Arthur and Yarde have perfect incentive ahead of highly anticipated rematch

Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde couldn’t have a bigger incentive for victory on Saturday night.

The winner will get a crack at the WBO light-heavyweight champion next year.

Hopefully, that will be Britain’s Callum Johnson.

It was perfect timing that we announced Johnson’s shot at the current WBO champion Joe Smith Jnr this week.

Johnson will head to the US on January 15 to take on the American.

Hopefully he can bring home the belt and set up a defence against tonight’s winner.

It is nearly a day to the year since they last met in the ring.

That fight saw Arthur box superbly and come out on top as a deserved points winner.

But it never really caught fire.

Londoner Yarde started slow while Manchester man Arthur was troubled by an injury to his right hand.

It also only happened in front of a handful of supporters due to the Covid restrictions at the time.

But now we are hoping the Copper Box will be lively which should make a great atmosphere.

And that in turn will inspire both men to lift their performances.

Both men are desperate to become world champion and this will put them right in the position to do that.

Arthur wants to prove that last year was no fluke and that he is the better boxer out of the two.

While Yarde will be keen to show why he wasn’t at his best 12 months ago and is the better fighter.

That should ensure we are treated to an entertaining fight.

What a fight on the undercard, too.

Hamzah Sheeraz is a rising star we are all very excited about but he has a real acid test tonight.

He faces the experienced and tricky Bradley Skeete in a cracking light-welterweight contest.

Skeete has had more knockouts than Sheeraz has had fights but now it is time for the rising 22-year-old to step up and show how good he is.

This will be his 14th professional fight and I’m sure he is ready for the challenge.

  • Arthur v Yarde II is live on BT Sport from 7.30pm

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