 

Also squaring up on Saturday, Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) and Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) are set to go head-to-head for the vacant WBO lightweight title. Mason, the WBO No. 2 ranked fighter, is seeking a victory against the WBO lightweight division’s No. 1-ranked contender, Noakes.

To fully experience all of DAZN’s latest boxing action, fans can now take advantage of DAZN Ultimate, an all-new comprehensive plan that delivers major boxing events through one simple subscription. Launched earlier this month, DAZN, the world’s leading sports and entertainment platform and the global home of boxing, has developed a plan providing boxing and sports fans alike access to 185+ fight nights and a minimum of 12 pay-per-views (PPV) per year. With more choice in how they buy and watch world-class events, fans have the option to opt for a per-month or up-front annual subscription. DAZN Ultimate gives fans access to the most comprehensive lineup of live boxing, including pay-per-view fights, year-round fight nights, an unrivaled archive of classic bouts, and behind-the-scenes content — in a single plan at an affordable price. 

Kicking off in the New Year, boxing fans can look forward to the return of The Magnificent 7 series. In honor of Frank Warren’s 45 years as a licensed British boxing promoter, the card is headlined by a heavyweight showdown between Moses Itauma and Jermain Franklin and arrives at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on Saturday January 24, live and exclusive on DAZN.

NEWS & SOCIAL

• “That was the worst… so it can only get better than that” Devin Haney reflects on his fight with Ryan Garcia
• Who is the best fighter on this Ring IV card?
• Introducing the DAZN Ultimate Plan. 185+ fight nights. 12+ pay-per-view events. All in one subscription. 
• Yarde confident of becoming world champ
• “Can I beat that? Let’s go find out” Brian Norman Jr gives Haney his flowers
• ??????? ????????? Some stars from the States are in action on Saturday night
• The Magnificent 7 make their return on a blockbuster card in Manchester 
• @realdevinhaney reacts to Conor Benn calling him out after the win against Eubank Jr…
• Haney names his top 5 pound for pound! 
• Haney and Norman showed some respect during the @InsideRingShow, will they do the same in the ring on Nov 22?

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, November 18, 2025 – Ahead of boxing’s return to Riyadh this weekend for the star-studded four 12-round fight card, “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions”, David Benavidez and challenger, Anthony Yarde, along with Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr., and other fighters on the card, made their grand arrivals today at Boulevard City in Saudi Arabia’s capital ahead of fight night at ANB Arena as part of Riyadh Season. The main event takes place on Saturday, November 22, live worldwide exclusively on DAZN PPV with main event ringwalks taking place at 9 p.m. ET. 

Tuesday’s grand arrivals was headlined by the four fighters from the double-main event: Ring Magazine’s no. 2-ranked David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) and Ring Magazine’s no. 4-ranked Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) as the former looks to defend his WBC Light Heavyweight Title. In the second half of the co-main event, Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) will put his WBO Welterweight Title on the line against former Undisputed Lightweight Champion and Former WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs). 

Additionally, no. 9-ranked fighter Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) made their grand arrivals before their lightweight clash for the vacant WBO Lightweight Title, while reigning and defending Ring Magazine champion and Unified WBC and WBO Super Flyweight Champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) and Ring Magazine’s no. 1-ranked Fernando Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) also arrived ahead of their Super Flyweight contest for the WBA, WBC, WBO, & Ring Magazine Titles. 

Encompassing Saturday night’s undercard, Vito Mielnicki Jr. (21-1, 12 KOs) and Samuel Nmomah (21-0, 5 KOs) made their entrances before a 10-round bout for the WBO Global and Vacant WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Championships. Additional undercard fights include: a 4-round Bantamweight contest between Barker Ssewanyana (1-1) and Juan Pérez Guerito who is making his professional debut; a 4-round Super Featherweight contest between Umesh Chavan (3-1) and Sultan Almohammed (1-0); a 6-round Super Featherweight featuring Jiaming Li (7-5, 4 KOs) and Mohammed Alakel (6-0, 1 KO), and a 6-round Super Middleweight fight pitting Pius Mpenda (11-4, 5 KOs) against Julio Porras Ruiz (13-0, 9 KOs). 

Here is what the fighters had to say during their grand arrivals: 

David Benavidez 

On his impression being the defending champ and ready to fight in Riyadh 

“I feel really good…really blessed. I’m really happy to be here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m happy to be able to perform in front of the beautiful people of Riyadh this Saturday. I have trained extremely hard for this fight. I’m very motivated, very excited, and I’m going to give everyone a great fight this Saturday night.”

On the type of explosiveness we can expect on Saturday night

“I have a lot to prove not only in this fight on Saturday night, but going forward for the rest of my career, too. I want to make a statement that I’m the best in the world and I want to be the greatest of my generation by the time I’m done. It starts with Anthony Yarde. I know he’s [Yarde] come in focused and prepared, but I’m ready to make it a war and I’m not leaving without a victory.”

On the long road that has led him here 

“It’s been a long, long time. I’m coming up on 13 years pro, I’ve been boxing 25 years and I started when I was three years old. We knew eventually we’d be here at this moment, kept working extremely hard every year, and now we’re here.”

On how he feels and acclimatizing

“I feel good. I changed my sleeping schedule. I’m going to sleep at 7 or 8 a.m., so I feel like I should be good. This is why we’re World Champions, we have to adapt to anything that comes our way.”

On how his weight cut has been going

“This is probably the easiest weight cut I’ve had. I have three pounds left to lose. Right now I’m at 178 lbs, but it’s been the easiest weight cut of my career. It’s been one of the best camps of my career. I know Anthony Yarde is coming in really prepared, so I’m prepared as well.” 

On the critics saying how power hasn’t carried over to the light heavyweight

“I know that’s not true. What I’ve done in this camp is gone back to the basics using footwork, using distance, using head movement. We’re not going to set up traps. These are bigger guys. So, me walking them down is not going to work like I did at 168 lbs. But for me, I know for a fact I can hurt these guys. Now I need to follow the game plan and work behind the jab, but I see opportunities of me hurting Anthony Yarde and I just have to follow the game plan.” 

On if he think’s he going to get the knockout 

“I’m not really too worried about the knockout, but what I will say is that I will dominate like I do in every fight. Like I said, I’m going to follow my game plan but I see a lot of opportunities hurting Anthony Yarde so I just have to follow that and when I see the opportunities, go for it.” 

On if his goal is to bully his way into becoming the face of Mexican boxing and boxing as a whole

“That’s exactly the plan. I know the only way of doing that is getting the hard fights and I’m not shying away from them. I want [Artur] Beterbiev, I want [Dmitry] Bivol, I want [Gilberto] Ramirez, and maybe Jai Opetaia in the future. This is the only way to make a name for myself and that’s the only way to take those dates. I want to be the person that takes all the fights that the fans want to see. And this is exactly what we’re going to do.” 

On if he is content staying at light heavyweight

“My main thing that I want to do is make the biggest fights happen so if there’s an opportunity that presents itself in the next fight, I’m going to take it.” 

Anthony Yarde 

On how he feels on this opportunity fighting for a title 

“I feel fantastic. Glad to be here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m very happy.”

On what he goes through mentally taking on David Benavidez

“Mentally, I’ve already won. Coming from where I was and getting to this stage for the third time and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I feel like I’ve already won. There’s no pressure on me. I’m an excellent fighter and with a bit more experience I can be the best in the division. I’m excited.”

Devin Haney 

On why he took the challenge in Riyadh 

“For this opportunity, for me to be champion again. For me to be here in Riyadh…this is a dream come true. I want to fight the best fighters in the world, and Brian Norman Jr. is the champion and I’m the challenger. This is not the first time for me, and this is not the second time for me. This will be my third time fighting a champion and I look forward to it.”

