Join the Miguel Delaney team: Inside Football Get exclusive insights and behind-the scenes access to the Miguel Delaney: inside newsletter Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter Football newsletterWorld champion David Benavidez simply proved too much for Anthony Yarde on Saturday, overwhelming the Briton in their WBC light-heavyweight title clash.Benavidez’s forward pressure and volume of output, combined with his power, had Yarde relying on bravery and sporadic counter-punching as the fight went on, with a finish beginning to feel like an inevitability in the middle rounds.And it came in the seventh, a chaotic frame in which Benavidez dropped Yarde in one corner but was docked two points for landing an extra punch. While that moment could have proved controversial, it will be nothing but a footnote on Saturday’s result in Riyadh, as Benavidez froze Yarde with a brutal left hook when the action resumed, leading the referee to save the challenger on his feet.Benavidez’s victory kept the American unbeaten, as the former super-middleweight champion retained his light-heavyweight belt and turned attention to cruiserweight.In his post-fight interview, 28-year-old Benavidez said: “It’s definitely what I expected. When I got the contract, I said, ‘Oh, man, this is gonna be a war, this is what I dreamt about.’“He cut me like in round six, I said: ‘You want a shootout, then?’ He stepped in the ‘Monster’’s world and got KOed.“I grade [my performance] B+, there’s always room for improvement, but people said I couldn’t stop this guy, and I made it look easier than [Sergey] Kovalev and [Artur] Beterbiev.”open image in gallery(Getty Images)Benavidez was referring to Yarde’s two prior world-title fights, both of which ended in defeat via stoppage. The Briton, who is 34, suffered a similar defeat in Saudi Arabia last Saturday. DAZN offers 185+ boxing matches a year. Never miss a match from a top promoter. You can watch anywhere and anytime. Buy NowADVERTISEMENT. You will earn commission by signing up for this service. Enjoy 185+ boxing fights per year on DAZN. The Global Home of BoxingNever Miss a Fight from Top Promoters. Watch anywhere, at any time. Buy NowADVERTISEMENT. If you sign-up for this service, we earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.Benavidez said his next move will be a…
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2025-11-23 03:28:24
