Media Workout Notes: Light Heavyweight King Artur Beterbiev Readies for London Showdown Against Anthony Yarde
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 26 Jan 2023
Beterbiev vs. Yarde goes down SATURDAY (3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT) at OVO Arena Wembley LIVE & EXCLUSIVELY on ESPN+
LONDON (Jan. 25, 2023) — King Artur is ready to light up London.
WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs), boxing's only world champion with a 100 percent knockout rate, will battle England's big-punching Anthony Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) on Saturday evening at OVO Arena Wembley. Beterbiev-Yarde and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT.
Beterbiev returns to London for the first time since he represented Russia at the 2012 Olympics. He lost a close decision to Oleksandr Usyk in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight bracket, which concluded his amateur career. Beterbiev has resided in Montreal for more than a decade and fought his first eight pro bouts in Canada. He captured the IBF title in 2017, claimed the WBC crown in 2019 with a thrilling knockout over Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and added the WBO strap last June with a second-round bludgeoning of Joe Smith Jr.
Yarde does not have Beterbiev's amateur pedigree, but he holds a claim as one of boxing's pound-for-pound fiercest punchers. He has won his last three bouts, including a 2021 fourth-round knockout over Lyndon Arthur, who toppled Yarde by split decision in 2020. Yarde fought for a world title once before, succumbing via an 11th-round knockout to Sergey Kovalev after nearly stopping Kovalev in the eighth round.
This is what the main event combatants had to say following Wednesday's media workout.
Artur Beterbiev
"I had a good camp. I had good sparring. I will try to do my best."
"My team and I always try to be ready for anything, any strategy."
"I can't compare {Yarde} to Joe Smith. It's a different fight. Joe Smith had a belt at that time. It's not comparable."
On a potential Dmitry Bivol fight
"Right now, it's Saturday night. I only think about Saturday night."
Anthony Yarde
"If you look at what he's accomplished so far, it's amazing, and that's what amps me up. So, again, I beat him, I deserve some respect."
"I don't look at what any other fighter has done {to him}. I don't look at what he's done to other fighters. Realistically, all you look at is style, but even that, you can't take too much from. You only know once you step in there with a person, and you both shape up and you both start trading leather."
"He's never been in a situation where he's lost. But for me, it's all about me. That's the way I am. That's the way I operate. It's about me and my legacy. He's just the person with the belts."
On the home crowd advantage
"I just feel like this one feels right. This one feels better. {The Sergey Kovalev fight} didn't. All that matters is when we get in that ring. Everything that's said before is all he said, she said possibilities and things like that. When we get in the ring, that's when we'll see."
Subscribe to Top Rank’s YouTube Channel for fight week highlights and exclusive interviews.
Thursday, January 26
Main Event & Undercard Press Conference: Beterbiev vs. Yarde
8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT
Live on ESPN+ and Top Rank’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages
Friday, January 27
Live Weigh-In Show: Beterbiev vs. Yarde
9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT
Live on ESPN+ and Top Rank’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages
Saturday, January 28
ESPN+ (3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT)
Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde, 12 rounds, Beterbiev's WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight World Titles
Moses Itauma vs. Marcel Bode, 4 rounds, heavyweight
Artem Dalakian vs. David Jimenez, 12 rounds, Dalakian's WBA Flyweight World Title
Karol Itauma vs. Ezequiel Maderna, 10 rounds, Vacant WBC International Light Heavyweight Title
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Donaire back in Cebu
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 23 Jan 2026MURATALLA VS. CRUZ IN LAS VEGAS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 23 Jan 2026Four Pinoys in line for title shots
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 23 Jan 2026After the meeting in Mexico City, the WBC is ready for 2026
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 23 Jan 2026Former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes Returns to ring at home after nearly a decade in Retirement on January 31 in Texas
Fri, 23 Jan 2026SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT RONNY ALVAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 22 Jan 2026STRICKLAND STUNS REYES AS SOUQUET SEALS REDEMPTION | WNT LEGENDS
Thu, 22 Jan 2026Knicks defeats Nets 120-66 to post largest margin of victory in franchise history
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 22 Jan 2026Mauricio Sulaiman: "We simply urge Zuffa Boxing to respect and protect boxing and the boxer"
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 22 Jan 2026January 31: Xander Zayas-Abass Baraou Junior Middleweight Title Unification Showdown to Stream LIVE on Top Rank Classics FAST Channel in the United States
Thu, 22 Jan 2026Mike Tyson to Launch “Mike Tyson Invitational,” a Three-Day Amateur Boxing Showcase Aimed at Elevating the Future of American Boxing
Thu, 22 Jan 2026KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 22 Jan 2026REYES AND BUSTAMANTE DELIVER HOME-SOIL MASTERCLASS | WNT LEGENDS
Wed, 21 Jan 2026Reigning World 10-ball Champion Filipino cue master Jonas Magpantay to see action in Indonesia pool tourney
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 21 Jan 2026OLYMPIC BOXING 7: 1936 OLYMPICS AT BERLIN, GERMANY
By Maloney L. Samaco, Wed, 21 Jan 2026