Sergey Kovalev retained his WBO heavyweight title after stopping Anthony Yarde in Russia.
The 36-year-old put an end to a thrilling competition on lap 11, knocking out the challenger for the first time in his career at Chelyabinsk.
But Kovalev had big problems in the eighth round, during which Yarde briefly took control, rocking the champion with devastating blows that put him within reach of the belt.
Kovalev, however, superbly rallied the troops, forcing a spectacular stop and ending the brave challenge of Yarde.
Yarde was considered an outsider of rank for Saturday's title fight – a fighter at nearly 3,000 kilometers from home against a man who was one of the best fighters of the pound to pound on the planet he three years ago.
Kolalev sent the young challenger for seven rounds with his superb jab allowing him to keep total control of the fight.
Yarde did not get tired despite the fact that he was in the back foot in each of these grueling events – and produced a remarkable bout in the round of 16, surprising the home crowd with a series of shots huge on the floor and in the body where the Russian was on the ropes.
Kovalev was saved by the bell and microphones located above the ring took his trainer Buddy McGirt telling him that he would shoot him if he pulled out a Yard shot.
This turned out to be a revealing motivation, with the arrival of Russia in the ninth of a new fighter, refreshed once again and dangerous.
Yarde was unable to capitalize and the bravery that he had demonstrated in the previous round was no longer a match for the champion's superior experience and his ring craft.
An exhausted Yard was finally hit in eleventh place by another blow – but he will return to the capital with a greatly improved reputation.
Live updates
2019-08-24T19: 35: 26.993Z
Kovalev retains WBO lightweight title
Kovalev finishes an exhausted Yard with a huge left in the 11th round.
Yarde almost had that in the eighth – but eventually the champion class was too much.
2019-08-24T19: 32: 10.573Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Round 11
Yarde is down after another big left – it's over!
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 29: 28.286Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Tour 10
What answer was Kovalev!
He forces Yard into the ropes with another formidable left before reaching a sublime left-right combo on his tiring opponent.
Yarde is now marked with every stroke – he looks exhausted and Kovalev punishes him with a remarkable demonstration of power and precision.
Another five seconds and it would surely have stopped.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 25: 37.943Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Tower 9
Kovalev took huge strokes in the eighth inning and his coach Buddy McGirt told him: take another shot like this and I shoot you.
Yarde tries to get back to work but may have tired of this tireless round and Kolalev responds superbly by regaining his composure.
He pushes Yarde's head back with a slap to the left, bringing back the momentum again and ending the tour under control and much cooler of both.
Did Yarde leave Kovalev?
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 21: 43.136Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Round 8
Yarde goes to work with a bullet in the body and begins to bring Kovalev halfway through the round with some of those famous powerful shots.
Kovalev responds with a strong attack on the left, but Yarde comes back again, hustling the champion with a series of hard shots, including a sublime three-shot combo!
Kovalev is everywhere, staggering in search of air as Yarde returns again and again.
What a tour for the Londoner! Play on.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 17: 25.420Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Round 7
Yarde has a lot of things to do here, but he still has fresh air in there and his punches still have a lot to crack.
The Londoner targets the body during the second half of the fight, shooting a few shots that could stop most men but seem to barely worry Kovalev.
The best round of Yarde's fight by a margin – but Kolalev still wins.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 13: 52.273Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Round 6
The Yard Gum Shield flies – slips out rather than being knocked out. After a brief break, we are back and Yarde picks up the ball well to keep things interesting.
Kovalev resumes work with this jab though and Yarde has blood flowing from his nose when the round ends.
The last two rounds have been Yarde's best, but the champion has won all rounds until now – almost all comfortably.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 09: 23.613Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Round 5
Yarde sways at the start of the round, but Kovalev is too smooth for him and the challenger runs right into the champion's left hook.
Another left finds its target – but Yarde ends on a positive note, shooting a few shots. Better Yarde, who still looks relatively cool there.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 05: 00.716Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Tower 4
Kovalev's excellent again who clinches a quick left-right combination at the start of the round while he regains control early.
Kovalev puts more pressure on the challenger – and finds a superb left for good measure. Yarde takes it well, but he must quickly do something important and disrupt the pace of the champion – he has lost all the runs of this contest until now.
ACTION
2019-08-24T19: 00: 47.336Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Tour 3
The sting of Kovalev has been flawless so far tonight – Yarde can not get out of it.
Yarde gets another descent left – but the champion does not go back and returns to work, getting a great punch.
Much of the pre-fight discussion centered on the fact that Yarde had to let go early in the competition. We have not seen that yet.
ACTION
2019-08-24T18: 57: 02.360Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | 2nd round
Kovalev has a brilliant left in the last minute of the Yarde round. The challenger did well to eat it but it was a much more dominating turn of the champion with this jab keeping Yarde within reach.
Yarde picks up a nice little left hook at the end of the round – but that's 2 out of 2 for the champion so far.
ACTION
2019-08-24T18: 52: 50.026Z
Kovalev vs Yarde | Tour 1
Kovalev starts very early but Yarde seems relaxed, calmly moving aside to escape. The Londoner tries to convince the champion to return to the game and gets a good right, although his opponent manages to block the worst.
No sign for the moment of Yarde freezing on the big stage – but the champion probably marks the first match.
"DING DING"
2019-08-24T18: 49: 27.770Z
AND THAT IS PARTY!
2019-08-24T18: 45: 28.080Z
Time of the national anthem.
2019-08-24T18: 42: 58.263Z
This was not the hostile reception that many expected from Yarde. Will it work in his favor?
2019-08-24T18: 40: 53.250Z
And here is the champion. A warm welcome for the 36-year-old, who is fighting in his country for the first time since 2016.
2019-08-24T18: 38: 32.736Z
Yarde receives polite applause from the Russian crowd – not much else, most of them remaining indifferent. We think the local champion might receive a slightly different welcome.
2019-08-24T18: 37: 38.773Z
Yarde looks very calm – as he has done all week – while he is heading to the ring. It is almost 3000 miles from home at the moment.
2019-08-24T18: 35: 20.603Z
And here is Yarde – the Londoner is heading to the ring – briefly to the music of Rock!
