Yarde’s day of reckoning

ANThONY YARDe’S future as a potential world light-heavyweight champion will be cast into doubt if he loses to Lyndon Arthur a second time in tonight’s rematch.

But this clash in the Copper Box is at least as much a referendum on his trainer Tunde Ajayi, who found himself rather than his boxer in the firing line after the second defeat of his protege’s career.

No one seriously doubts Yarde’s considerable talent or courage. All those qualities were on view as he came close to an upset in his premature world title challenge to Sergey Kovalev in Russia.

It was his preparations which came under scrutiny as his stamina evaporated in the closing rounds, and he was stopped by the Krusher.

Those concerns intensified as Arthur jabbed his way to a split decision in their Commonwealth title showdown 16 months ago, after which Yarde revealed that he held back until too late in the fight for fear of running out of gas again.

This likeable, honest 30-year-old blamed himself but some urgent questions were asked about his training — not least by promoter Frank Warren.

Yarde, commendably loyal, defended Tunde. But he is intelligent, too, and he added the much-respected old-school veteran James Cook to his coaching team.

Arthur reminds Yarde that he carried an arm injury into their first fight in an empty church hall. The undefeated Mancunian, also 30, does not expect the London crowd in support of Yarde to significantly affect the fight.

If Team Yarde have made sensible adjustments, he may well revive his championship prospects. If not, he will slip significantly further down the rankings as Arthur climbs into world title contention.