Who is Anthony Yarde, Benavidez’s peculiar rival for the WBO light heavyweight world title?

27 wins – 24 by stoppage – and three defeats form the résumé of Anthony Yarde, who will step into the ring on Saturday, November 22, in Saudi Arabia to face David Benavídez, with the WBC and WBA light heavyweight belts on the line. Yarde, 34, stands 6ft (1.83m) with notable reach, and his durability alone makes him an intriguing threat to the American.

Benavídez has acknowledged both the courage and the skill of his challenger. Yarde has come close to capturing the WBO light heavyweight title as well as the unified WBC and IBF belts, only to fall short against elite opponents such as Sergey Kovalev, Lyndon Arthur and Artur Beterbiev.

Known as The Beast from the East, Yarde relies on stamina and punching power. His duels with Arthur left a strong impression: he dropped the first meeting but then won the next two, knocking Arthur out in the fourth round of their rematch. One of Yarde’s greatest strengths is his toughness – he has only been knocked down twice, by Kovalev and Beterbiev – and he enters this bout as a dangerous, live opponent.

The Ring IV card – title fights across the divisions

The main event will see David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde for the WBC and WBA light heavyweight titles. Brian Norman Jr meets Devin Haney for the WBO welterweight championship. Jesse Rodríguez faces Fernando Martínez for the WBC, WBA and WBO super flyweight crowns. Sam Noakes takes on Abdullah Mason for the WBO lightweight title.

Also on the bill: Vito Mielnicki vs Samuel Nmomah (middleweight), Sultan Almohammed vs Umesh Chavan (lightweight), Julio Porras vs Pius Penda (super middleweight) and Mohammed Alakel vs Jiaming Li (super featherweight).

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.