Opinions and Observations: Beterbiev-Yarde

Despite Artur Beterbiev's eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday, which pushed the unified light heavyweight champion's record to a pristine 19-0 with 19 knockouts, there was nothing inevitable about his victory. Yarde, who had been out of his depth in his first title shot against Sergey Kovalev in 2019, fought at an infinitely higher-level on Saturday. Throwing hellacious power punches, exhibiting tremendous heart and refusing to yield, Yarde pushed Beterbiev to the brink in a thrilling fight. 

From the opening moments of the bout, Yarde looked to land his blistering counter left hook and he often stung Beterbiev with lead right hands and short uppercuts on the inside. Yarde's accuracy and power were enough that he often forced Beterbiev to step away from the pocket to reset the action. 

Yarde (left) throwing his left hook
Photo courtesy of Top Rank

In fact, Beterbiev was most successful on the night as a counterpuncher, a trait not usually associated with him. Beterbiev used his underrated footwork to draw leads from Yarde and then would follow with sharp straight rights or left hooks. These moments illustrated that Beterbiev is far cleverer than his reputation suggests. Yes, he is a wrecking machine, but there's a significant amount of craft to his game. 

On more than one occasion, Beterbiev would retreat to the ropes where Yarde was able to get through with big power shots, but Beterbiev knew that Yarde couldn't match his agility and punch volume in close quarters. Beterbiev would then expertly turn Yarde on the ropes and go to town on his head and body. These sequences often occurred at the end of rounds, where Beterbiev had a little extra in reserve; Yarde was fortunate to hear the final bell a couple of times. 

But Yarde was resilient. When there were numerous times that he could have folded, he kept firing back. And his shots didn't reek of desperation; they were practiced blows designed for the expressed purpose of keeping Beterbiev at bay. 

In addition, Yarde's previous issues with his gas tank didn't manifest in this fight. Sure, he spent probably too much time on the ropes, but he often fought his way off them and we also must give credit to Beterbiev for putting Yarde in that position. Despite Beterbiev's reputation as being slow, man, can that guy cut off a ring! In truth, Beterbiev is one of those rare fighters with faster feet than hands. I was impressed all fight with his footwork. He constantly made little adjustments with quick lateral movement to find punching angles or to reset that action. And his movement was always purposeful, designed with the sole purpose to win the fight.

Ultimately, what did Yarde in was not his lack of ability or a poor gas tank, but a crafty boxing move. At the start of the eighth, Yarde bent to his right to throw a lead right uppercut and was a little too far out of range for that shot. Recognizing this, Beterbiev immediately unfurled a devastating chopping right hand to the side of Yarde's head. Beterbiev’s punch got there first, sending Yarde to the canvas. Although Yarde beat the count, his trainer, Tunde Ajayi, saw how damaged he was and wisely stopped the fight.  

Beterbiev with his belts after the victory
Photo courtesy of Top Rank

Beterbiev the Puncher delivered, but the final blow was a result of Beterbiev the Seasoned Boxer, recognizing the opportunity presented by Yarde's split-second error at judging range. That's the fine margin we're talking about and it's why Beterbiev is among the best fighters in the sport. His power will never be overlooked, but his ability to throw the right punch at the right time earned him the victory. Of course, he's a puncher, but in that final moment he once again displayed the makeup of an intelligent boxer. Yarde made a specific mistake, and Beterbiev had the pattern recognition from years of seasoning and the skillset to end the fight from that one ill-advised move from Yarde. 

Beterbiev-Yarde was top-shelf prizefighting. It featured thrilling momentum swings and two potential rounds of the year (the fifth and the seventh). Both combatants illustrated their manifold gifts. At the end, Beterbiev had a little too much savvy and craft, and it was that as much as his sledgehammers in his hands that made the difference. 

Ultimately, Beterbiev's victory was comprehensive, but not comfortable. He will remember how hard Yarde pushed him, and we will too. It was an example of championship boxing at its finest. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. He's a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook. 