On his current weight (147 lbs) and if there will be a difference in his performance 

“I look how I feel. Nice and healthy. I think the world will see much more of my natural and best self – what I am when I’m sparring. I feel as though I’ve been depleting myself most of my fights and hurting myself, making weight and leaving it all in the gym. It will show on November 22.”

On Brian Norman Jr.’s experience at 147 lbs and how he’ll deal with it 

“He’s a hard puncher and a good fighter. I have nothing but respect for him and his team and I thank them for the opportunity. I look to go in the ring and be victorious. The world will see how I do it but you have to tune in on November 22.”

Brian Norman Jr. 

On the words he had for Devin Haney

“We’re about that action boss. Come Saturday, we’re on that.”

On how this experience in Riyadh has been for him 

“This is what I’m accustomed to and this is who I am. I’m the real definition of a World Champion. I’ll go anywhere and everywhere and I will stamp my flag. My name is ‘the assassin’ for a reason. Once I sign the contract it’s like that.”  

On the video he made Saturday and the promise he made to Devin Haney

“Knock him out. Most definitely, I’m not trying to go 12 rounds. I don’t trust no judges at all. God gave me the power to judge myself so I’m going to go out there and use it.”

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 

On his “Texas Massacre” shirt and if that’s a precursor for what will happen on Saturday night

“Tune in on DAZN Saturday night and you’ll see.”

On Fernando Martinez talking about his legacy and what it means to him 

“It is what it is. He [Martinez] can feel however he wants to feel, but I’m here to handle business myself and go home and enjoy my win.”

On how this experience is different fighting in Riyadh compared to San Antonio 

“It’s been a little bit different just because of the time and schedule change, but I’m a fighter so I adjust to anything, that’s just the person I am. So, on November 22nd I’ll be ready for whatever they bring to the table.”

On if he’s getting tacos after the weigh in 

“Maybe not tacos, but when I get back home to San Antonio I’ll have all the tacos I want.” 

Fernando Martinez 

On what was going through his head during his arrival

“I always do that pose because I have two tattoos on my arms: one represents my mother and the other my father who is no longer with us…he hasn’t been with us for ten years. I always do that pose to pay respect to them.”

On what it means coming from a long line of Argentinian fighters 

“[Pointing to his shirt] You can see the names of the fighters on my shirt – these are Argentina’s favorite champions. I want to be one of them and be able to write my name in golden letters, be well-respected and make history in Argentina.”

Sam Noakes 

On how it feels fighting for a vacant title

“It’s good. I’m happy to be out here fighting for a world title and what a place to be doing it.” 

On how it feels to be part of Saturday night’s card 

“I’m absolutely buzzing for it [his fight]. I can’t wait to get in there on Saturday.” 

On what we can expect from him on Saturday night

“Fireworks. You’ll have to tune in and watch.”

Abdullah Mason 

On how this experience in Riyadh has been for him

“It’s been amazing, it feels similar to my professional debut. It’s a little different for me to be out here, but we are locked in and we’ve been locked in since we got here. We have business ahead of us and we are going to handle business.” 

How do you think these factors are going to be working in your favor on Saturday night

“It comes down to the preparation and I feel like I prepared really well. Saturday night we’re going to have a lot of fun and I appreciate everyone that has come out to watch me and everyone that’s tuning in. It’s an amazing card and I can’t wait.”

Mohammed Alakel 

On how it feels to be back in Riyadh after his last fight in the US

“It’s good to be back fighting in Saudi Arabia…it’s one of my favorite places. I hope I can put on a good performance.”

On how it was working with trainer Abel Sanchez 

“It’s been hard work, but hopefully I can show that it’s paid off come Saturday night.”

On what we can expect between now and Saturday night

“I’ve learned a lot. 10-rounds in my last fight, so I’ll show him what I’ve learned.”

ENDS 

About Riyadh Season

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events. Most recently, Riyadh Season 2024 reached a major milestone after the number of visitors for the year exceeded 20 million for the first time.

Riyadh Season has hosted a number of memorable boxing showdowns including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st Century between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, two undisputed light heavyweight title clashes between Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol, Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois in front of a record crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium and September’s blockbuster showdown between pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez and undefeated superstar Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.

About The Ring Magazine

Since its inception in 1922, The Ring Magazine has been the cornerstone of boxing journalism, earning it the title as ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Today, The Ring is more than just a magazine – it’s a growing multimedia empire poised to redefine how the world experiences boxing and combat sports. The Ring is not just chronicling the history of boxing; it’s actively shaping its future. Whether through its digital platforms, community events, or innovative partnerships. The Ring is committed to making the sport more accessible, exciting and engaging for a global audience.

ABOUT DAZN
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, streams over 110,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.? DAZN is the global home of European football, women’s football, boxing, and MMA, as well as the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more, including FIFA Club World Cup 2025. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.? DAZN is a global, privately owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 4,000 employees. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit? www.dazngroup.com.? 

In a bout that made their world champion father’s proud, Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn carried on their legacy just fine with Eubank pounding out a 12-round unanimous decision in a middleweight bout in front over 67,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

In round three, Benn landed a hard right hand the momentarily buckled Eubank. Benn came out full of energy while Eubank chose to box mostly from the outside for much of the first half of the fight.

In round eight, the fight broke out as the two stood toe-to-toe and both landed some hard shots on the inside which was much to the delight of the 67,000 fans in attendance. In round nine, Eubank was cut around the right eye. The cut was caused by a clash of heads. Benn and Eubank wailed away on each other in some more great action in round 10. In round 12, Eubank and Benn engaged in furious exchanges with Eubank landing some big shots including a left hook that rocked Benn on the ropes.

Eubank landed 367 of 912 punches. Benn was 215 of 583.

Eubank, 160.1 lbs won by scores 116-112 on all cards of and is now 35-3. Benn is now 23-1.

The fight was a grudge match on the heels of their father’s Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn fight that took place in 1990.

Anthony Yarde Rallies to Decision Lyndon Arthur in Trilogy

In a battle of veteran light heavyweight, Anthony Yarde dominated the second half of his 12-round light heavyweight bout to win a unanimous decision over Lyndon Arthur.

The fight was the third in their trilogy, which now has Yarde winning the last two of the three fights.

Yarde, 174.6 lbs of East London won by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 twice and is now 27-3. Arthur, 174.6 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 24-3.

Aaron McKenna; Dominates and Decisions Liam Smith

Aaron McKenna announced himself on the world stage as he scored a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Liam Smith in a middleweight bout.

For 11 rounds, McKenna beat up and battered Smith by working behind a long jab. In round 12, McKenna dropped Smith with a left to the body.

McKenna landed 292 of 794 punches, while Smith was 88 of 520.

McKenna, 159.7 lbs of Monahan, IRE won by scores of 119-108, 117-109 and 118-108 and is now 20-0. Smith, 160 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 33-5-1.

Viddal Riley Decisions Chev Clarke

Viddal Riley won a 12-round unanimous decision over Chev Clarke in a cruiserweight bout.

Riley landed 147 of 617 punches. Clarke was 108 of 546.

Riley, 199.5 lbs of Tottenham, London, ENG won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113. and is now 13-0. Clarke, 199.7 lbs of Kent, ENG is 10-2.

Billiam-Smith Decisions Glanton

In a physical grueling fight, former world champion Chris Billiam-Smith pounded out a 12-round unanimous decision over Brandon Glanton in a cruiserweight bout.

