The only surprising thing to occur at The Night Of The Champions pre-event press conference was that one of the eight stars in attendance - Anthony Yarde, who challenges David Benavidez for the WBC and WBA light heavyweight titles in Saudi Arabia atop a terrific card on Saturday- refused to predict victory for himself. The rest – Benavidez, Brian Norman Jnr, Devin Haney, Jesse Rodriguez, Fernando Martinez, Sam Noakes and Abdullah Mason – all followed the script.
Yarde, 27-3 (24 KOs), was also the odd one out because he has losses on his record. Those defeats came against Sergey Kovalev and Artur Beterbiev in bouts he was widely expected to lose. The realism he now exudes, and the understanding that pre-fight bluster can only take you so far, was strengthened in those fights.
“We’re here again,” Yarde said. “This is the best version of me. I always said I didn’t want an easy route, I always wanted to beat someone [to win a world title]. That’s why I went to Russia to fight Kovalev, they told me not to fight him. Then Beterbiev, they told me not to fight him. That’s how I want to win the world title.
“I feel like I’m a better fighter now. All I know is it’s going to be very, very exciting. Stylistically, it’s going to end in a knockout.” And, to his credit, he refused to predict whether he or Benavidez would be scoring it.
The favorite reciprocated the respect. “I had my eyes on Yarde for a long time, lot of heart, lot of power,” Benavidez said. “I make every fight every war, I’ve had a great training camp. This has been the hardest I’ve trained for any of my fights, I’ll bring that war.
“I’m looking to dominate but I’m ready for whatever, I’m ready for war.
“I’ve never overlooked anyone. I’ve given Anthony all the respect he deserves and I’m extremely ready. There will only be one man who gets his hand raised and that is David Benavidez.”
Brian Norman Jnr, 28-0 (22 KOs), will defend his WBO welterweight title against Devin Haney, 32-0-1 NC (15 KOs) in arguably the hardest-to-call matchup on the bill.
“You either got it, or you don’t,” Norman said as he alluded to Haney being past his best. “He done some great things in his time. But he can’t run forever against me. I can win by any means necessary. It can go to the cards, or I can knock him out.”
So, what is it going to be? “He’s going to sleep, bro.”
Haney has seen his reputation as one of the best fighters in the sport slide since he lost to Ryan Garcia last year, even though that result became a no-contest when Garcia was banned for failing drug tests.
“I’m happy that I’m the underdog,” Haney, who has won belts at lightweight and junior welterweight, said. “It’s a dream come true to be fighting in Riyadh and for another world title. This is not my first rodeo; I will bring back the world title. We fight everyone in a different way. The world gonna see what game-plan we’ve drawn up.”
And his final prediction? “Devin Haney, WBO champion.”
The fathers and trainers of the combatants chimed in with their own opinions. A subplot of this excellent fight has been the squabbling Brian Norman Snr and Bill Haney and it continued tonight. In the end, Norman Snr wisely opted to ignore Haney Snr’s invitation to wrestle on stage. Before that, both predicted victory for their boys.
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez cut a significantly more relaxed figure, one day after the birth of his son, and two days before a terrific clash with Argentina’s Fernando “Puma” Martinez for the WBC, WBO and WBA junior bantamweight titles. “Honestly, this fight ends how I want it,” Rodriguez, 22-0 (15 KOs), said. “I can go the distance, I can win by knockout. I know I’m going to win and take these belts back to my children.”
His son, Milo, was born yesterday. Rodriguez has long promised it won’t be a distraction. “We knew the birth date was going to fall close to the fight date,” he said. “It’s more fuel to the fire to get the motivation to get the win. You will see why I am a special fighter. It’s going to be another fantastic performance from myself.”
Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), was not quite as relaxed. One might even describe his demeanour as ‘pumped’. He too is coming only to win, of course.
“He’s never faced a Puma Martinez from Argentina, a ferocious Puma Martinez from Argentina, I’m going to eat him up on Saturday night,” he said. “I win by knockout.”
In another battle between unbeatens, Britain’s Sam Noakes takes on Abdullah Mason with the vacant WBO lightweight title on the line.
Noakes, 17-0 (15 KOs), is a heavy underdog but shrugged at the idea that might be a hindrance. “I have one of those styles that people might say is one dimensional, but people will see it’s not so easy to figure out on Saturday,” he said. “I don’t mind being the underdog it just means that everyone who bets on me will win a lot of money.”
So, what should everyone bet on? “Sam Noakes, knockout.”
Veteran Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren concurred. “He’s one of the best young fighters in the UK and he’s done everything that’s been asked of him – he’s won every title,” Warren said of Noakes. “Abdullah is going to have his hands full and he’s not going to have to go looking for him.”
The uber-talented Mason, 19-0 (17 KOs), thinks he’s going to win, too. “Boxing gets its new talent on Saturday night,” he said. “I’m going to dominate the lightweight division.”
