Ilford's very own 'Beast From The East' Anthony Yarde says his career is back on track after easily getting rid of Alex Theran in one round at Arena Birmingham.
The 30-year-old was simply in no mood in going into overtime mode while in preparation for his big rematch with Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur as this sole round gradually turned into a one-sided affair.
As soon as the US-based Colombian Theran slumped to the canvas for the second time with the same identical left hook to body shot he was counted out by referee John Latham in two minutes and 32 seconds.
Yarde advanced to 21-2 with his second victory since the Arthur loss behind closed doors at Church House, Westminster in December and admitted he did not know much about Theran until he finally got to work him out in the ring on Saturday in front of a packed Arena Birmingham audience and a live BT Sport cameras.
"I didn't know too much about the opponent," Yarde told Seconds Out.com. "All I knew was that he was a southpaw. I've never seen him fight before.
"He came out flicking the jab so I said 'Ok I know how to get around it'. I was also throwing the jab but he just didn't cover up. Once I got to his inside I knew exactly what to do."
And former WBO world title contender Yarde insists he was more geared up on restarting his career than preparing for his mouthwatering rematch with Manchester man Arthur.
"This wasn't about preparation, it was about continuing with my career," he added.
"He (Arthur) had a fight inbetween and I had a fight inbetween as well. I don't believe in ring rust or nothing like that but it was my first back with the crowd and I loved the atmosphere.
"It wasn't no preparation, he was a southpaw. If it was a preparation then I would have got a tall rangy opponent that flicks their jabs a lot and stays on the back foot, but very few people wanted to fight me and he was one of them. I hope he gets home safe. I think I broke his rib."
Islington's Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, who promotes Yarde and Arthur, has set an October 9 date at the same Birmingham venue.
The Hackney-born Yarde cannot wait to trade blows with Arthur, who along with former WBO title holder Russia's Sergey Kovalev, are the only two men to beat the orthodox specialist.
"I've been excited for the rematch," Yarde added. "They said the rematch had to happen so the smile came back on my face and since then I've just been preparing to get my career back on track. This is not about Lyndon Arthur, it's about me getting my career back on track."
Yarde sadly lost four family members, including his father and grandmother, to coronavirus within the space of six months but says his mind is fully back to his profession.
"I've recovered from the bad year I've had losing family members," he said.
"I'm thinking about the tragedies that happened but that is done now, same as the Lyndon Arthur fight. Now it's about looking forward so he's next in the rematch and my mind's back now. I'm back on destruction, taking opponents out."
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