Billiam-Smith landed 195 of 667 punches. Glanton was 177 of 560.

Billiam-Smith, 199 lbs of Bournmoth, ENG won by scores of 116-112 twice and 116-113 and is now 21-2. Glanton, 199.5 lbs of Atlanta is 20-3.

LONDON, UK (October 3, 2024) – WBO #1 ranked Light heavyweight superstar Anthony Yarde returns to the ring as part of BOXXER’s High Voltage fight night on Saturday, October 19th at the Copper Box Arena in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and on Peacock in the USA. Yarde’s highly anticipated ring return is brought to you in partnership with BOXXER and AY Promotions.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

The former two-time world title challenger will provide chief support for the explosive super lightweight contest between fast-rising star Adam Azim and Ohara Davies.

Yarde went toe-to-toe with unbeaten light heavyweight champion Artur Berterbiev in the back and forth, fight of the year for the WBC, IBF and WBO World Titles in January 2023 at Wembley Arena.

The Hackney-boxer has since claimed explosive stoppage wins over Jorge Silva and Marko Nikolic and his highly anticipated ring return will be at the Copper Box Arena as he looks to move back into major title contention.

Anthony Yarde said: “On October 19th, I’m back in my home city and I can’t wait. Everything about it – the occasion, the journey, the arena, the whole event – I’m very excited. The Copper Box Arena is a special venue for me. It’s near where I grew up and I’ve had some great nights there. I’ve been training hard and waiting to get back in the ring to deliver another explosive knockout performance.”

BOXXER CEO and Founder Ben Shalom said: “We are excited to introduce the electrifying talent of Anthony Yarde to our High Voltage fight night on Saturday, October 19th. It’s a huge addition to an already stacked fight card. Fans can look forward to an incredible atmosphere and an action-packed night of boxing at the Copper Box Arena in London.”

Fights fans can expect a highly charged atmosphere when British super lightweight rivals Adam Azim and Ohara Davies go toe-to-toe on Saturday, October 19th at the Copper Box Arena, presented by BOXXER, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

Dan Azeez faces unbeaten rival Lewis Edmondson in a crunch light heavyweight clash, Michael McKinson takes on South Africa’s Tulani Mbenge for the vacant IBO World Welterweight Title, Jeamie TKV and Franklin Ignatius reignite their amateur rivalry in a hotly anticipated heavyweight showdown, and rising bantamweight star Francesca Hennessy returns to action.

Tickets, starting from £35, are on sale now via BOXXER.com

This event is presented in association with official partners HELL Energy, Car Finance 247 and That Prize Guy.

Hamzah Sheeraz announced himself as a legitimate middleweight contender as he destroyed former world title challenger Liam Williams in the opening round of their 12-round fight at The Copper Box Arena in London.

In the opening seconds of the contest, Sheeraz dropped Williams with a left hook. Williams continued to get rocked and then ate a huge right uppercut that put him on the deck for a second time. Sheeraz continued to batter Williams until the corner that was run by former world title challenger Gary Lockett threw in the towel and the fight was over at 2:36

Sheeraz, 159.4 lbs of ilford, ENG is 19-0 with 15 knockouts. Williams, 159 lbs of Wales is 25-5-1.

Former two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde stopped Marko Nikolic in round three of their 10-round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Yarde landed a right hand that put Nikolic on the canvas.. Then it was a left hook to the body that put Nikolic on a knee. In round three, Yarde sent Nikolic to the canvas again with a body shot and the fight was stopped at 1:15.

Yarde, 177.7 lbs of Milford, ENG is now 25-3 with 24 knockouts. Nikolic, 179 lbs of Belgrade, SRB is now 32-4.

Sam Noakes kept his perfect knockout record intact with a fourth round stoppage over Lewis Sylvester in a scheduled 12-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Noakes dropped Sylvester with a left hook to the body. Noakes was relentless in dropping him again with a right to the body. In round four, Noakes landed several hard rights to the head and another right to the body put Sylvester down again and the fight was stopped when the towel was thrown in at 2:10

Noakes, 134.3 lbs of Kent, ENG is 13-0 with 13 knockouts. Sylvester, 133.6 lbs of Hull, ENG is 13-1.

Masood Abdullah stopped Qais Ashfaq in round five of their 10-round super featherweight bout.

In round five, Abdullah dropped Ashfaq with an uppercut. Seconds later, Abdullah dropped Ashfaq with a right hook. With the end near, Abdullah went in and dropped Ashfaq for a tried time just as the corner was throwing in the towel at 2:02

Abdullah, 125.7 lbs of London is 10-0 with seven knockouts. Ashfaq, 134 lbs of Yorkshire is 12-3.

Umar Khan remained undefeated with a third-round stoppage over Maicol Velazco in a six-round featherweight bout.

Khan battered Velazco until the fight was stopped ay

Khan, 128 lbs of Elord, ENG is 9-0 with one knockout. Velazco, 129.2 lbs of Italy via Colombia is 10-15.

Billy Adams won a four-round decision over Engel Gomez in a lightweight bout.

Adams, 132 lbs of England won by a 40-36 score and is now 2-0. Gomez, 133 lbs of Slovakia via Nicaragua is 8-24-2.

6’7″ cruiserweight Tommy Fletcher stopped Alvaro Terrero in round three of their eight-round bout.

Fletcher badly bloodied the nose of Terrero and the fight was stopped at 1:20 of round three.

Fltecher, 202.5 lbs of Norfolk, ENG is 7-0 with six knockouts. Terrero, 204.13 lbs of Spain is 5-20-2.

Zhilei Zhang scored a third round stoppage over Joe Joyce to retain his interim WBO Heavyweight Title at Wembley Arena in London, England.

Zhang dominated the action and at the end of round three, landed a booming right hook on the jaw that put Joyce on the canvas face-first. Joyce got to his feet, but the fight was waved off at 3:07.

Zhang of China is now 26-1-1 with 21 knockouts. Joyce of London is 15-2.

The fight was a rematch of a Zhang stoppage from April.

Former two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde stopped very late replacement Jorge Silva in round two of their light heavyweight fight.

In round two, Yarde landed a right hand that dumped Silva in the corner and the fight was stopped at 2:07.

Yarde, 177.9 lbs of Essex, ENG is now 24-3 with 23 knockouts. Silva, 178 lbs of Portugal is 22-9.

Ezra Taylor scored a eighth and final round stoppage over Joel Mcintyre in a light heavyweight bout.

Taylor dominated the bout and then opened up a big flurry in the corner and got the last second stoppage at 2:59.

Taylor, 176 lbs of Nottingham, ENG is 7=0 with five knockouts. Mcintyre, 178 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 20-8.

Tommy Fletcher dropped Alberto Tapia five times en-route to a fourth-round stoppage in a scheduled six-round cruiserweight bout.

In round one, Fletcher dropped Tapia with a hard straight left to the body. At the end of the round, Fletcher landed an uppercut that put Tapia on his knee. In round two, Fletcher landed a left on the inside that put Tapia down once again. Later in the round Fletcher scored a fourth knockdown with a left to the body. In round three, Fletcher dumped Tapia yet again with a left to the body.

In round four, Fletcher landed a flurry that included a hard right hook to the head and a straight left that forced the corner to throw in the towel at 1:28.

Fletcher, 198.2 lbs of Norfolk, ENG is 6-0 with five knockouts. Tapia, 197.5 lbs of Spain is 3-5.

Sean Noakes remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Lukasz Barabasz in a junior middleweight bout.

Noakes won by a 59-55 score and is now 6-0. Barabasz is now 2-9.

