Yarde vs Summers leads Zhang vs Joyce 2 undercard

Sam Noakes and Pierce O’Leary are also in action

Eight months after falling short in the fight of his life, Anthony Yarde will return to the ring on September 23rd as part of the Zhilei Zhang vs Joe Joyce 2 undercard.

Welcoming him is English champion Ricky Summers (19-3-1, 6 KO), last seen taking the belt from Joel McIntyre to March 2023. The win was his second over an opponent with a winning record, as he’d previously won a decision over 6-5 Gonzalo Romero in 2017. Previous attempts to fight warm bodies didn’t go quite as well; he lost a split decision Dan Azeez in 2021, drew with Lawrence Osueke in 2019, lost to Andre Sterling eight months prior, and fell to Frank Buglioni in a British title bid less than two years before that.

So, yeah, not exactly British Beterbiev over here. That said, Yarde (23-3, 22 KO) is in a weird spot rankings-wise thanks to sitting behind Azeez and Joshua Buatsi with two sanctioning bodies, so he can’t really look to move up until those two meet later this year. Also, I won’t begrudge him a get-well fight after that war in January.

The only other complete fight is Ezra Taylor against the aforementioned McIntyre. Sam Noakes, Pierce O’Leary, Moses Itauma, and the rest all have TBA in their sights.