By Ken Hissner: At the OV Arena, Wembley, London, UK, Saturday over ESPN+ Bob Arum (Top Rank Boxing) and Frank Warren (Queensberry Promotions) presented in the Main Event unbeaten IBF, WBO and WBC World Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev stopped Commonwealth Boxing Council, and WBO Inter-Continental champion and No. 1 ranked WBO contender Anthony Yarde in the eighth round of a competitive fight for his nineteenth consecutive stoppage.
In co-feature, WBA World Flyweight champion Artem Dalakian won a narrow decision over WBA Gold World Flyweight champion David “Medallita” Jimenez in his sixth defense.
In the Main Event Olympian, IBF, WBO, and WBC World Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, 19-0 (19), #174 ½, of Russia and Montreal, Quebec, CAN, stopped Commonwealth and WBO Inter-Continental Anthony “The Beast from the East” Yarde, 23-3 (22), #174 ¼, of Ilford, London, UK, at 2:01 of the eighth round of a competitive fight scheduled for 12 rounds.
In the second round making his UK debut, Beterbiev landed a right to the chin of Yarde halfway through the round. Yarde, with a minute remaining, landed a right uppercut to the chin and, seconds later, another right uppercut. In the third round, Yarde used his jab being chased by Beterbiev to keep him from landing a big punch. A good right to the body from Beterbiev was his best punch with a minute remaining.
In the fourth round, Beterbiev pinned Yarde in a corner landing a flurry of punches before Yarde was able to escape. With a minute remaining, Yarde landed a solid left hook to the chin of Beterbiev.
In the fifth round, Yarde lost his mouthpiece from a jab for the second time, getting a warning from Referee Steve Gray. With a minute remaining, a left hook from Yarde on the chin rocked Beterbiev. In the final seconds of the round, Beterbiev again pinned Yarde in a corner, landing over a dozen unanswered punches at the bell.
In the sixth round, Yarde was cut under the right eye from a Beterbiev right in the early seconds of the round. With a minute remaining a right from Yarde opened a cut under the left eye and on the eyelid of Beterbiev. In the seventh round, at the halfway point, Beterbiev pinned Yarde against the ropes landing half a dozen unanswered punches. Yarde landed a left hook to the chin of Beterbiev, getting him to back up.
In the eighth round, Beterbiev landed a pair of overhand rights on the head, dropping Yarde, who took an 8-count from Referee Gray. He got up, turning his back toward Beterbiev, facing his corner when the referee had him continue until several punches from Beterbiev and the Yarde corner called a halt.
In the co-feature, WBA World Flyweight champion Artem Dalakian, 22-0 (15), #111.6, of Baku, AZE and Kyiv, UKR, won by a narrow decision over David “Metallita” Jimenez, 12-1 (9), #111.1, of Cartago, CR, over 12 rounds in his sixth defense.
In the first three rounds, Jimenez never stopped coming forward as Dalakian took the rounds in the champion’s sixth defense and first out of Ukraine. In the fourth round, final seconds a left hook from Dalakian on the chin made the knees of Jimenez buckle.
At the fifth round’s halfway point, a clash of heads caused a cut over the right eye of Jimenez, causing blood to run down the side of his face, yet he kept coming forward. In the sixth round, Dalakian started not backing up midway, landing effective punches to the chin of Jimenez.
In the seventh round, Jimenez continues to get away with hitting Dalakian behind the head in clinches without warning from Referee Michael Alexander. Another good round from the champion Dalakian.
In the tenth round, Dalakian used effective uppercuts to the chin of Jimenez, who was trying to become the first world champion from Costa Rica. In the eleventh round, the action continues as Jimenez overall seems to have landed more, whether more effective punches or not. In the twelfth and final rounds, both tried to pull out the win in a very close fight.
Scores were 115-113 twice and 116-112, with this writer 114-114.
Southpaw Karol Itauma, 9-1 (7), #174.1, of Slovakia and Chatham, Kent, UK, was stopped by Ezequiel Osvaldo “El Olympico” Maderna, 29-10 (19), #174.7, of La Plata, Bueno Aires, ARG, at 1:04 of the fifth of a scheduled ten rounds, for the vacant WBC International Light Heavy title.
In the first round, six times Maderna landed his right on the chin of the southpaw Itauma. In the second round’s final minute, Itauma landed a right on the neck, causing Maderna’s right glove to touch the canvas without a count from Referee John Latham. In the fifth round, Maderna landed a grazing right on the right side of the face of Itauma and down the latter went with blood from his nose, taking the count from referee Latham as he was getting up. It was the first time in nine fights outside of Argentina that Maderna has won.
Super Featherweight Charles ‘Boom Boom’ Frankham, 7-0 (2), #132 ½, of Crowthorne, Berkshire, UK, defeated Joshua Ocampo, 8-11-4 (6), #128, of Cucuta, COL, and Valencia, SP, over six rounds.
Score 60-54 by referee Sean McAvoy.
Cruiserweight 6’07” southpaw Tommy ‘The Norfolk Nightmare’ Fletcher, 4-0 (3), #199.4, of Thatford, Norfolk, UK, defeated southpaw Darryl Sharp, 7-97-1 (1), #188.5, of Manchester, UK, over six rounds.
In the first two rounds, the much taller Fletcher dominated the iron chinned (only stopped three times in 104 fights) Sharp. In the third round, Fletcher landed a solid right uppercut to the chin of the defense-minded Sharp halfway through the round. In the sixth and final round, Sharp got in his punch of the fight a left on the chin of Fletcher halfway through the round. Fletcher got six rounds in for the first time, going the distance.
Referee Sean McAvoy scored it 60-54, as did this writer.
Heavyweight southpaw Moses “Enriko” Itauma, 1-0 (1), #248, of Chatham, Kent, UK, stopped Marcel Bode, 2-2 (2), #220, of Pizen, Czech Republic, at 0:23 of the first round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round, Itauma landed a pair of lead lefts in the second on the glove of Bode guarding his chin, and down he went for the 8-count before getting up and getting waved off by Referee Mark Bates.