Anthony Yarde Could Be Moving On From Tunde Ajayi
Former WBO light heavyweight title contender Anthony “The Beast from the East” Yarde (20-2, 19ko) is ready to move on this year. Yarde hinted at possibly being without long-time manager/trainer Tunde Ajayi going into 2021.
The British hard-punching light heavyweight’s career has been filled with criticisms. Moreover, turning down two championship fight opportunities only intensified things. Equally important, in 2019, team Yarde finally accepted a championship offer against then WBO champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-4-1, 29ko). He would suffer his first defeat against Kovalev. One of the biggest criticism about that loss was the lack of sparing during training camp.
During an interview with ITV Antoine Allen on his YouTube channel, Anthony Yarde TV, he addressed that troublesome rumor.
“I feel that is partially false and partially true. The whole speculation about me not sparing was a misinterpretation of what Tunde said before the Kovalev fight. I do spar.”
“The part that is true is we do need to do more competitive sparing, and again that is something me and Tunde spoke about straight after the fight, the same day of the fight, even before I had time to think. I was angry, I need to get myself back into savage mode.
MAJOR CHANGES NEEDED
Yarde would suffer another defeat at the hands of fellow countryman Lyndon “King” Arthur (18-0 12ko) on December 5, This would further raise questions of moving on from his trainer Ajayi if he is to become a world champion.
“My reply to that comment again, I am just talking off the top of my head. It’s not something I sat down and wrote or something like that. My reply to that comment would be only time will tell. I have said before things need to change. I need to make some changes.”
Yarde would admit that he believes in loyalty, and they have been together since the amateur days. Besides, Ajayi is more than just a manager/trainer, he is like an uncle.
“Me and Tunde need to sit down and talk. Me and Ade, my trainer… and my promoter Frank Warren need to sit down and talk. My whole team, even people in the backgrounds that don’t necessarily like being mentioned. We need to sit down and talk in different group meetings and come to a decision or conclusion.”
Yarde was very candid that until they all sit down to talk, Ajayi is the trainer. Still, he admits that changes need to be made.
“As it stands now, Tunde is my manager, Tunde is my trainer. We’ve done a fantastic job this far, but again, changes need to happen. That will maybe have to be news that comes out when the decision is made.”
“As it stands right now, there is going to be a lot of thinking. There is going to be a lot of discussions that need to be had. I won’t openly say I am going to leave Tunde. I won’t openly say I am going to stay with Tunde. Again, as I said, discussions need to be had.”
By: Garrisson Bland
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