Boxing community react to Sergey Kovalev vs Anthony Yarde
WBO world light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1) survived an eighth-round scare to knock out novice Anthony Yarde (18-1) in the11th round in Russia on August 24.
'The Beast from the East' was confident going into his first world title fight and came so close to clinching a colossal win in 'Krusher's' home city of Chelyabinsk, but the experienced champ weathered the storm to come back stronger, pouncing on the fatigued challenger in the penultimate round to close the show in style.
Post-fight the reactions have been varied from the boxing community:
Andre Ward
Two-weight undisputed world champion
"Anthony Yarde was 2-3 punches away from stopping Kov. Yarde can fight, just needs to make adjustments with his camp.
Respect to him. Kov proved he's stil got something left, but he needs to grab that Canelo [fight], then [retire]. At this point, every fight will be hard for him."
Paul Smith
World super-middleweight title contender
"Honest opinion? His trainer is a fraud. He's more interested in himself, his ego and his social media presence. He's done nothing in boxing. Dangerous. Yardes is a nice kid. needs a good, experienced team around him to realise his potential."
Miles Shinkwin
English light-heavyweight champion
"Last night above all else proved that you can't buy/teach experience. It's only learnt doing.
Yarde done a lot better than most expected but in the end got 'old man-ed' by the seasoned pro. Plus side though, if he invests monies made properly he'll never have to worry about work."
Mark Tibbs
Dillian Whyte's trainer
"Old but gold Kovalev. Good time for him to retire… what you think?"
Martin Theobald
New Age Boxing
"Yarde did well. Lost, did well.
Tunde though… if you love your man as you say, you would have pulled him out after 10. But when you've talked in the build up, seems you lose the ability to make a sensible decision. His system failed, he failed. Not Yarde's fault though, credit."
Anthony Fowler
Commonwealth Games gold medallist
"He's [Tunde] done very well to take Yarde from a novice to elite world level so he's done something right, but to shout motivation in the corner instead of tactics is madness to me, it's elite level not a white collar fight."
Dave Allen
Commonwealth & WBA Continental heavyweight title contender
"Anthony Yarde is just physically a monster athlete, world level? He hasn't beat nobody and should be nowhere near a world title, I think he can go all the way but that's due to his natural athletic ability and toughness not his skill level."
Tommy McCarthy
WBA Inter-Continental cruiserweight contender
"I think Tunde is getting unfair stick on my timeline. He started working with Yarde as a raw novice and has taken him all the way to title challenger. He's eccentric but let's call a spade a spade lads. How many coaches have took a boxer from novice to world level?"
Jeff Thomas
Irish super-lightweight title contender
"If Anthony Yarde gets the right trainer who properly develops his ringcraft he is entirely capable of becoming a legit world champion.
He was beaten due to his inability to read his opponent's recovery. Just experience. Experience that could have been substituted with knowledge."