ANTHONY YARDE’S bloody, brilliant and brave world title shot ended in heartbreak again.
The 31-year-old Hackney took on Artur Beterbiev for the WBC, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight titles and had to be dragged out by his corner to save himself from his own courage, after eight rounds.
Anthony Yarde was stopped with an 8th round KO by Artur Beterbiev
The duo put on an epic before Beterbiev continued his unbeaten streak
The ace continues to reign supreme in the light-heavyweight division
The Beast from the East of London took on the Bond-villain at his own savage game and gave fans a thriller.
But he was beaten into submission and left almost unrecognisable by the pound-for-pound sensation.
After all the pantomime and fake-machismo from topless Tommy Fury and American YouTuber Jake Paul moments before in the Wembley arena ring – to flog their February 26 Saudi Arabia showdown – it was back to real boxing.
The Canada-based Russian arrived in London with over 300 amateur bouts, three world titles, two Olympics, 18 pro wins and a 100 per cent KO ratio.
Yarde only had 12 amateur fights – after being a football, rugby and athletics star – and had twice tasted defeat in the paid ranks.
The bookies had Yarde a huge underdog but he had seven years on his side and home advantage.
Yarde made the brighter start with fizzing jabs and a couple of lead-left hooks, he even seemed to stagger the terrifying 38-year-old with one blow but neither man was hurt in the opener.
Brutal Beterbiev’s pale white face was slapped red by the second and he didn’t like it one bit.
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Beterbiev caught Yarde with a brutal hit to floor him in the 8th
Yarde’s corner threw in the towel
He pushed the brave Brit back into a corner and tried to bludgeon him.
But the Ilford ace ducked and dodged and landed more left hooks instead.
The crowd was starting to believe in their boy.
In the third Yarde lost his mouthguard so both boxers got a breather while it was cleaned and replaced.
The undefeated champ cracked Yarde’s ribs with a booming right hand and scored with more jabs, he was starting to find his timing and the tide felt like it was slowly turning against the Englishman.
Yarde’s second world title shot looked doomed at the start of the fourth when he was the target of a savage right hand and had his head rocked back by hammer-like jabs.
But the pretty boy showed hidden depths of fire and steel, wiping away his blood, slashing back and staying in the contest.
Beterbiev looked both terrifying and vulnerable at the same time. It was magnificent action.
Yarde lost his gumshield again at the start of the fifth, a worrying sign of early exhaustion as he gasped through his mouth instead of his nose.
But then Beterbiev was buzzed by an arrow of a Yarde right hand and looked in deep danger.
Somehow the Soviet beard absorbed the blow and he ended the round battering Yarde, the challenger did incredibly well to make the bell.
Yarde’s right eye was a mess by the time the sixth started, he needed a miracle to survive, let alone spring the upset.
Our man kept jabbing at his rival and dabbing at his oozing eye and then he caught a left hook that would have fallen anyone without a heart as huge as his.
By round seven Yarde had scythed a gash into Beterbiev’s left eye too. This was a brilliant bloodbath.
Yarde landed heavy scoring shots in the seventh but at the end of the session he got pinned into Beterbiev’s blue corner and took a pasting.
Yarde’s spirit looked broken in the eighth when he was finally floored and looked beaten.
But he somehow dragged himself off of the canvas to beat ref Steve Gray’s count and was desperate to continue.
But concerned trainer Tunde Ajayi had seen enough and threw in the towel to protect his man for another title tilt.
