WBC champion David Benavidez has retained his title after stopping challenger Anthony Yardie in the seventh round in Riyadh on Sunday morning.
34-year-old Londoner Yardie began cautiously, matching Benavidez in a tactical opening but the American settled quickly into the fight maximizing his superior speed, accuracy and took over.
Benavidez gradually broke Yarde down, sending him to the canvas in the seventh round after a heavy combination, with blood streaming from the challenger’s nose.
Although Benavidez was deducted two points for punching Yarde while he was down, the momentum was already irreversible.
Sensing Yarde was badly hurt, the champion unleashed another barrage moments later, forcing the referee to wave off the contest with a minute left in the round.
“I stuck in there. I’m a fighter,” Yarde told BBC Radio 5 Live afterwards. “I felt it was competitive. I was boxing, thinking we would exchange in the middle rounds.”
“He caught me with a good shot on the nose, and when I took a knee and he hit me while I was down, I was dizzy after that.”
Benavidez remains unbeaten, improving to 31 wins with 25 knockouts.
After the fight, the 28-year-old announced he intends to move up to cruiserweight to challenge Mexico’s Gilberto Ramirez on 2 May, aiming to become a three-weight world champion.
For Yarde, this defeat marks his third unsuccessful crack at a world title, following losses to Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and Artur Beterbiev in 2022.
Despite moments of success in the early rounds, the Briton struggled to match Benavidez’s relentless pressure in the later stages.
While retirement may be discussed, Yarde still has attractive domestic options, including potential bouts against Joshua Buatsi or Callum Smith, as he considers the next chapter of his career.
