Yarde V Joe Smith Jnr - Vacant WBO Title

Yarde had 1 decent round against a shot Kov but was otherwise completely dominated.

He needs to move down a level or 2, work on his many flaws and then may have some chance against the likes of Smith Jnr.

 

I hope that this is the fight for the vacant WBO title but I wouldn't take Spencer Fearons word. I remember reading that Bob Arum was trying to make Zurdo Ramirez v Umar Salamov for the vacant belt which would be crap because Salamov sucks and Ramirez would hold the belt hostage like he did at 168

 

Warren and Yarde will take it, they will do all they can for a Joe Smith vacant title fight.

Because they need to get their hands on a vacant title shot because Yarde isn't beating Beterbiev or any of the others.

So try and grab the vacant title, hold it hostage Cleverly style until some very good mandatory challenger forces a fight and irons him out.

Because if Yarde and Warren get their grubby little mitts on a title they won't be looking for unification fights, it will be easy boring defence after easy boring defence for years to come.

 

A guy who can punch with a decent engine VS a guy who can punch and not much else.
Yarde had 1 good round V Kovalev...Everyone before hand had called his lack of experience his poor stamina etc and its exactly how it played out.

Smith can bang and sets a good pace. Unless he's bothered by Yarde's power there's only one winner

 

Excellent fight if so. Smith Jr can't box particularly well but he's up there with the best in terms of power

 

I read an interview with Joe Gallagher today saying that Callum Smith might fight Gilberto Ramirez for the vacant WBO title at 175.

I really like the Yarde vs Smith jnr fight though and hope it happens, title or no title. It probably won't though.

 

I actually fancy smith blasting yarde in a round or two

 

Smith is being overrated since his latest win. Good fighter but nothing special, Bivol out boxed Smith with relative ease.

Yarde vs Smith is a 50/50 fight I reckon.

 

Small heads get too much ridicule and persecution on this forum

 

I still don’t think we know where Yarde is in terms of levels, bud. A shot version of Kovalev had enough left to deal with him. Apart from a 10-20 second great spell, he never really troubled Kovalev. I don’t think Smith is all that either, but he’s got wins over the likes of Hopkins, Hart and Fonfara. Bivol and Barrera did him on points. So he’s in or around the fringes of world level and he’s got a serious dig on him.

Yarde has to make a few adjustments for me if he’s to push on. He has too much muscle mass that you don’t need at 175. He keeps trying to throw a lead left hook instead of dictating the fight with the jab. He couldn’t deal with Kovalev’s jab and Joe Smith Jn has a long reach on him so I’d expect him to do the same.

 

Hell of a fight if that comes off. Interested to see who will get a shot at the vacant WBO. Ramirez is in pole position but is trying to buy his way out of his Top Rank contract which could put him on the shelf for a while.