LONDON (Sept. 21, 2023) –Top Rank on ESPN+ returns to London this Saturday with a special two-fight broadcast from OVO Arena Wembley.

In the main event, Chinese contender Zhilei Zhang defends his WBO interim heavyweight title in a highly anticipated rematch against British knockout artist Joe Joyce.

The co-feature will see former two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde taking on Portugal’s Jorge Silva in a 10-rounder.

Promoted by Queensberry, Zhang-Joyce II and Yarde-Silva  will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) captured an Olympic silver medal for his home country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before turning pro in 2014. He compiled a 24-0-1 record before losing a controversial decision to Filip Hrgovic last August. Less than eight months later, he faced Joyce for the first time, peppering the Brit with lefts until the ringside physician stopped the fight in round six due to the swelling engulfing Joyce’s right eye. Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs), a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, hopes to exact revenge in his hometown. Before the first Zhang fight, “The Juggernaut” stopped top contenders Carlos Takam, Daniel Dubois, and Joseph Parker during a five-fight knockout streak.

Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) is a London native who debuted as a pro in May 2015. He went 18-0 before almost knocking out Sergey Kovalev for the WBO title in August 2019. He bounced back with two TKO wins before suffering a split decision defeat to Lyndon Arthur in December 2020. Yarde then notched three more wins, including a fourth-round knockout over Arthur in their December 2021 rematch. Yarde is coming off a valiant but unsuccessful effort against light heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev in January. Silva (22-8, 12 KOs) is a 19-year pro coming off a decision win over Jack Jones in June.

ANTHONY YARDE HITS the comeback trail towards his next world title challenge on 23 September with an all-British clash against Ricky Summers at the OVO Arena, Wembley on the big Zhilei Zhang-Joe Joyce rematch card, live on TNT Sports.

Tickets to see the heavyweight clash between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, are on sale now available from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

Yarde, the self-styled Beast from the East, won the admiration of the boxing public back in January when he gave unified world light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev his toughest fight to date before being retired by his own corner in the eighth round in front of a packed and enthralled crowd at the same Wembley venue.

For Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) it represented a second world title challenge after previously going up against the formidable Sergey Kovalev in the then champion’s home town back in 2019.

Summers (19-3-1, 6), from Staffordshire, was most recently in big fight action in March when he defeated Joel McIntyre to win the English light heavyweight title. It was his second tilt at the English belt, having dropped a split decision against the current British and European champion Dan Azeez in April 2021.

Also featuring on the Wembley card, headlined by The Big Bang seeking to once again knock The Juggernaut off course, is WBC International Silver and Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes (11-0, 11) defending his titles, along with WBC International super lightweight champion Pierce O’Leary (12-0,7) making a second defence of his belt.

Also in the light heavyweights, the undefeated and flamboyant Nottingham stylist Ezra Taylor (6-0, 4) takes a significant step up when he faces Portsmouth man Joel McIntyre (20-7, 5) over eight rounds.

Former two-time European Amateur champion Royston Barney-Smith will have fight No.7 on his professional journey over six rounds.

Powerhouse cruiserweights and social media enemies Tommy Fletcher (5-0, 4) and Aloys Jr (4-1, 4) will brew their growing rivalry by both fighting in six-round fights to complete the card.

“I am delighted to be getting Anthony Yarde back in business following his January exploits against Artur Beterbiev,” said promoter Frank Warren. “He wants to be and we want him to be in a major fight again before the end of the year so a tough domestic opponent like Ricky Summers is the perfect test in order to bring Anthony back to his best.

“While Ricky will be an obvious outsider, we all know he will give his absolute all and make it as uncomfortable as possible for the favourite.

“A huge heavyweight showdown like Zhilei Zhang v Joe Joyce deserves a compelling undercard and that is what the fans will be getting on 23 September, live on TNT Sports.

“In Sam Noakes and Pierce O’Leary you will see two of the most exciting young fighters in the country and we also have the charismatic future light heavyweight star Ezra Taylor in a tough one against the experienced Joel McIntyre.

“The elite young super featherweight Royston Barney-Smith is also back on parade alongside our two explosive cruiserweight hopes in Tommy Fletcher and Aloys Jr.”

Tickets to see the heavyweight clash between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, are on sale now available from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

Follow all the action as Artur Beterbiev defends tha IBF?WBC/WBO Light Heavyweight titles against Anthony Yarde in London.  The action kicks of at 2:30 with an undercard that will feature The WBA Flyweight Title between Artem Dalakian and David Jimenez

The PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Left from Yarde..Left and right…1-2 from Beterbiev..Right..Left hook..
ROUND 2 Action heating up…Jab from Beterbiev..

ROUND 3 Right from Yarde..Right to body from Beterbiev..Hard left

ROUND 4 Right shakes Yarde..Another right..Hard right..Right from Yarde…Trading hard shots…

ROUND 5 Jab from Beterbiev..Right to body from Yarde..Jab from Beterbiev…Body shot from..Counter left from Yarde…Big Right..Looping left…Huge flurry from Beterbiev at the bell…Yarde cut under his right eye

ROUND 6 Right from Beterbiev..Jab from Yarde…Beterbiev cut over right eye

ROUND 7 Body shots from Yarde…left and right to the body…Right…Jab…Short left from Beterbiev…Right from Yardesends Beterbiev to the ropes..2 uppercuts, right and body from Beterbiev..Body shot from Yarde..Uppercut..body shot from Beterbiev..

ROUND 8 Right from Yarde…Jab from Beterbiev...HIGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES YARDE…HE IS HURT BAD…BIG RIGHT AND THE CORNER OF YARDE STOPS THE FIGHT

Round 1 Right from Maderna..Left from Itauma...Right from Maderna...Redness on nose of Itauma..
Round 2 Nice left from Itauma…Right..Left from Maderna..Right..
Round 3 Looping left hook from Maderna,,,Short left..Nice left uppercut from Itauma,,left hook to body from Maderna,,Itauma working on the inside.
Round 4 Right from Maderna..Counter right and overhand left from Itauma..Right from Maderna…Right wobbles Itauma
Round 5…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ITAUMA AND HE DOES NOT GET UP

Round 1: Left hook from Dalakian…

ROUND 2: Right to body from Jimenez..

ROUND 3 Nice right from Dalakian

ROUND 4 Left hook from Dalakina…

ROUND 5   Jimenez Pressuring..Jimenez cut over his right eye

ROUND 6 Dalakian lands a right

ROUND 7 Over hand right from Jimenez..Nice right

ROUND 8 Nice left from Jimenez…Jab..

Round 9 Right hand and uppercut from Jimenez…

ROUND 10 Right from Dalakian…Jab from Jimenez…Good body shot from Dalakian..Right from Jimenez..Left hook…Body work..

ROUND 11 Jimenez lands a body shot,.

Round 12 Good right from Jimenez…Good uppercut from Dalakian..

