Artur Beterbiev has taken a playful dig at Anthony Yarde following his victory in their dramatic clash at the OVO Arena this past weekend.
Yarde had done an interview around the time the fight was first announced, where he said he thought Beterbiev looked slow in his win over Joe Smith Jr last year.
And in the post fight press conference, Beterbiev admitted Yarde’s words were ringing in his ears – and that he thought the Brit was the one who lacked speed.
“He watched my last fight and said I’m slow, so during the fight I’m thinking ‘why has he said I’m slow? He’s slow – not me!’ I think he made a mistake.”
“King Artur” eventually wore Yarde down in a back and forth affair, a punishing overhand right in the eighth round flooring the challenger and bringing about the beginning of the end.
Although Yarde gamely rose to his feet and beat the referee’s count, his long time trainer and friend Tunde Ajayi had seen enough and took to the ring apron to halt the fight as Beterbiev began to unload on the shaken 31 year old.
Since the bout’s conclusion, calls have been rampant for Yarde to face domestic rival Joshua Buatsi, who was working on the night as part of BT Sport’s broadcast team.
Beterbiev looks set for a return to British shores sooner rather than later, this time to defend his titles against WBC mandatory challenger Callum Smith.
At their annual convention in Alcapuclo, the WBC confirmed Beterbiev would be ordered to fight former super middleweight champion Smith next, and that no allowances would be made for an undisputed match up with WBA light heavyweight champion Dimitri Bivol.