Punch 2 the Face Podcast

In this week's Punch 2 the Face Podcast, Brandon and I recapped Spence-Garcia. We were impressed with the performances by Billy Joe Saunders and Lyndon Arthur. We previewed this weekend's Joshua-Pulev fight, where one of us likes the upset. Also on the podcast, we talked about Shakur Stevenson and Chris Colbert. To listen to the podcast, click on the links below: 

Blog Talk Radio link:

Stitcher link:

iTunes link:

Also, find us on Spotify: Punch 2 the Face Radio: Episode 202. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. He's a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com.

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook. 

Buddy McGirt: Searching for the Rabbit

Similar to all of us, when Buddy McGirt heard the initial rumblings that his fighter, Sergey Kovalev, could be a potential opponent for Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, he didn't believe it. He thought it was joke. After all, Canelo was fighting at middleweight and Kovalev was a light heavyweight titlist, and a big puncher at that. Yet months after the initial speculation, with various other fighters considered and rejected, here we are: Kovalev will be taking on Alvarez this Saturday in one of the biggest fights of the year. 

As McGirt had more time to consider a potential matchup with Alvarez, it started to make sense to him. Alvarez needed a big fight, something that would be acceptable to DAZN, which has made a prodigious investment in Canelo's career. After consulting with Kovalev and promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events, all were in agreement and wanted the fight. Canelo would represent the largest payday of Kovalev's career and perhaps just as an importantly, this would be a matchup where Kovalev, the bigger fighter with a great jab, would have a path to victory. This fight didn't represent a simple cash out; they believe that they can win. 

But first things first, Kovalev needed to make a title defense in August against mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde before the Canelo fight could come to fruition. And despite some rocky moments in the eighth and ninth rounds, Kovalev was able to stop Yarde in the 11th. 

Photo Courtesy of Buddy McGirt

As Saturday approaches, McGirt acknowledges that Kovalev should be considered the underdog. Canelo is one of the best fighters in the sport and a pugilist, in McGirt's eyes, who has continued to improve since his early career setback to Floyd Mayweather. McGirt jokingly said that when they beat Canelo the media will say that Kovalev pulled a rabbit out of the hat. But McGirt has been a big underdog before, both as a fighter and a trainer. It's his job to find that rabbit and to help shepherd Kovalev to victory. 

I recently had an opportunity to talk with McGirt about the Canelo fight, his time working with Kovalev and the Yarde victory. Here's what he had to say: 

Interview conducted by Adam Abramowitz

The interview has been edited and condensed. 

Buddy, what was your initial reaction when you heard that Kovalev was being considered as a possible Canelo opponent?

I didn’t really believe it at first. We thought Canelo was just throwing Sergey's name out there. But then eventually I understood that Canelo liked challenges. And who else was there to fight that could put asses in the seats? The answer was Kovalev.

Have you followed Canelo's career? What is your sense of him as a fighter?

I’ve always been a fan of Canelo. I’ve always watched him and I think he has made some major improvements since the Mayweather fight. His trainer does a great job with him too...The best thing he does is the way he sets traps. So we have to be aware of that. 

One supposed weakness of Kovalev's is that he doesn't take body shots well. What can a trainer do to work on this aspect?

As for the body attack, you can and can’t make changes if you know what I mean. There are some things we can do. You just got to make some minor adjustments and we’ll be OK. I'm not too concerned.

Was there a concern about Kovalev, a veteran fighter at 36, going through back-to-back training camps?

Kovalev wanted to stay busy. He understood that if he was out for too long he would lose some sharpness. And bam, here we are. He came into camp in great shape and in a great frame of mind. He wanted this fight...I think this is a great time for us right now to have this fight. The activity level gives us an advantage in my opinion. Kovalev’s confidence is right where it needs to be.

How do you view the Yarde fight? Kovalev had to survive a few rocky moments.

It was a fight that he needed. I think he erased a lot of doubts in the fight with Yarde. He fought a young, strong guy who put pressure on, and didn’t come to lie down. Yarde pressured him. He tested him. And Kovalev passed the test.

What led to Yarde's success later on in the fight?