115-113 TWICE AND 116-112 FOR DALAKIAN

Round 1  2 PunCHES AND DOWN GOES BODE…THER FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1: Jabs from Fletcher
Round 2 Left from Fletcher..Body shot from Fletcher…
Round 3 Hard left from Fletcher…Left to body…
Round 4 Left from Fletcher…
Round 5 2 Lefts

60-54 FLETCHER

IBF, WBC & WBO Light-Heavyweight Championship
12 x 3 Minute Rounds @175lbs
Artur Beterbiev 12 stone 6 pounds 8 ounces
Anthony Yarde 12 stone 6 pounds  4 ounces
 
WBA Flyweight Championship
12 x 3 Minute Rounds @112lbs
Artem Dalakian 7 stone 13 pounds 10 oz
David Jimenez 7 stone 13 pounds 2 oz
 
Vacant WBC International Light-Heavyweight contest
10 x 3 Minute Rounds @ 175lbs
Karol Itauma 12 stone 6 pounds 2oz
Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna 12 stone 6 pounds 11 oz
 
4 x 3-minute rounds International Heavyweight contest
Moses Itauma 17 stone 12 pounds
Marcel Bode 15 stone 10 pounds
 
6 x 3-minute rounds International Featherweight contest
Umar Khan 9 stone 1 pound
Sandeep Singh Bhatti 8 stone 13 pounds 4 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds International Super-Featherweight contest
Charles Frankham 9 stone 6 pounds 6 ounces 
Joshua Ocampo 9 stone 2 pounds 2 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds welterweight contest
Joshua Frankham 11 stone 8 ounces
Joe Hardy 11 stone 1 pound 5 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds International welterweight contest
Sean Noakes 10 stone 6 pounds 4 ounces
Santiago Garces 10 stone 4 pounds 2 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds International Super-welterweight contest
Khalid Ali 10 stone 13 pounds
Ivica Gogosevic 10 stone 10 pounds 10 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds International Featherweight contest
Masood Abdullah 9 stone 6 pounds
Lesther Lara 9 stone 6 pounds 10 ounces
 
6 x 3-minute rounds Cruiserweight contest
Tommy Fletcher 14 stone 3 pounds 6 ounces
Darryl Sharp 13 stone 6 pounds 8 ounces

UNIFIED WORLD LIGHT heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and his challenger Anthony Yarde met the media for the final time today ahead of their highly-anticipated showdown at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday.

Yarde and Beterbiev were joined by their Hall of Fame promoters – Frank Warren and Bob Arum – and a selection of key quotes from the event are below.

Photos from today press conference can be downloaded here.

Photos from yesterday’s media workout can be downloaded here.

Frank Warren
“38 years ago this month we (Bob Arum) did Don Curry v Colin Jones in Birmingham and that was the first world title fight we did together. Look at this, 38 years later, we are delivering between us a fight between two big punching fighters who can box as well and this is going to be something really special. We welcome Artur and his team coming over to defend his titles and I just feel we are in for something extremely special on the night. As a boxing fan, I can’t wait to see it. It is going to be a real bust-up.

“Anthony was brought to my attention by Tunde, a friend of long years, as an amateur and he was setting the scene alight. I liked what I saw and, when I met him, I thought he was an extremely nice young man. He’s worked very hard to get where he has considering the experience he had. He doesn’t shy away from anything, any fights we’ve wanted to make, he doesn’t care who it is. He didn’t shy away when we made the first world title fight for him against Kovalev in Russia and it was a fight he should have truly won. It tells you a lot about him that he was prepared to go there to the other guy’s backyard. He went out there and it was brilliant how he performed, he was so close to winning that title.

“I think he learned a lot from that, I think the whole team learned a lot from that fight and I genuinely believe he has the tools to create what the bookmakers will say will be an upset. He’s got the composure, he can box, he’s got fast movement and, more importantly, he can punch. I think he can match Artur in the punching department. Artur has the best record of any champion in the world at the moment.

“So I think it will be an outstanding fight and I really thank Bob, along with Top Rank and team, for helping to make this happen and get this fight in this country.”

Bob Arum
“I am feeling pretty good. There are fighters today who are known for their power. The two heavyweights particularly, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, the lighter weight guys like Inoue and Terence Crawford, but I think pound-for-pound the biggest puncher in boxing today is the guy on my right. He has knocked out every opponent who has been put in front of him, not because he is not a good boxer, because he is, but he also has that magic that you can’t really train a fighter for. It is instinctive, the ability to punch and knock out an opponent.

“So I am very happy to be here. I know Anthony Yarde, I’ve followed him and he is a terrific fighter, also with a big punch. This should be a very, very exciting kind of fight. How the fight plays out a lot depends on Anthony, if he is going to go out and fight Artur like Joe Smith did, the fight will end early. If he boxes a bit with Artur the fight will end in the middle to late rounds.

“With all due respect to Yarde, Artur I believe will emerge the winner. It is no problem coming here, I have been around this game a long time and the big test for me was when Artur fought Smith because we did that fight in New York where Smith has a tremendous following. They cheered and they yelled and they screamed and what did that do? It incentivised Smith to take the fight to Artur. That was a big mistake because he knocked out Smith in two rounds.

“Hopefully Yarde will be excited by his fans, will go after Beterbiev and the fight will be over in a few rounds rather than more.”

Anthony Yarde
“I am excited. It is a good feeling, it is part of my journey and I am happy to be here. Everyone knows what kind of character I am, I am very calm and I jump at opportunities. Sometimes you go through things on your journey to strengthen you and you go through certain things on your journey to prepare you as well. That is what I keep saying, I am so excited.

“For my first world title fight I was very green, I was 18 fights in and a big novice in the sport. I just had something and it was heart. I went out to Russia, it was a very different experience and a lot of things happened leading up to the fight, but I’ve got the mentality of once you get in the ring, you will see.

“It doesn’t matter now, my preparation is different now and I have learned since then as well. I am a different type of fighter with different life experiences. I am ready for Saturday.

“I feel like I am always smiling. I am happy to be alive, happy to be at this stage of my life as well. Being an underdog, overdog or middle dog don’t matter to me. I am a dog. When I get in that ring and start throwing my hands about, everyone knows what I can be like. If being an underdog does anything to me it is to give me that little push, that little urge.

“He has done a lot in the sport and that is why he should be respected. When we get in the ring there is no respect and you try and take the respect away from your opponent.”

Artur Beterbiev
“I feel good. I hope on January 28 I will change a little bit (to turn into a monster). I said he looks like a bodybuilder because of his muscles. I don’t have this muscle and I didn’t say it to mean anything bad. I said it because he looks strong!

“In our camp we always try to be ready for different scenarios. If it is a tough fight we are going to be ready,  we will be ready for whatever. I just try to do my best.”

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Beterbiev vs.Yarde will stream live this Saturday, Jan. 28, at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. The event takes place at OVO Arena Wembley in London, England.

WBC, WBO and IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs), will defend his belts against heavy-hitting British challenger Anthony Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs).  Beterbiev, boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, will be fighting professionally in the United Kingdom for the first time. Beterbiev ended his amateur career in London at the 2012 Olympic Games.

In addition to this action-packed championship, the undercard will feature Artem Dalakian (21-0,15 KOs) squaring off against David Jimenez (12-0, 9 KOs) in a riveting 12-rounder for the WBA Flyweight World Championship.

Calling the action will be Bernardo Osuna, Hall of Famer Andre Ward, and future Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley, Jr.

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• Out Wednesday by Nick Parkinson: Anthony Yarde has no fear of Artur Beterbiev
• Out Thursday by Tim Bradley: Breaking down the light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Anthony Yarde
• Out Friday by Mark Kriegel: Why Artur Beterbiev has the best streak going in boxing

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LONDON (Jan. 25, 2023) — King Artur is ready to light up London.

WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs), boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout rate, will battle England’s big-punching Anthony Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) on Saturday evening at OVO Arena Wembley. Beterbiev-Yarde and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT.

Beterbiev returns to London for the first time since he represented Russia at the 2012 Olympics. He lost a close decision to Oleksandr Usyk in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight bracket, which concluded his amateur career. Beterbiev has resided in Montreal for more than a decade and fought his first eight pro bouts in Canada. He captured the IBF title in 2017, claimed the WBC crown in 2019 with a thrilling knockout over Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and added the WBO strap last June with a second-round bludgeoning of Joe Smith Jr.

