Boxing

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn Undercard Results: Yarde Closes Trilogy, McKenna Dominates, & Billam-Smith Wins

Anthony Yarde, Aaron McKenna, Viddal Riley and Chris Billam-Smith get the job done at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Johan Alyas Blanco

Chris Billam-Smith (right) throwing a lead hook to the body against Brandon Glanton (left).
Chris Billam-Smith (right) throwing a lead hook to the body against Brandon Glanton (left). / IMAGO / Action Plus

Top contenders stake their claim and rising prospects make their name on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn.

In the co-main event, top contender Anthony Yarde continues to climbs the rankings at light heavyweight, beating Lyndon Arthur by unanimous decision. This was their third bout against each other, with the 34-year-old now up on the series 2-1.

Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) started off slow. Arthur (24-3, 16 KOs) was the sharper boxer through the first six rounds, counterpunching cleanly and moving well along the rope. From round 7-12, "The Beast from the East" used his physicality to tire out Arthur in the clinch. He was then able to capitalized on his inside game, pushing his opponent to the ropes and punish the body.

With this win, Yarde has put himself in position for a major fight at 175 lbs. And with his eyes on Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith, another big domestic battle could be in the near future.

Undefeated prospect Aaron McKenna stakes his claim as a middleweight contender, dominating former junior middleweight champion Liam Smith. McKenna (20-0, 10 KOs) secures his most important win to date, beating a man who's been in there with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Chris Eubank Jr. and Jaime Munguia.

"The Silencer" used his long reach to outbox Smith (34-5-1, 20 KOs) in all aspects of the fight. McKenna was able to throw at a high volume, while also cutting angles and making Smith chase after him. The 25-year-old put the cherry on top of his performance, knocking down Smith in the 12th round with a well-timed body shot.

For McKenna, this win potentially puts him in the top 10 rankings at 160lbs. As for Smith, this performance could prove that the end is possibly near for the 36-year-old.

Viddal Riley takes the next step into world-level, beating Cheavon Clarke in a one-side unanimous decision. Riley (13-0, 7 KOs) wins the British cruiserweight title and puts himself at the top of the domestic level in the UK.

The 27-year-old fought a very discpline gameplan, fighting behind his jab and moving in-and-out of his range. Riley meshed athleticism and fundamentals to keep Clarke (10-2, 7 KOs) guessing and never getting out of first gear. Riley's feints and irregular rhythm gave him the opportunity to explode off his first step without any sense of danger. There really was no danger for him throughout his first 12 round fight.

The card kicked off with an exciting cruiserweight clash, former WBA champion Chris Billam-Smith beats top contender Brandon Glanton by unanimous decision. With this win, it puts "The Gentleman" back in the title picture, with a potential matchup against IBF and Ring Magazine champion Jai Opetaia on the horizon.

The fight was back-and-forth from the opening bell, with Glanton (20-3, 17 KOs) pressing forward and initiating the action. The first six rounds were fought exclusively in the pocket. Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KOs) was having trouble early on with the aggression and pressure of Glanton, even expressing frustration with his opponent's frequent head butting while inside-fighting.

But the championship experience of the English boxer made its presence known in the second half of the fight. As Glanton's pressure became less consistent, Billiam-Smith would slow down the tempo and started to box rather than get into a gritty fight. The 34-year-old used distance, footwork and an increased space presence to land the cleaner and flusher shots, while also getting around Glanton's guard.

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Johan Alyas Blanco
JOHAN ALYAS BLANCO

Johan Alyas Blanco is a writer for KO On SI. He’s also written for Fightlete and has covered various events in combat sports. He’s also worked as a News Producer in Orlando and Tallahassee, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2022.