Anthony Yarde is eyeing Dmitry Bivol before hanging up the gloves, but calling out the division elite after almost a year out of action leaves him in a tough spot. To turn that target into reality, the British light heavyweight must snap his inactivity, build momentum, and take down legitimate contenders.
Yarde has been sidelined for 11 months following his seventh-round stoppage loss to David Benavidez in November 2025. Coming off an extended break plus a stoppage defeat, there is little incentive for Bivol to grant him an unearned shot.
Still, the 35-year-old insists Bivol is the missing name on his resume. Having shared the squared circle with Sergey Kovalev, Artur Beterbiev, and Benavidez, he is eager to complete his personal sweep of the era’s best.
“A fight for me that I would have to make in my career would be Bivol, just for my own personal thing, because I fought all the best people and he’s definitely one of the best people,” Yarde told Sky Sports News. “Partly my character, partly you can call it a screw loose, I want to fight the best people in my generation.”
Nobody questions Yarde courage. He proved his grit by traveling to Russia against Kovalev, and pushed Beterbiev to the brink before being halted. The problem is that none of those valiant attempts brought home a world championship, and falling to Benavidez set him back considerably.
That leaves Bivol with virtually no motive to pick Yarde. Without a headline victory to his name recently, the Londoner cannot offer the kind of leverage or massive payday that would lure the champion into a voluntary defense. Short of capturing a mandatory slot, he has no way to force Bivol’s hand.
Father Time is ticking as well. At 35, Yarde cannot afford to sit idle waiting around for a lottery ticket. He needs activity, consistency, and meaningful wins against top 175-pound contenders to build real leverage.
Fortunately, he sees an alternate avenue. Yarde is keeping a close watch on the vacant WBC light heavyweight title rematch between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson. Backing Buatsi to win, Yarde recognizes that an all-British grudge match would generate serious domestic buzz, while snagging that green belt would give him the exact negotiating chip he needs to tempt Bivol.
Meanwhile, Bivol is scheduled to meet Callum Smith on December 12 in Russia. Yarde believes Smith has a strong shot at an upset given his championship pedigree at 168 pounds.
Should Bivol handle business as expected, his masterclass footwork, sharp hand speed, and distance control would give Yarde fits. Before worrying about that stylistic nightmare, however, Yarde must get back to work and give the division king a real reason to pick up the phone.
