David Benavidez Stops Anthony Yarde in Seventh-Round Knockout

By William Dumoulin

Benavidez Yarde

In defense of his WBC and WBA light-heavyweight titles, David Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) delivered a seventh-round knockout against Anthony Yarde (27-4, 24 KOs), handing the British contender his third stoppage loss after defeats to Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev.

Benavidez produced his most convincing performance since moving up to light-heavyweight, showcasing the speed and power that once made him one of the most dangerous fighters at super middleweight. His punches were sharp and accurate, and the relentless pressure he applied ultimately overwhelmed Yarde.

Looking ahead, Benavidez announced that his next target is Mexican cruiserweight champion Zurdo Ramirez, a matchup that could allow him to capture a world title in a third weight division.

Haney Becomes a Three-Division Champion

Behind a composed and disciplined performance, Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) claimed a world title in a third weight class, earning a unanimous decision over WBO champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) with scores of 117–110, 116–111, and 114–113. Haney even scored a knockdown in the second round with a perfectly timed right hand.

It was one of Haney’s strongest showings in recent memory, following less convincing outings against Ryan Garcia and Jose Ramirez.

Other Results

• Abdullah Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) captured the WBO lightweight title with a unanimous decision win (115–113 ×2, 117–111) over Sam Noakes (17-1, 15 KOs).

• Jesse Rodriguez (23-0, 16 KOs) scored a 10th-round knockout over Fernando Martinez (18-1, 9 KOs).

• Vito Mielnicki Jr. (22-1, 13 KOs) stopped Samuel Nmomah (21-1, 5 KOs) in the 9th round to win the WBO Global middleweight championship.