Anthony Yarde can crack, and he can bang with the best of ’em. Yarde is a dangerous proposition for anyone. Now, aiming to make it a case of third time’s a charm, the British warrior says he will hit and hurt WBC light heavyweight champ David Benavidez like no man has done before.
Benavidez’s Chin Gets Its Real Test
Yarde, 27-3(24) will challenge “Mexican Monster” Benavidez on November 22, on a stacked card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And this time, Yarde aims to get the win in a world title fight, which will see him get his third shot at the big one. Yarde was stopped by Sergey Kovalev and by Artur Beterbiev in world title fights, but not before he managed to get the attention of both men courtesy of his hefty shots.
Yarde, speaking with The Ring, said no man has ever hit Benavidez as hard as he plans on hitting him on Nov. 22. Benavidez, unbeaten and a proven tough guy, has only officially been knocked down once as a pro, this time when he got tangled up in the ropes with David Morrell in their February battle that Benavidez won on points. But Benavidez has never really been noticeably buzzed or hurt in a fight. Yarde says he will change this this coming Saturday night.
Yarde’s Warning: “Nobody Hits Like Me”
“I don’t think he’s been hit by anybody that hits like me yet,” Yarde said of Benavidez. “But we’ll have to see on the night. Styles make fights, so I know it’s going to be an exciting one.”
Rest assured, it will be an exciting fight when Benavidez and Yarde get into it. Benavidez, a pure pressure fighter with a seemingly limitless gas tank, is never in a dull fight, and against Yarde, the defending champ can be expected to make his challenger fight. Hard. All night – or for as long as Yarde can hang in there. Because Benavidez is the favourite to win this fight, and with good reason, but the forecast says there will be fireworks from both sides.
Fast Start, Violent Middle
Yarde might indeed be able to test Benavidez’s chin like nobody has tested it before, but the thinking here is that the 30-0(24) Benavidez and his beard will pass the test. A quick start by both men can be anticipated here, and we might – might – be treated to a Hagler-Hearns type slugfest. Maybe we will, if we’re really lucky. But even if Benavidez-Yarde doesn’t reach those epic heights, this fight will be no stinker.
Prediction: Benavidez Breaks Through Late
Look for Benavidez to take some hurt as he dishes out more of his own. Benavidez to stop a game Yarde somewhere around the fourth or fifth round in a thrilling fight.