Artur Beterbiev showed his class once again to retain his WBC, IBF, WBO light-heavyweight belts courtesy of an eighth round knockout win over Anthony Yarde.
It was a high-intensity, big-hitting, back-and-forth finish to a card that certainly had its ups and downs.
From a 14-second knockout to a journeyman who has lost 97 of his 105 fights, there was something for everyone at the OVO Arena, Wembley.
Fight of the year contender?
As expected, the main event was full of fireworks.
Yarde came out strongly, landing firmly and often with a counter left in the opening rounds. However, Beterbiev’s experience and class eventually came to the fore as he settled into his rhythm.
Beterbiev worked both body and head before Yarde’s corner stepped in after he had been floored with a powerful right.
It might only be January, but that did not stop some suggesting the thrilling contest is an early contender for fight of the year.
Beterbiev’s record moves to 19-0, with all of those wins coming by knockout, but Yarde was a more than able adversary with two of the judges leaning in his favour before the stoppage.
Either way, it was a main event with twists and turns as the pair put it all on the line.
What next for Beterbiev?
Talk immediately turned to Beterbiev’s next opponent in the aftermath of his latest win and it appears there are several options.
Mixed night for Itauma brothers
Earlier on the card, brothers Karol and Moses Itauma both stepped into the ring, but their bouts ended in hugely contrasting circumstances.
Karol suffered a fifth round knockout loss to Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna for the WBC International light-heavyweight belt.
But Moses, making his professional debut only weeks after turning 18, announced himself to the world with a stunning 14-second knockout.
Sharp by name, not by nature
It is fair to say there was a mixed reaction to journeyman Darryl Sharp, whose record is now 7-97-1, featuring on the card against prospect Tommy Fletcher, who moves to 4-0 following a points victory.
Sharp fought 13 times last year, winning twice, but he was outboxed over six rounds in his first contest of 2023 and his appearance so late on the card divided opinion.
YouTube face-off delays main event
And finally… in scenes that would not be out of place in the WWE, American YouTuber-turned boxer Jake Paul and British fighter Tommy Fury faced off in the ring before the main event.
The duo are set to fight in Saudi Arabia on 26 February. It was an odd interlude to the main event, and who knows what Yarde and Beterbiev were thinking being made to wait backstage while Fury and Paul shouted at each other.
