Anthony Yarde was left flat on the canvas after putting in a tremendous effort against a world champion boxer.
En route to compiling an 18-0 resume, ‘The Beast’ had received a lot of criticism.
While he’d showcased phenomenal athleticism and awe-inspiring power, his level of opposition hadn’t been up to scratch.
But that all changed in his 19th fight when he set foot inside the ring with one of the pound-for-pound best.
WOW: Anthony Yarde’s crushing uppercut KO in 2022 set up his fight with Artur Beterbiev
Anthony Yarde got knocked out cold by Sergey Kovalev
On August 24, 2019, Anthony Yarde travelled to the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia, to go to war with Sergey Kovalev for the WBO light heavyweight world championship.
Going into the match-up, ‘The Destroyer’ was considered one of the most terrifying competitors on the planet, with punching power so ferocious it could end the fight at any given second.
UK fans knew all about what the dangerous fighter was capable of, having watched Kovalev destroy Nathan Cleverly inside of just four rounds.
However, despite the daunting nature of the challenge, the Brit entered the fight with the inner belief that he had the ability to upset the apple cart.
Yarde started relatively well, but it was the hometown hero who won the early exchanges, landing the heavier shots over the first few rounds.
However, after a sustained period of success, in the eighth segment, the underdog rocked the Russian to his core with a thunderous right hand.
Smelling blood in the water, Yarde pounced, landing devastating shots that did everything but put Kovalev on the canvas.
In a moment of magic, the unthinkable upset looked like it was about to occur, but in a testament to his sheer resilience, Kovalev managed to navigate his way through the dangerous waters before eventually asserting his dominance once more.
By the 11th round, an exhausted Yarde was still doing everything in his power to somehow claw his way back into the contest, but after taking a solid jab, he tumbled toward the canvas and the fight was waved off.
Anthony Yarde will fight Lyndon Arthur on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn card
Almost six years on from that night, Yarde is still chasing his dream of becoming a world champion.
In his second shot at scaling the mountain, he put in an almighty effort against Artur Beterbiev, but once again fell short.
On Saturday night, on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn, he’ll look to finally settle his differences with Lyndon Arthur.
With the pair currently 1-1, they both know a victory is paramount if they want another shot at fighting for world honors.