seventh

British light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde’s third shot at a world title ended in heartbreak again after a systematic beat-down by WBC champion David Benavidez in Saudi Arabia.

After a slow start, American Benavidez seized control, sending 34-year-old Yarde to the canvas with a barrage in the seventh.

With blood streaming from Yarde’s nose and smeared across the canvas, another heavy flurry of punches with a minute left in the round forced the referee to halt the contest.

“I stuck in there. I’m a fighter,” Yarde told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I felt like it was competitive. I know how he comes with good pressure. I was boxing, boxing, thinking middle rounds, the dog rounds, we would exchange.

“He has quick hands, caught me first and hit me with a good shot on the nose. When I took a knee and he hit me when I was down, I was dizzy after that.”

Benavidez was deducted two points for punches while Yarde was down, but the outcome was already inevitable.

The Londoner – having previously lost in world championship bouts to Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and Artur Beterbiev in 2022 – may now have to accept the possibility that a world title might elude him.

Benavidez, 28, remains unbeaten and extends his record to a formidable 25 knockouts in 31 wins.

After the fight, Benavidez – of Mexican heritage – revealed he plans to move up to cruiserweight to challenge Mexico’s Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on 2 May, aiming to become a three-weight world champion.

Rookie Beckett Sennecke had his first two-goal game, Leo Carlsson extended his scoring streak to 10 games with two power-play goals, and the Ducks beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 on Sunday night for their seventh straight victory.

Cutter Gauthier and Chris Kreider had two assists apiece and Lukas Dostal made 23 saves for the first-place Ducks, who have scored 33 goals during their longest winning streak in two years. Anaheim wasn’t even slowed by playing at Vegas on Saturday, instead beating both of the Western Conference’s 2024-25 division champions during its first back-to-back set of the season.

The 19-year-old Sennecke had already solidified his spot on the Ducks’ roster before he scored in the first and second period against Winnipeg. He has six goals and five assists in his first 15 NHL games, answering any questions about whether the former No. 3 overall pick was ready to make the leap from juniors to the NHL.

Carlsson got his first two man-advantage goals of the season during his second consecutive two-goal game, giving him 19 points in 10 games and keeping him near the top of the NHL scoring race.

The 20-year-old Swedish center extended the longest scoring streak of his career with a goal in the first period. Carlsson added his 10th goal of the season during another man-advantage in the third, giving him five goals and seven points in the past three games.

Kyle Connor scored and Eric Comrie stopped 17 shots for the Jets, who have lost three straight. After winning nine of its previous 11 games, Winnipeg scored just two goals while getting swept in the California half of its current six-game road trip.

Sennecke opened the scoring with a one-timer from the slot off a no-look pass from Gauthier, and Carlsson converted an assist from Troy Terry.

Connor got his ninth goal early in the second period, but Sennecke converted a rebound seven minutes later.

Up next for the Ducks: at Colorado on Tuesday night.