Anthony Yarde says facing Russian Sergey Kovalev is nothing in comparison to being held at gun factor

Anthony Yarde holds no fears about combating in deepest darkest Russia - as a result of he as soon as stared down the barrel of a gun and survived to inform the tale.

The 28-year-old has trekked 3,000 miles from east London to Chelyabinsk, a city 33 hours from the capital Moscow through train, to problem ambitious world champion Sergey Kovalev on Saturday evening.

in the opposite nook, Kovalev, 36, will make the brief half-hour force from his native land of Kopeysk as he bids to swat aside the British upstart.

Yarde's mere 30 fights as both an amateur and skilled seem scant training in comparison to the champion's 28 knockouts from 33 victories, including a brutal stoppage of Nathan Cleverly in 2013.

but extra recent defeats by Andre Ward and Eleider Alvarez have bolstered Yarde's belief that he and his small but loyal crew can successfully infiltrate enemy territory.

The heavyweight takes on Kovalev in his Russian place of origin on Saturday (photograph: motion pictures) study extra

And the unbeaten light-heavyweight isn't any stranger to overcoming the odds having grown up on the group-ridden streets of Hackney.

"I noticed loads of unhealthy things take place by using people i know and to people i know," says Yarde. "there have been a lot of different gangs around and sometimes you discovered your self in conflict.

"I found myself attracting bad things as a result of i used to be in a negative atmosphere, i was pre-selecting these things before it took place.

"someday guns had been pulled on us by using older guys. My buddy had long gone to promote his moped and that they took the moped, my pal's cellphone and a few cash.

Yarde revealed reviews of growing to be up in Hackney when it changed into afflicted with gang battle (graphic: motion pictures)

"however all he obtained from my pocket was a tub of Vaseline. I bear in mind him announcing, 'Oh, he's a sweet boy' and throwing my Vaseline on the floor.

"however now i'm on a straight direction and if you believe about advantageous issues, nice issues follow you."

Like so many before him, Yarde found security inside the ropes, but not earlier than he had displayed promise throughout the wearing spectrum.

As a youngster he had trials with Queens Park Rangers and Harlequins and ran the a hundred metre sprint in below 11 seconds, but it surely become to the ring he became to re-route his destiny.

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Three unlicensed fights satisfied Yarde of his expertise but his amateur career made out of only a dozen bouts earlier than he grew annoyed at perceived ducking through capabilities opponents.

His knowledgeable profession makes for equally short studying; fifty one rounds over 18 fights, 17 of which were halted by means of brute force.

but Yarde will permit neither his lack of experience nor his event into the unknown to derail him from the task at hand.

"we've given ourselves adequate time to acclimatise, get used to the atmosphere and get the mind correct," he says. "Then come combat night i will go accessible and do the job.

Yarde is confident of a win (picture: motion photos)

"i may simply adapt. meals intelligent, i may try and find a supermarket and take a look at and locate issues that don't seem too overseas. i could have common food; tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, hen and fish.

"we are going to see once we get there, however this is a part of the pleasure, we do not know what we're going to get.

"he is considering, 'This man has handiest had 18 professional fights, he best had 12 newbie fights and that i'm a future hall of Famer, I cannot let this kid come and beat me'.

"however this is what's going to occur."

Yarde vs Kovalev might be are living on BT sport 2 on Saturday.