Photo by Valery Sharifulin\TASS via Getty Images
Get round by round results and full fight coverage here for the WBO light heavyweight title fight between Sergey Kovalev and Anthony Yarde.
Today (Saturday, August 24th) features a big light heavyweight title fight, as WBO champion Sergey Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) defends his title against England’s Anthony Yarde (18-0, 17 KOs), who is in by far the biggest and toughest fight of his career. The Russian power-puncher recaptured his title from Eleider Alvarez with a unanimous decision win in their February rematch, while Yarde has been consistently knocking out his foes, none of whom is remotely close to the upper echelon of the division. This is Yarde’s chance to show he’s for real, and in enemy territory.
For more boxing coverage, check out Bad Left Hook.
Bloody Elbow is here to provide you with detailed, round-by-round coverage and running commentary of this matchup from the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia. The ESPN+ broadcast starts at 12:30 PM ET/9:30 AM PT, and the main event should start no later than 3 PM ET/12 PM PT. BT Sport has the broadcast in the United Kingdom, while TSN2 has the fight in Canada.
Sergey Kovalev vs. Anthony Yarde – WBO light heavyweight title
Round 1 – Yarde and Kovalev both feel each other out with jabs. Good counter left hook by Kovalev. Sergey jabs the body. Another body jab by Kovalev. Goes downstairs again. Left hook lands for Yarde. Right hand to the body and a countershot by Kovalev. More jabs by Kovalev. Yarde misses on the left hook and narrowly on an uppercut. Not a whole lot going on in that round. 10-9 Kovalev.
Round 2 – Kovalev continues to probe with the jab but not landing much. They clinch up and the ref separates them. Stiff jab by Kovalev and Yarde rolls with the right hand. Good body jab by Kovalev. Stiff left by Kovalev stings Yarde. Kovalev lands another jab. Good left hook to the body by Yarde. Short combo by Kovalev but nothing connects cleanly. Jabs to the body again. 20-18 Kovalev.
*Round 3 –