The featured attraction of Ring IV culminated in a dominant performance, as WBC light heavyweight titleholder David Benavidez (31 wins, 0 losses, 25 by knockout) secured a seventh-round knockout victory against the determined challenger, Anthony Yarde (27 wins, 4 losses, 24 by knockout), at the ANB Arena situated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
Despite its duration of merely seven rounds, the contest proved to be the most captivating segment of the Riyadh Season event. Yarde exhibited the resilience of a warrior, delivering impactful blows to both the head and body of ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez, momentarily disrupting his momentum.
Regrettably for Yarde, Benavidez consistently countered with rapid combinations, unleashing a barrage of strikes akin to a machine gun. The potent left hooks that Yarde utilized to unsettle former unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in his previous world title bid in 2023 were notably absent during this encounter.
Benavidez capitalized on Yarde’s reliance on single strikes by unleashing a torrent of punches in the seventh round, resulting in cuts, a bloodied nose, and Yarde’s descent to the canvas. Benavidez persisted in his assault while Yarde was grounded.
Initially, the referee appeared hesitant to intervene, but following Yarde’s protest regarding the delayed strike, a timeout was called, and Benavidez was penalized. However, the brief respite proved insufficient for Yarde to recuperate from the extensive damage sustained during the round.
Upon resumption of the bout, Benavidez overwhelmed Yarde with another flurry of punches, compelling referee Hector Afu to halt the fight. The official declaration of stoppage occurred at 1:59 of the seventh round.
Yarde’s strategic error stemmed from repeatedly retreating to the ropes and adopting a defensive posture, rather than maintaining a central position within the ring, where he demonstrated greater effectiveness. By engaging with his back against the ropes, he rendered himself vulnerable to Benavidez’s rapid-fire punches.
In retrospect, this tactical approach proved detrimental to Yarde, mirroring his previous performances in losses against Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev. It appears to be a recurring pattern linked to his stamina limitations.