Yarde does not have Beterbiev’s amateur pedigree, but he holds a claim as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound fiercest punchers. He has won his last three bouts, including a 2021 fourth-round knockout over Lyndon Arthur, who toppled Yarde by split decision in 2020. Yarde fought for a world title once before, succumbing via an 11th-round knockout to Sergey Kovalev after nearly stopping Kovalev in the eighth round.

This is what the main event combatants had to say following Wednesday’s media workout.

Artur Beterbiev

“I had a good camp. I had good sparring. I will try to do my best.”

“My team and I always try to be ready for anything, any strategy.”

“I can’t compare {Yarde} to Joe Smith. It’s a different fight. Joe Smith had a belt at that time. It’s not comparable.”

On a potential Dmitry Bivol fight

“Right now, it’s Saturday night. I only think about Saturday night.”

Anthony Yarde

“If you look at what he’s accomplished so far, it’s amazing, and that’s what amps me up. So, again, I beat him, I deserve some respect.”

“I don’t look at what any other fighter has done {to him}. I don’t look at what he’s done to other fighters. Realistically, all you look at is style, but even that, you can’t take too much from. You only know once you step in there with a person, and you both shape up and you both start trading leather.”

“He’s never been in a situation where he’s lost. But for me, it’s all about me. That’s the way I am. That’s the way I operate. It’s about me and my legacy. He’s just the person with the belts.”

On the home crowd advantage

“I just feel like this one feels right. This one feels better. {The Sergey Kovalev fight} didn’t. All that matters is when we get in that ring. Everything that’s said before is all he said, she said possibilities and things like that. When we get in the ring, that’s when we’ll see.”

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Thursday, January 26

Main Event & Undercard Press Conference: Beterbiev vs. Yarde

8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT

• Live on ESPN+ and Top Rank’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages

Friday, January 27

 Live Weigh-In Show: Beterbiev vs. Yarde

9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT

• Live on ESPN+ and Top Rank’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages

Saturday, January 28

 ESPN+ (3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT)

Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde, 12 rounds, Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight World Titles
 
Moses Itauma vs. Marcel Bode, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Karol Itauma vs. Ezequiel Maderna, 10 rounds, Vacant WBC International Light Heavyweight Title

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ARTUR BETERBIEV OFFERED up a nonchalant response when questioned over his former amateur rival providing some words of advice to his forthcoming opponent Anthony Yarde ahead of the world light heavyweight title clash at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28.

British challenger Yarde was perched next to the unified heavyweight champion Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December while Tyson Fury was quashing the threat of his old rival Derek Chisora.

He claimed the Ukrainian gave him some tips on how to go about taking on the formidable Canadian-based Russian.

Beterbiev was edged out by Usyk at both the 2011 World Championship and the 2012 London Olympics.

“I don’t know,” said the 37-year-old Beterbiev with a chuckle when asked if a few pearls of wisdom from Usyk would help Yarde in his quest to part him from the WBC, WBO and IBF world title belts.

“If it helps him, then good for him. What can Usyk give him?”

It was suggested that Usyk could impart the benefit of experience from fighting him.

“And?” said a still smiling Beterbiev, who was a little bit more forthcoming when it came to explaining why, when he stepped up to light heavyweight, Canelo Alvarez opted to challenge Dmitrii Bivol for one world title belt, rather than himself for two, at the time.

“Why do you think? You need to ask Canelo, not me. How can I answer this one? If it was a fight that came to me I would take it, but I am not dreaming about this fight.”

Artur Beterbiev was speaking to Dev Sahni for the Unibet Lowdown. To watch the full interview, click HERE.

Artur Beterbiev v Anthony Yarde for the WBC, WBO and IBF world light heavyweight titles takes place at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport. The bumper card also features the WBA world flyweight title fight between unbeaten fighters Artem Dalakian v David Jiminez.

Willy Hutchinson and Karol Itauma fight for the WBO Intercontinental and WBC International light heavyweight titles respectively, with the show also featuring top prospects Charles Frankham, Umar Khan, Sean Noakes, Joshua Frankham, Khalid Ali and Tommy Fletcher.

The show also features the highly-anticipated professional debut of World Youth Champion Moses Itama.

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde are priced from £50 and are available from AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk.

WORLD YOUTH HEAVYWEIGHT champion Moses Itauma formally announced his professional debut today when he met the media ahead of his big night on 28 January at the OVO Arena, Wembley on the undercard of the unified world light heavyweight title showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Anthony Yarde.

Photos from today’s press conference can be downloaded here.
Images are free to use, please credit: Queensberry

Ituma, just turned 18, was confirmed as Queensberry’s future heavyweight force with the signing of a long-term promotional agreement in the wake of his World Championship triumph in November.

The younger brother of elite light heavyweight prospect Karol also won gold at the Schools, Juniors and Youth Europeans. Moses is a two-time National champion, a Multi-Nation BoxCup winner and was unbeaten in 24 fights as an amateur.

He will now see action for the first time in the professional ranks on the same card as his unbeaten sibling, who will fight for his first title on the show.

“It has been our dream since we were young so it will definitely be special,” said Itauma on the Wembley family affair. “It will be the best time of my life, really, me and my brother boxing on the same show. Especially with it being in London, which isn’t too far from where we live.”

“I came off Covid and not having any fights at all, to having the most fights I have ever had and now signing here makes it even better.

“I want to have around eight fights this year. I want to become the youngest ever world heavyweight champion and beat Mike Tyson’s record of 20 years, four months and 22 days.

“I’ve sparred with Lawrence Okolie, Joe Joyce, Anthony Joshua and everyone on the British scene. More often than not I have held my own.

“I am very confident in my ability and now I just want to see the difference between the pros and the amateurs. I want to be part of history and, when boxing is done for me, I want to be up there amongst the biggest names.

“The record is something I am chasing down, but I won’t be beating Mike Tyson’s record if I don’t win my pro debut.”

Tickets to see Moses Itauma make his pro debut on the undercard of Beterbiev vs Yarde are priced from £50 and are available from AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk.

Sitting alongside his younger brother at the BT Sport studios was the former Olympic Youth champion Karol, who will bid to win a first title in the professional ranks when he goes up against Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna from Argentina for the WBC International light heavyweight title at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28.

The classy 22-year-old will hit double figures as a pro in North West London, having built up a perfect 9-0 record to date, with seven of the wins coming via stoppage. He fought four times across 2022 and two of his fights took place on Tyson Fury undercards at Wembley Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Maderna, 28-10 (18 KOs), has kept good company in the ring over the course of his 14-year professional career. He is a four-time winner of the Argentinean super middleweight title and he made an unsuccessful challenge for the IBO world title in 2013, losing on points to Thomas Oosthuizen.

The now 36-year-old subsequently won the WBC Latino title in 2013 before taking on and suffering a fourth round stoppage against a then 9-0 Artur Beterbiev in Montreal in mid-2016.

In the same year he won the WBC Latino belt at light heavyweight by defeating Walter Gabriel
Sequeira before returning to super middle and making an unsuccessful challenge for the WBA Continental title in Moscow against Fedor Chudinov.

“Like I have said all along, my coach does all the homework and I just try and implement things in the ring,” said Itauma of the man standing in the way of his first title triumph. “He has mentioned that he is experienced but that is what it takes to progress and move up the ladder.

