As speculation intensifies surrounding a showdown between WBO World light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and undefeated mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde, the latter’s trainer Tunde Ajayi has sensationally opined that his fighter represents the “A-Side” of any potential bout, and has categorically ruled out the prospect of the fight taking place abroad.
Speaking to iFLTV at a London event hosted by former boxer Mark Prince, Ajayi – a charismatic yet controversial figure in the British boxing scene who has been cultivating a reputation as something of a maverick – emphasised that they would only accept a Kovalev fight were it to take place in Britain; preferably at Emirates Stadium, the home of Yarde’s beloved Arsenal Football Club.
Stratford-born Yarde, who trains out of the world renowned Peacock Gym in Canning Town, dispatched of his latest opponent Travis Reeves with ease at Kensington’s Royal Albert Hall, stopping the American with a vicious display of powerful combinations in the fifth round to extend his unblemished record to 18-0 with 17 knockouts.
Despite the steadily growing number of critics who are keen to bemoan his apparent reluctance to face domestic opposition, and like to suggest that he is more style than substance, Yarde maintains an unbridled confidence in his ability to not only beat Kovalev – but to knock him out.
However, the self-styled ‘Beast from the East’ would likely open as a significant underdog against another ‘Beast from the East’ in the form of the seasoned Kovalev, who emerged from humble beginnings in Chelyabinsk – a city that straddles the Ural Mountains in the heart of Eurasia – to become one of Russia’s finest modern boxing exports.
The “Krusher”, who at this point in his career can reasonably be deemed a veteran and possibly even on the decline, is a former pound-for-pound superstar and unified champion who has frequently faced elite opposition throughout his career – sometimes winning, sometimes losing – but the fact remains that unlike the promising and powerful Yarde, Kovalev is definitely proven material.
One understated quality that Kovalev possesses – alongside the destructive force he carries in both hands, the his supreme skills honed by his tenure in Russia’s famously competitive amateur system – is his sheer resilience he has demonstrated after suffering setbacks.
After a shock defeat to unfavored challenger Eleider Alvarez in the summer of 2018, Kovalev reinvented himself under the guidance of Brooklyn’s respected Buddy McGurt to bounce back with a vengeance and virtually shutout his younger and stronger Colombian counterpart in an immediate rematch; a fight that many believed would be his last.
Ultimately, however, Yarde and Tunde Ajayi – in accordance with their consistent mantra of “Everything is timing” – believe the stage is now set for Yarde to close the curtain on an illustrious career and propel himself to international relevance in the process.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan________