Light heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde explained that his mandatory fight with WBO world champion Sergey Kovalev was delayed long enough to get a drug testing protocol in place for both boxers.

The fight was initially targeted for the date of June 29.

Their contest now takes place on August 24th at Kovalev's home city of Chelyabinsk in Russia.

The original fight date was delayed when Kovalev was discussing the possibility of facing Canelo Alvarez in September.

When the Canelo negotiations fell through, Kovalev and his handlers went forward with the Yarde clash.

"That enabled us to make a big palaver about Sergey not wanting drugs testing for our initial date of June 29. Thank God it worked. I'm not alleging anything about Sergey but I'm 100 per cent delighted to know for sure that this will be a clean fight," Yarde told The Daily Mail.

"Fighters who use drugs are not only cheating but putting the lives of their opponents in even greater danger. I was tested the other week on a trip to Las Vegas when I was besieged by phone calls as I walked along the Strip and had to rush back to my hotel instead going to eat at Hooters.

"Then as soon as I got home I was tested four times in quick succession. It's reassuring to know that Kovalev will be getting the same."

Kovalev has the experience, but Yarde believes his youth, skills and power will overcome that factor.

Yarde is not worried about the judges, because he's very motivated to win the fight by knockout.

"I will remove the judges from the equation by knocking him out. It's not complicated. He didn't want this fight because while there was no shame for him losing to Andre Ward, he will be seriously embarrassed when he loses to this novice he sees as a kid," Yarde said.