“I need this kind of fight. I wouldn’t say the title has made much difference to me in preparations because the prize is just a bonus and, if anything, a cherry on top. The fight is like any other fight in that you go in there to come out victorious. The title is a little extra thing and sometimes you can think about it too much, which can bring pressure, so there is no point in thinking about it like that.

“I am excited for it though and, obviously, I am going to be there with my brother. It is crazy because during our whole amateur boxing career we never boxed on the same night. So to be able to share a night together where it is his debut and my first title fight is very special.

“It was an emotional roller coaster watching him win his world championship out in Spain, so I can’t bear to think what it will be like watching him as a pro. I know what he is capable of though and it is all in his hands.

“He is going to make statements and shock the world.”

Tickets to see Moses Itauma make his pro debut and Karol Itauma fight for his first pro title on the undercard of Beterbiev vs Yarde are priced from £50 and are available from AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk.

ANTHONY YARDE IS approaching what he calls ‘the biggest fight of his career’ on January 28 at the venue where it all began for him as a professional back in 2015.

On the 9th of May in 2015, Mitch Mitchell was in the opposite corner at what was formerly known as Wembley Arena. He lasted 15 seconds into the second round.

On January 28, live on BT Sport, at the newly titled OVO Arena, Wembley, Yarde goes up against the formidable unified world light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev for three belts.

Getting ready for his triple assault on world light heavyweight honours within the confines of the Box Up Crime gym in the heart of Ilford, Yarde cuts a contented figure. Sure of himself, knowing what he is coming up against and utterly convinced he will be going home with the bounty.

“I’m relaxed, I’m good and it is the biggest fight of my career,” said the 31-year-old, who happily acknowledges the odds will not fall in his favour going into battle against an 18-0 champion with 18 KOs. “I am definitely happy that I have finally got to this stage and, in my mind, I have got to bring to reality where I am going afterwards as well.

“You know what, I watched boxing even before I started and I like to watch the big moments and how they all come around. My best performances have always been when I have been the underdog.

“I like being in that position at this stage of my career and I just feel like January 28 is going to be a very special night for me.”

Thinking back to that May evening back in 2015 when Yarde was one of the early birds on a long card that was only depleted by the withdrawal of Billy Joe Saunders from headline action. Bradley Skeete ultimately topped the bill that also included Frank Buglioni, a fighter who would later be heavily linked to fighting the explosive newcomer to the 175lbs scene.

“It does feel like it was a while ago, but that moment is very fresh in my mind. Those were the days of weighing in on the day and for me this is now destiny.

“I had my pro debut in that arena and now I am about to have my unification bout in that arena and leave as the unified champion of the world.”

While his own fight might still be fresh in his mind, he was actually unaware that Saunders was not the bill-topper on his debut night.

“That shows you how focused I am on myself! Boxing is a long road and I have always been focused on myself. I have always paid homage to the people who have made it to the heights I want to get to. I have surpassed some of those heights and I still have some to pass.

“If I wasn’t focused on myself I don’t think I would have got here. A lot of people thought I was being silly or lying when I said I didn’t know who was on the same card as me or I didn’t know some of the guys who were in my weight class. I just focused on myself.

“The Buglioni thing, when that was happening and people were talking about us fighting, I thought that fight was going to happen. It didn’t happen and that is why I don’t focus on anyone other than myself.

“You don’t know how someone else’s career is going to go and you don’t know their decisions. I was adamant that fight was going to happen because it was being spoken about so much and then he retired!

“It didn’t slow down my career in any way, shape or form, but it is why I have always been an advocate of focusing on yourself.”

Artur Beterbiev v Anthony Yarde for the WBC, WBO and IBF world light heavyweight titles takes place at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport. The bumper card also features the WBA world flyweight title fight between unbeaten fighters Artem Dalakian v David Jiminez.

Willy Hutchinson and Karol Itauma fight for the WBO Intercontinental and WBC International light heavyweight titles respectively, with the show also featuring top prospects Charles Frankham, Umar Khan, Sean Noakes, Joshua Frankham, Khalid Ali and Tommy Fletcher.

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde are priced from £50 and are available from AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk.

THE WBA WORLD flyweight championship clash between the champion Artem Dalakian from Ukraine and Costa Rican challenger David Jiminez will take place in support of the forthcoming Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde blockbuster at the OVO Arena, Wembley on January 28, live on BT Sport.

Ilford man Yarde challenges for the WBC, WBO and IBF world light heavyweight titles held by the undefeated Montreal resident, who holds a record of 18 wins with all 18 coming via a stoppage.

Dalakian, 35, won his world title belt in February 2018 with a points victory over Brian Viloria and has subsequently made five successful defences. He is unbeaten in 21 professional fights, with 15 of his wins coming via stoppage.

Jiminez, 30, has previously won the WBA Latino title and the WBA Gold world flyweight championship and is unbeaten in 12, with nine KOs.

Also on the bill and in title action against opponents to be confirmed shortly, light heavyweight star in the making Karol Itauma (9-0, 7 KOs) will fight for a first professional belt with the WBC International title being on the line and, also at light heavy, Willy Hutchinson (15-1, 11) will battle for the WBO Intercontinental championship.

A clutch of Queensberry’s top young prospects have secured a spot on the card.

The prospects on parade are 11-times National champion as an amateur, Charles Frankham, who was also a World Youth Championship bronze medallist and winner of gold at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

The 23-year-old Charles – known as ‘Boom Boom’ – is currently 6-0 in the professional ranks and making significant improvements under the guidance of new trainer Roger Lee.

Charles’ first cousin, Joshua Frankham, will also feature at Wembley, with the four-times National champion and former England international having his seventh professional fight after illness ruled him out of a November appearance at The O2.

Big-hitting cruiserweight Tommy Fletcher will have his fourth pro fight. The 20-year-old ‘Norfolk Nightmare’ has sent ripples through the division with three mighty knockouts to date, with two of them coming in the first round.

Last time out in November he poleaxed the Czech Jiri Krejci with a punishing left uppercut to close his show at The O2.

The 5-0 featherweight Umar Khan, 20, returns to action after impressing at York Hall in November with a shutout victory over Alexander Taylor, along with the hugely popular Brick Lane southpaw Khalid Ali.

The 4-0 ‘Bengal Tiger’ was last in the ring back in September when he outpointed Dario Borosa via a 60-54 margin at York Hall.

Another welterweight, Sean Noakes, will have his fourth fight as a professional after a successful first year of three four-rounders that resulted in two shutout victories and a second round stoppage for the Maidstone man.

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 28 January 2023 are on sale now from AXS.com.

The 175-pound showdown will be shown on BT Sport in the UK and on ESPN+ in the U.S.

London calls for the light-heavyweight king. WBC, WBO and IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev will defend his belts against big-punching British challenger Anthony Yarde at the OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday, January 28.

The WBO No.1 contender gets his shot at the Montreal-based Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs), boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio. He will be fighting professionally in the United Kingdom for the first time, with the highly decorated former amateur having fought in London at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Promoted by Frank Warren and Queensberry, in association with Top Rank, this huge 175-pound showdown will be shown exclusively on BT Sport in the UK and streaming live and exclusive on ESPN+ in the U.S.

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde at The O2 on Saturday 28 January 2023 go on general sale at 11am on Thursday 24 November from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

“This will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge of Anthony’s career to date, and we have made sure he will get the best conditions possible by securing him home advantage,” said Yarde’s promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry. “It is going to be a huge occasion at the OVO Arena Wembley, which is the same venue where Anthony made his professional debut in May 2015.

“Of course, we know a great champion like Beterbiev has no fears of travelling and virtually all of his biggest wins have come outside his now home nation of Canada. Boxing is all about timing, and we are hoping the time is right for Anthony to fulfil his huge potential and pull off what would be one of the biggest wins by a British fighter.

