YARDE’S ROAR EMOTION
Anthony Decks Spelman in first fight since defeat by Kovalev and after losing loved ones to Covid-19
ANTHONY YARDE struggled to contain his emotions after his comeback win over Dec Spelman.
Yarde stopped the game Spelman in six rounds in his first fight since losing his dad and gran to the coronavirus in the first two weeks of lockdown in late March and early April.
It was also his first meaningful aningfight since losing to WBO light-heavyweight champ p Sergey Kovalev in August
2019, and he admitted the last year has been difficult for him.
“As everyone knows,
I’ve been through a lot,” ” said the Hackney fighter. .
“There are things everyone yone knows and there are things thi everyone doesn’t know, so this win means a lot to me.
“Everyone knows about the last year, losing the Kovalev fight and taking a loss in the boxing ring.
“I took a loss in life and I know what that feels like, so this win means a lot.”
The 29- year- old was ferocious against Spelman at York Hall, giving him a bloody nose in the third with a relentless onslaught.
He finished it in the sixth when referee Michael Alexander waved if off after Spelman went down on one knee under a barrage of right hands (below).
Spelman had never been stopped and reacted angrily, but Alexander had done him a favour.
Yarde, who improves to 20-1, was pleased with w his display and said: “It’s a all about experience. I’ve on only had 12 amateur fights a and 20-odd professional f fights.
“Everyone knows I have a lot more to give a and it’s about learning in th the ring.”
Y Yarde remains on course for a Battle of Britain with Olympic bronze medallist Josh Buatsi, but promoter Frank Warren says he will fight unbeaten Commonwealth champ Lyndon Arthur next.
“That’s the fight we were already looking to make and that fight was to take place on the undercard of Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce,” said Warren. “That’s what we are working on.”