Kovalev got lazy is really what happened in my opinion. He was winning the fight with just his jab. I always tell my fighters the easier the fight, the more focused they have to be. So after the eighth or ninth round, whatever round that Kovalev got hurt, I had to light a fire under his ass. I said if you don’t change things I’m going to stop the fight. He said in the corner, "Don’t worry. I’m ok. I got this. Plus, he’s exhausted. I got him." And he went right out there and changed it around.

In preparation for the Canelo fight, how can you ensure that Kovalev doesn't depend too heavily on one punch, that he needs to bring his full arsenal to the fight?

I had to show him something new that he could do. Not brand new, but maybe something that he got away from. He showed me some amateur tapes. I said, what happened to this guy there? He said he got away from that. I said, maybe it’s time to bring it back. The thing about Kovalev is that he is a really good student. People underestimate his boxing IQ. And he has a really strong boxing foundation. 

If you are able to beat Canelo, what will the headline be in the media the next day? 

If we win the headline will say that Kovalev pulled a rabbit out of the hat [laughs]. We view ourselves as the underdog. We weren’t announced first at the press conference, which is OK. We understand that. 

Buddy, this isn't the first time that you've been the underdog in your career, either as a fighter or a trainer. What do you say to your fighters who are underdogs going into a big fight? What should their mindset be?

I will tell any fighter who is the underdog: One, keep your eye on the prize. Don’t let stuff like that get to you. And two, don’t pay it any mind. Do what you’re supposed to do and good things can and will happen.

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. He's a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com.

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook. 

Opinions and Observations: Kovalev-Yarde

The Sergey Kovalev-Anthony Yarde light heavyweight title bout swung on one simple factor: a fighter who had never been past seven rounds gassed. Yarde was actually a victim of his own success. Hurting Kovalev with uppercuts and short right hands on the inside, he went for the finish in the eighth round, but Kovalev, using all of his veteran savvy, was able to survive.

After the round, Kovalev's trainer, Buddy McGirt, warned that he was ready to stop the fight. However, when the two boxers started the ninth, it was Yarde who was suddenly running on empty. The fight would end in the 11th when Kovalev knocked down Yarde with a well-placed jab. Yarde was too exhausted to get to his feet. It was a stunning reversal of fortune and Kovalev, the fighter formerly accused of having no heart, of being a front runner, of quitting, was the victorious one, showing resolve and the refusal to succumb to defeat. 

Photo Courtesy of Pavel Tarbachuk

In the professional ranks the margins between winning and losing can be paper thin. It could be a matter of inches, seconds or a last-minute adjustment. After the eighth, Yarde had Kovalev in serious trouble, but he could offer no more. That burst of a second-wind, that sense of pacing never materialized, and that one attribute ultimately was the difference. 

By some standards Yarde exceeded expectations on Saturday. The cards were stacked against him going into the fight. He lacked world-level experience and a high-level amateur background, his development slate of opponents was poor, he didn't spar during his training camp and he had to go to Russia, never an easy trip. That he competed so well against Kovalev, still one of the top light heavyweights in the world, speaks highly of Yarde's aptitude and self-belief. 

Yarde flashed a solid counter left hook in the early rounds of the fight and if he didn't win many of the first six frames, his hooks were enough for Kovalev to holster most of his own power shots. And once Yarde was able to get past Kovalev's jab, he started to batter Kovalev with the success of a far more seasoned in-fighter. His left uppercut to the breadbasket and short right to the chest completely turned the action of the fight. 

In the aftermath of the defeat, the decisions of Team Yarde leading up to the title fight could certainly be questioned. His trainer, Tunde Ajayi, didn't believe in sparring. His promoter, Frank Warren (who certainly knows how to develop fighters), didn't challenge Yarde sufficiently in his development bouts. There were also opportunities to take step-aside money, to get another camp or two before rushing headlong into Yarde's first title shot. And these considerations are not second-guesses. All of these factors were pointed out well before Yarde entered the ring on Saturday. 

Warren and the rest of Team Yarde played their cards instead of folding. In poker parlance, they were always behind in the hand, but they had several outs (i.e., ways to win). It's clear that at 36 Kovalev is a vulnerable champ. Sergey has been through the wars and never had the world's greatest chin. In addition, Kovalev had lost three fights since 2016; whatever aura of invincibility he once had is now long gone. And Yarde certainly had enough of a punch to cause damage. But it just didn't work out. They gambled and lost. Maybe it wasn't the right time to push the chips in, but the thought process behind the decision was certainly understandable.