“This is going to be a spectacular show staged in conjunction with our friends at Top Rank, and I am sure it is an event the public will get behind in massive numbers to support Anthony’s attempt to achieve his dream.”

“This is a matchup between two of the most devastating light heavyweight punchers, and I look forward to the great Artur Beterbiev showcasing his prodigious talent for the incredible UK fans,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Anthony Yarde was ringside for Artur’s last fight, and he certainly does not lack confidence. He is a dangerous fighter, and I know Artur will be switched on for one of the toughest bouts of his illustrious career.”

Beterbiev won his first world title in November 2017 with a 12th-round stoppage of Enrico Koelling and defended his IBF belt on two further occasions – including against Britain’s Callum Johnson – before entering into a unification match against WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019. Ukrainian puncher Gvozdyk, who was unbeaten at the time, was stopped in the 10th round. 

Beterbiev defended his titles against Adam Deines and Marcus Browne ahead of a three-belt unification against WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. in June at Hulu Theater Madison Square Garden, where the American was stopped in two rounds. In the amateur ranks, Beterbiev won silver at the 2007 World Championships before striking gold at the 2009 event. He also won gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 European Championships.

“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,” Beterbiev said. “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 represents a second world title attempt from Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) who previously travelled to Chelyabinsk, Russia, to take on the long-standing champion Sergey Kovalev, ultimately being stopped in the 11th round after coming close to forcing a finish himself in the eighth round. Yarde’s first title came in fight No. 11 when he knocked out Chris Hobbs in four rounds for the Southern Area belt. 

Yarde then fought seven consecutive fights with either the WBO European or Intercontinental belts at stake, or both, as Yarde knocked out each of those foes in seven rounds or less. 

Post-Kovalev, Yarde continued with fights during the pandemic against Dec Spelman and a domestic dust-up against Lyndon Arthur. Yarde dropped a split decision against his Manchester rival, and after a swift comeback fight in Birmingham, Yarde sought redemption against Arthur. The vintage Yarde returned, and he knocked out Arthur in four rounds to once again earn the WBO No. 1 spot.

“January 28 will be my night,” said Yarde. “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.”

Tickets for Beterbiev vs Yarde at The O2 on Saturday 28 January 2023 go on general sale at 11am on Thursday 24 November from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

(Nov. 16, 2022) — The upset-minded Ionut Baluta hopes to defy the odds again when he battles the unbeaten Liam Davies in the 12-round main event for the vacant European junior featherweight title Saturday at Telford International Centre in Telford, England.

In the 10-round co-feature, big-punching light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde faces Stefani Koykov in a match that could have world title implications for the London native.

Davies-Baluta and Yarde-Koykov top a loaded bill streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

Davies (12-0, 5 KOs) is a former English bantamweight champion who captured the British junior featherweight strap in his last outing with a hard-fought decision over Marc Leach at Telford International Centre. He is a four-year pro who also holds a near-shutout win over Nicaragua’s Dixon Flores. Baluta (15-3, 3 KOs), a native of Romania who now trains in England, is no stranger to upsetting the apple cart. In 2020, he stunned former world champion TJ Doheny by decision and knocked out Irish Olympian Davey Oliver Joyce in consecutive bouts. Following a razor-thin decision loss to Michael Conlan last April, Baluta rebounded to upset Brad Foster in May for the WBC International title.

Yarde (22-2, 21 KOs), the WBO No. 1 light heavyweight contender, is in line for a shot at unified champion Artur Beterbiev in early 2023. He hopes to shake off the ring rust following a nearly yearlong layoff. In his last outing, he knocked out Lyndon Arthur in four rounds, avenging a December 2020 split decision defeat. Koykov (14-1, 12 KOs) has won 12 straight bouts since the lone blemish on his record.

In other streaming action:

• Unbeaten prospect Eithan James (9-0) steps up against southpaw boxer-puncher Connor Parker (14-1, 1 KO) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO European junior welterweight strap.
   
• Rising light heavyweight Ezra Taylor (3-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named.
   
• Irish lightweight prospect William Hayden (4-0, 1 KO) looks to improve to 5-0 in a six-rounder versus Romanian veteran Marian Marius Istrate (3-13).
   
• In a 10-rounder at welterweight, Owen Cooper (6-0, 2 KOs) clashes with Jamie Stewart (3-2-2).

# # #
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ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  

KO King Anthony Yarde (22-2, 21 KOs) is the no.1 contender for American Joe Smith Jr.’s WBO World Light-Heavyweight title, and that fight is likely to happen this year.

The Ilford man is now on a mission to clean up the 175lb division after knocking out Lyndon Arthur in four rounds last month, getting revenge for a controversial points loss one year earlier.

His trainer Ajayi told Dev Sahni on The Lowdown said: “The longer Anthony has to prepare and get better no one is beating him. I believe this in my heart.

“When the time is right, because everything is timing, Anthony Yarde will beat all the guys in a fashion where he we won’t leave no doubt, just like Lyndon Arthur.”

Yarde’s outspoken trainer added: “I have said it over the years, ‘Tunde Ajayi has never trained a fighter to win on points’. Anthony’s record speaks for it. Anthony is a knockout merchant.

“I didn’t see anything new from Joe Smith Jr in his defence against Steve Geffrard. Anthony Yarde is a different proposition.”

“Like us he has come up the tough way and always had his back against the wall. He is a fighter continually getting better having dethroned some legends of the sport.

“We went up against a legend (Sergey Kovalev) and come up short. Joe Smith came up against one, Bernard Hopkins and knocked him out.

“From my perspective Frank Warren will do what he always does and deliver. The WBO have said Joe Smith has to fight Anthony Yarde next.

“People expect Anthony Yarde to win a World title. Joe Smith talks paydays and Frank can deliver that. Joe Smith isn’t getting the Canelo fight so he has to look at us.”

After just 12 amateur contests and 18 professional fights, in August 2019 Yarde travelled to Sergey Kovalev’s back yard in Chelyabinsk and challenged for the Russian’s WBO World title.

Yarde almost pulled off one of boxing’s greatest upsets in round eight badly hurting the champion, but the Briton’s lack of big fight experience told and he was stopped three rounds later.

Ajayi says: “With experience comes wisdom. We now have the wisdom not only in the fight but out of it in terms of preparation for a World title fight.

“Even stuff like the media obligations. We never had that before Russia. We just went there with nuts and guts and faith in our abilities, but I think we are there now.

“We are going to become World champions. We have the right team. James Cook has been the cement that we needed to solidify the team.

“We’re looking forward to the Joe Smith fight. That is the only fight on my mind at the moment, but we are not frightened by anyone.”

Lyndon Arthur – 147lb 10oz
Anthony Yarde – 173lb 12oz

Hamzah Sheeraz – 153lb
Bradley Skeete – 153lb 4oz

Sam Noakes – 134lb 4oz
Shaun Cooper – 133lb 14oz

Dennis McCann – 124lb 3oz
Juan Jurado – 123lb 4oz

George Fox – 276lb 12oz
Kamil Sokolowski – 231lb 10oz

Karol Itauma – 175lb 7oz
Tamas Laska – 175lb 6oz

Charles Frankham – 133lb 5oz
Constantin Radoi – 134lb 3oz

Masood Abdulah – 129lb 12oz
Paul Holt – 128lb 9oz

Umar Khan – 125lb 3oz
Luke Merrifield – 125lb

Sonny Liston Ali – 143lb 8oz
Lee Hallett – 141lb 10oz