Home Columns Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur – Results & Post-Fight Report

Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur – Results & Post-Fight Report

Arthur retains Commonwealth title in upset over Yarde in London

Lyndon Arthur defied the odds to edge past Anthony Yarde by split decision in London on Saturday Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Lyndon Arthur defied the odds to edge past Anthony Yarde by split decision. Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

Lyndon Arthur retained his Commonwealth Light Heavyweight title, and claimed the vacant WBO Intercontinental belt, with a dour split decision win against Anthony Yarde at Church House, Westminster on Saturday.

Both men shared the ring with Dec Spelman in their last contests, with Arthur taking a comfortable points win in July, whilst Yarde stopped the Northampton man in six rounds in September.

Neither man threw a meaningful shot in the first round, as the pair sized each other up, but ‘King’ Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) demonstrated his ramrod jab on a couple of occasions.

Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) was looking for openings, but was finding Arthur’s jab a tough obstacle, and the second saw more cagey stuff.

There were rumours that the Manchester man had damaged his right hand in the warm up, and it did seem he was reliant a lot on his left, as he used it almost exclusively, but was still keeping his foe on the end of an excellent jab.

Yarde did have a brighter fourth, landing with a right hook, but it was still a quiet affair.

Arthur's jab proved crucial in victory over Yarde Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Arthur’s jab proved crucial in victory over Yarde Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

The 29-year-old upped the urgency after halfway, and Arthur, 29, confirmed to his corner at the end of the seventh that he couldn’t land his right hand, but his jab was still as potent as ever.

Yarde’s corner finally sensed that their opponent was troubled by his hand, and the Londoner was inching closer and closer, but ironically took a flush right hand from Arthur at the start of the ninth.

Still, there were no telling blows being landed and rounds were difficult to score, in what was scrappy stuff, and ahead of the final round, all outcomes were possible.

Yarde poured on the pressure in the final round Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Yarde poured on the pressure in the final round Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

The champion was forced to trade shots with Yarde for the very first time, and the former world title challenger, who was stopped by Sergey Kovalev for the WBO crown in August 2019, landed a flush right hand that stiffened his opponent’s legs, and Arthur was starting to unravel.

However, ‘The Beast From The East’ had left it too late to force a stoppage, as the fight went to the scorecards.

Ian-John Lewis scored the fight 117-111 in Yarde’s favour, but Michael Alexander and Marcus McDonnell’s 115-114 cards ensured Arthur scored the upset win.

Arthur added the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title to his Commonwealth Crown Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Arthur added the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title to his Commonwealth Crown Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

“I felt like I outboxed him, but he hurt me in the last round,” Arthur told BT Sport post-fight.

“I thought it was close, I wouldn’t have said it was a robbery had I have lost. Of course, I would give him a rematch.”

“The whole fight I pressed the fight, the punches he landed were only jabs,” said a bitterly disappointed Yarde.

“This sums up 2020 to me, I strongly feel that it was a robbery, I’m not taking that as a loss.”

Bourke blasts past Ramabeletsa

Chris Bourke again impressed, as the Streatham southpaw blasted out the usually durable Michael Ramabeletsa in two rounds to win the vacant WBC International Super Bantamweight title in their rescheduled clash.

Chris Bourke claimed the WBC International Super Bantamweight title with a second round win over Michael Ramabeletsa Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Chris Bourke claimed the WBC International Super Bantamweight title with a second round win over Michael Ramabeletsa Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

English champion, Ramabeletsa (18-18, 8 KOs) was caught by a massive left hand that dropped him in the second, and he never fully recovered, as Bourke (9-0, 6 KOs) poured on the pressure upon the resumption.

The sheer volume and weight of punches from Bourke forced his foe to take a knee, and referee Ian-John Lewis waved the fight off while administering the count.

McCann marches on

Dennis McCann had a much needed learning fight, going eight rounds for the first time in his fledgling career, with a points win against Portugal’s Pedro Matos.

Dennis McCann secured a decision victory over Pedro Matos to remain unbeaten Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Dennis McCann secured a decision victory over Pedro Matos to remain unbeaten Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

McCann (8-0, 5 KOs) didn’t have things all his own way, and had to take some stiff shots from Matos, (7-4, 1 KO) who was stopped in eight rounds by Sunny Edwards, but still impressed in the main to take a 80-73 win for referee Marcus McDonnell.

Itauma successful on debut

Karol Itauma made his professional debut on the bill, and the Slovakian born Light Heavyweight took all four rounds against the ever reliable Lewis van Poetsch (9-124-2, 2 KOs).

Karol Itauma made a winning start to his professional career Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Karol Itauma made a winning start to his professional career Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

Itauma (1-0) was a Youth Olympic Gold Medallist, and looked good, as he displayed an array of punches to secure a 40-36 shutout.

Ali claims second win

The show opener came at Featherweight, where Muhammad Ali claimed his second professional win with a six round points victory over Jamie Quinn, a veteran of over 110 fights and who had only been stopped three times.

Muhammad Ali secured his second professional victory Photo Credit: Round 'N' Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions
Muhammad Ali secured his second professional victory Photo Credit: Round ‘N’ Bout Media/Queensberry Promotions

Quinn (7-106-2) gave 2016 Olympian, Ali (2-0) a good learning fight, but the Bury man ran out a 60-55 winner for referee Marcus McDonnell.