Anthony Yarde v Artur Beterbiev predictions and boxing betting tips: Yarde has upset potential

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, approximately 10.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Anthony Yarde
1pt 6-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Over 1.5 knockdowns
2pts 10-11 bet365

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Yarde v Beterbiev preview

You would be forgiven for thinking that Anthony Yarde faces mission impossible when he takes on the undefeated and unified light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev at Wembley Arena on Saturday night. 

Beterbiev, unbeaten in 18 professional contests, stopped impressive WBO light-heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr in two rounds to add that strap to his WBC and IBF titles last summer and all of the Russian-born boxer’s 18 victories have come by stoppage. 

The Dagestan man has crushed Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne and Callum Johnson in recent years and Beterbiev’s record suggests Yarde faces the toughest of tests. 

However, there are some rays of light for the Hackney hitter. For all that Beterbiev’s punch power has ripped through the 175lbs division, he was dropped by Johnson in 2018, has fought just three times since 2019 and time may be catching up with the 38-year-old champion, even if there aren’t many miles on his professional clock. 

Age will surely prevent Beterbiev from operating at this level for too much longer so it could be worth taking a punt at 6-1 that the younger and fresher Yarde can speed up that decline. 

The Beast from the East failed when challenging for Sergey Kovalev’s world title in 2019, and Yarde was then upset by British rival Lydon Arthur. However, he swiftly avenged that defeat to Arthur and the effort against Kovalev was not without credit. 

The 31-year-old had the former WBO champ rocked in the eighth round before those exertions took their toll and Yarde was stopped in the 11th. That was his first taste of the big time and, although the Brit has questions to answer, there is a sense that there could be more to come from him. 

Beterbiev may well prove too good and too powerful but the 38-year-old looks too short at 1-7. It’s 1-6 that the fight fails to go the distance but it may take more than one shot for either man to end it so backing over 1.5 knockdowns at 10-11, in a bout in which all but one of the fighters' 41 combined career victories have come by stoppage, also looks worth a bet.

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