* 

Once upon a time Kovalev was one of the true ring bullies in the sport. Battering opponents with a laser jab and a Krushing right hand, he was a destroyer. He intimidated in the ring. More than that, he was a bona fide sadist. He wanted to hurt opponents, to cause damage, to elongate their suffering before ending it.

Kovalev eventually got into trouble in three ways: He didn't respect his opponents, he lacked humility and he was a nervous fighter under duress. He seemed shocked when opponents actually decided to fight back, and when they did, he was ill-equipped from a technical or psychological standpoint. Despite jumping out to an early lead against Andre Ward in their rematch, once Kovalev was hurt, he couldn't process a next move. He complained to referee Tony Weeks instead of defending himself. He didn't tie up. He didn't take a knee. He appeared to crumble instead of think his way out of trouble.  

After getting dropped from a menacing overhand right in the first Eleider Alvarez fight, he decided to fight back harder, to slug it out with Alvarez mano-a-mano instead of giving himself the opportunity to recover. His decision making when under duress was a significant flaw.

But in Kovalev's performance on Saturday and in his victory against Alvarez in February's rematch, he finally displayed a maturity in the ring and a real sense of Ring IQ. He didn't try to decapitate Alvarez in the rematch. He stuck to his boxing fundamentals and would beat Alvarez with his jab and short right hands. And instead of gassing in the later rounds, he seemed at his most relaxed in the ring. 

And on Saturday, even when he was hurt, he was still processing the moment in the ring. He wisely tied up at the end of the eighth round, enabling him to have an opportunity to come back; I'm not sure if he would have made the same decision a few years ago. He has now realized that he can be hurt, but that circumstance doesn't have to lead to defeat. Even under duress, he still has agency.

This was Kovalev's second fight with Buddy McGirt and the trainer has made a huge difference with Kovalev's ring demeanor and sense of strategy. In perhaps the twilight of his career, Kovalev now understands that hitting harder, running farther and killing yourself in camp don't necessarily lead to better results in the ring. McGirt wisely decided to rein in Kovalev during training camps and also instilled a confidence in Kovalev – that the fighter was far more than a knockout machine; he had a fantastic fundamental boxing foundation, and that would be enough to beat even top-level opponents. 

But credit must also be given to Kovalev for accepting his own mortality in the ring. Kovalev had a well-deserved reputation of being stubborn and not listening to others. After the Alvarez defeat, however, he understood that he needed to make changes to prolong his career. Primarily, he needed to accept a revised ring identity – that it's OK not to run through opponents. And this was a radical change for one of the best knockout artists in the sport, one who prided himself on his ferocity. It's a change that many veteran fighters would refuse to make. It is an old dog learning a new trick. He realized that the most important thing in his career was winning, by whatever means necessary. And if that meant fundamental boxing, so be it.

*

Yarde is now at the first crucial inflection point of his career. At 28 he is no longer considered young in boxing years; he's squarely in the middle of his athletic prime. He certainly has the raw athleticism and enough fundamentals to compete on the world stage, but what lessons will he learn from Saturday's defeat? What does he need to change in order to beat top fighters? Does he take a few step backs, get some needed rounds against B-level opponents, or does he believe that he's ready for another shot at the best? Should he switch trainers? Is he getting the right advice from his team? 

It's easy to say that Yarde will be able to regroup and win a title in the future. But look around the division – Gvozdyk, Beterbiev, Bivol and Kovalev – one has to beat a terrific fighter to get a belt at light heavyweight. There are no guarantees that Yarde will be able to get to that level. 

Yarde's next set of decisions will be the most important ones he makes in his career. It took Kovalev a series of catastrophic defeats to make needed changes. Although Yarde isn't at that level, he might not be that far away. But does he know where he went wrong? He only gets to have one career, and if he wants one that lasts, he needs to realize that the status quo cannot suffice.

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. He's a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com.
snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook.