Artur Beterbiev beats the brave Anthony Yarde with a brutal 8th-round stoppage to retain the light heavyweight belts in Thriller

ANTHONY YARDE’S bloody, brilliant and brave world title shot ended in heartbreak again.

The 31-year-old hackney boxer took on Artur Beterbiev for the WBC, IBF and WBO light heavyweight titles and had to be pulled out on his corner after eight rounds to save himself from his own guts.

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The beast from east London took on the Bond villain at his own wild game and brought fans a thriller.

But he was beaten into submission and rendered almost unrecognizable by the pound-for-pound sensation.

After all the pantomime and faux machismo from topless Tommy Fury and American YouTuber Jake Paul just before in the Wembley Arena ring – to whip up their February 26 showdown in Saudi Arabia – it was back to real boxing.

The Canadian-based Russian arrived in London with over 300 amateur fights, three world titles, two Olympics, 18 professional wins and a 100 percent KO percentage.

Yarde has had just 12 amateur fights – having been a football, rugby and athletics star – and had twice experienced defeat in the paid ranks.

The bookies had made Yarde a huge underdog but he had seven years on his side and home field advantage.

Yarde got off to a better start with fizzing jabs and a couple of lead left hooks, he even appeared to stagger the fearsome 38-year-old in one punch, but neither man was injured in the opener.

Brutal Beterbiev’s pale white face was slapped red by the second and he didn’t like it at all.

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He pushed the brave Brit back into a corner and tried to spank him.

But the Ilford ace ducked and dodged, landing more left hooks instead.

The crowd began to believe in their boy.

He lost his mouthguard in the third yarde, allowing both boxers to catch their breath while he was cleaned and replaced.

The undefeated champion broke Yarde’s ribs with a booming right hand and continued to jab his goals, beginning to find his timing and the tide felt like the tide was turning against the Englishman.

Yarde’s second world title shot looked doomed early in the fourth when he was the target of a wild right hand and his head was flung backwards by hammer-like jabs.

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But the pretty boy showed hidden depths of fire and steel, wiped away his blood, fought back and stayed in contention.

Beterbiev looked frightening and vulnerable at the same time. It was a great action.

Early in the fifth, Yarde again lost his gumshield, a worrying sign of early exhaustion, as he gasped through his mouth instead of his nose.

But then Beterbiev was buzzed by an arrow from Yarde’s right hand and looked in grave danger.

Somehow the Soviet beard absorbed the blow and he finished the round by beating Yarde, the challenger did incredibly well making the bell.

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Yarde’s right eye was a mess when the sixth started, he needed a miracle to survive, not to mention the excitement.

Our man kept stabbing at his rival, dabbing at his dripping eye, and then catching a left hook that would have caught anyone without a heart as big as his.

In round seven, Yarde had also lacerated Beterbiev’s left eye. That was a brilliant bloodbath.

Yarde landed heavy shots on goal in the seventh round but by the end of the session he was pinned into Beterbiev’s blue corner and took a past.

Yarde’s spirit looked broken in the eighth round when he was finally down and looking defeated.

But he somehow dragged himself off the canvas to beat referee Steve Gray’s count and was keen to continue.

But worried coach Tunde Ajayi had seen enough and threw in the towel to save his man from another title win.