WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev 34-3-1 (29 KOs) scored a hard earned eleventh round Knockout over undefeated mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde 18-0 (17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia. The first half of the fight was clearly banked by the champion, who dominated the action primarily with the jab.. Yarde came on steadily from round 6, craftily shooting for the body and pressing the action. Round 8 however was very nearly disaster for Kovalev as Yarde found his mark repeatedly, landing a series of damaging head shots.. Sergey survived the crisis but trainer Buddy Mcgirt made his opinions very clear between rounds 8 and 9, that he’d stop the fight if he saw his charge taking similar repeated punishment.. Kovalev entered round nine back behind the jab, and found the visitor very much spent following his huge effort in the previous round..
Yarde had missed his chance and the 36 year-old Kovalev responded like champions do, dominating Yarde throughout the ninth and tenth rounds.. By round 11 Anthony had the look of a beaten man, but wouldn’t surrender easily, in a last ditch attempt to go for broke, Yarde was left vulnerable and tired, finally hitting the canvas from a stiff left hand but appeared more exhausted than concussed.. Time of stoppage was 2:04.
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