Anthony Yarde vs Ralfs Vilcans LIVE RESULTS: Yarde WINS comeback fight on points – latest updates
ANTHONY YARDE beat Ralfs Vilcans in his comeback fight at the Copper Box Arena tonight.
The Beast from the East, 33, won 98-92 on points in a less-than-convincing affair. But he got the job done.
Yarde, who pushed light-heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev hard in 2023, scored a knockdown in the opening seconds of the fight, but failed to bag the stoppage he craved after that.
- TV: Sky Sports Main Event
- Live stream: NowTV / Sky Sports+
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Edmondson beaten by Azeez
In the final fight of the night, Dan Azeez was beaten by Lewis Edmondson in a razor-close right.
Edmondson even had a point taken off, but still managed to pull off the big win.
He's now the British and Commonwealth champion in the light-heavyweight decision.
Davies RETIRES from boxing
Ohara Davies retired following his defeat to Adam Azim last night.
“Adam will go far in the sport of boxing. I done my thing, but you know what? It’s time for the young gun Adam to make his name and be up there", he said.
“I’ve had my time in the sport of boxing. I’ve been a pro for over 10 years now. I started boxing in Hackney and I think this might be the end of my boxing career.
"I think I might finish my boxing career in the same borough of Hackney where I started it.
“I feel like you have to know when your time is done. You don’t want to stay in this sport for too long and take too much.
“I’m fit. I’ve still got my faculties. I think this might be the end of my boxing career and I’m glad it was against Adam Azim.”
Azim on future plans
Adam Azim knocked out Ohara Davies in the eighth round of their fight at the Copper Box last night.
And afterwards, Azim lined up his next fights.
"I want to fight Dalton Smith next year. I want to fight Harlem Eubank next year," he said.
"But guess what? Davies is tougher than all these lot."
Big words from the man who just stopped Davies with the preciseness that he did.
Credit: PA
Yarde on future opponents
He said of Vilcans: "This is a last-minute opponent. Maybe mentally I got a bit complacent here, but I would have to turn up for Buatsi.
"It's not just Joshua Buatsi, there's Dan Azeez, Craig Richards, so many names in this British scene.
"I've fought twice at world level. Beterbiev… before Bivol I gave him his hardest fight. There's fights out there, but Josh Buatsi is one of the fights I want personally. There's names."
Yarde beats Vilcans
Anthony Yarde scored an early knockdown en route to a much-needed win over Ralfs Vilcans tonight.
He didn't get the stoppage he wanted but the points victory will do.
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty Results from tonight
- Tulani Mbenge def. Michael Mckinson UD12
- Anthony Yarde def. Ralfs Vilcans UD10
- Jeamie TKV def. Franklin Ignatius TKO6
- Adam Azim def. Ohara Davies TKO8
- Lewis Edmondson def. Dan Azeez MD12
Azim BEATS Davies in main event
Electric performance from Adam Azim, who scores two knockdowns en route to an eight-round KO win over Ohara Davies.
He was systematic in his beating of Davies, who failed to offer anything meaningful all night.
Credit: PA Action shots
Both men landed the fair share of punches in there tonight. But it was Anthony Yarde who came out on top with the points victory.
Credit: PA 
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty Buatsi on Yarde
"That guy [Vilcans] shouldn't have seen past round three, in my opinion", Buatsi says.
Yarde on Buatsi
"I'll fight anybody. Styles make fights. Tonight I got a bit complacent. I'd turn up [for Joshua Buatsi, Craig Richards, Dan Azeez]," Yarde says.
Joshua Buatsi is one of the fights I want, for sure."
Yarde BEATS Vilvans
98-92 to Anthony Yarde, according to referee Victor Loughlan.
I had it a little closer than that, but hey-ho. It's a win for Yarde nonetheless.
Bigger fights to come for the Londoner.
Yarde vs Vilcans R10
A very pedestrian round 10 finishes things off as Yarde fails to land anything more of any meaning.
Both men look pretty happy to leave it to the scorecards, especially Yarde. But Vilvans may have won at least four rounds in there.
It could be close if the judges have scored this without any hometown bias.
Both men windmill in the final few seconds of the round and that's it.
Yarde vs Vilcans R9
A great round for Ralfs Vilcans. The Latvian has given it a right go since being floored in the first round.
Yarde looks like he's feeling it a little after expending so much energy trying to take Vilcans out in the middle rounds.
Yarde does land a big right hand towards the end of the round but that's all he's really done in the ninth.
One more to go.
Yarde vs Vilcans R8
A slower round eight here as Yarde looks to get behind his jab again.
The only knockdown of the fight, remember, came in the first seven seconds of the fight. Hard to believe we're in round eight.
Yarde just hasn't put it together how he hoped he would. He's been, at times, out-landed and outworked.
But he's pressed the action and landed the more eye-catching shots throughout.
Yarde vs Vilcans R7
All-in-all, Yarde has been sloppy tonight, and perhaps a lot of it comes down to ring rust.
Or he's just not up to facing an opponent like this. But he's no closer to getting the stoppage he craves in the seventh.
Vilcans is clearly tough and if he's going to go away, Yarde will have to set his shots up rather than try and land one-hitter quitters.
Another solid defensive round for Vilcans.
Yarde vs Vilcans R6
Yarde going for the finish here again. Those right hands from Vilcans are coming less and less.
Yarde marching his man down but he's not loading up, perhaps looking to do things a little more methodically with his man gasping for air.
Vilcans lands a nice upset as Yarde plods forward but it angers the Brit clearly as he comes forward himself and lands a massive left hand which stumbles the Latvian onto the ropes.
Yarde vs Vilcans R5
Some heavy artillery coming from Yarde now.
He lands a really solid right and you can see it wobbles Vilcans' legs a little. Vilcans comes back with a right of his own but Yarde walks through it.
Yarde continues to stalk his opponent, intent on trying to finish him as soon as possible.
You wonder how much of this pressure Vilcans will take with half the fight left.
Yarde vs Vilcans R4
Another solid start to the round from Vilcans but Yarde begins to the target the body with success as well.
Yarde lands a nice uppercut in close and begins to try and walk the Latvian down with little respect for what's coming back at him.
Vilcans brought back down to earth a little bit towards the end of the fourth.
Yarde vs Vilcans R3
Vilcans actually lands a few jabs here in the third round and Yarde is tyring to counter him with a left hook.
Yarde is also heading down to the body, but he's probably just best off going back to the jab in order to set something up.
Vilcans with a bit of a comeback round here in the third.
Yarde finishes strong though, landing a couple of overhand rights.
Yarde vs Vilcans R2
You really get the sense watching this that Yarde is looking to get the rounds in.
He realised after five seconds he can hurt his opponent when he wants.
And now he just wants to get some work in after eight months out of the ring.
Yarde vs Vilcans R1
Yarde scores a KNOCKDOWN in SEVEN seconds.
Vilcans already looking way out of his depth in there as Yarde floors his with his first punch.
The Latvian composes himself soon after but Yarde lands at will whenever he steps forward to the body.
Yarde vs Vilcans
Here we go. The fight is set to start in a few moments. Yarde about to make his way to the ring.
Mbenge WINS
The South African overcomes Michael McKinson with scorecards of 116-112x2 and 117-111.
McKinson vs Mbenge
The fight is now over and we're awaiting the judges' scorecards. I've got it to Mbenge by a few rounds.
McKinson has his arms in the air but he could be in for a shock in a moment.
Cool and confident
Anthony Yarde relishing the chance to fight at the Copper Box again tonight.
He looks supremely confident. And you only need to look at his opponent's BoxRec to see why.
