Anthony Yarde took revenge on Lyndon Arthur in no uncertain terms as he knocked out his rival in the fourth round at the Copper Box in East London. 

Almost exactly a year ago, Arthur had outboxed Yarde, who seemed reluctant to pull the trigger until the final round. 

This time, Yarde left nothing to chance as he went after Arthur from the opening bell, hurting Arthur in the first and never letting him into it before he was batter to defeat in the fourth and claiming the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title for good measure. 

Yarde was transformed from the man who waited too long against Arthur and previously against Sergey Kovalev. Every shot was a hurtful one, for Arthur there was no hiding place. 

Yarde was not going to let Arthur sneak an early lead this time, as he tore after Arthur at the opening bell, catching Arthur with a good right as he tried to tie Yarde up, landing three hard body shots and keeping pressure on him all the time. 

Arthur spent most of the second smothering Yarde, but was allowed to work up close and landed some short uppercuts, as he frustrated the Londoner. 

But Yarde was back on top in the third, starting it with a left jab that he turned into a hook an dthen getting through with a series of power shots while Arthur looked to hold. Arthur did come back, landing a good straight right and body shot, but Yarde finished the round strongly. 

Early in the fourth round, Arthur threw a big right hand that just brushed Yarde’s head. Yarde responded with a monster of a right to the body. 

Then he was on him, trapping Arthur in a corner and then on the ropes, he piled in heavy punches eventually flooring Arthur with a clubbing right to the side of the head. 

Arthur took the count on one knee, rising just as referee Bob Williams reached “ten”. There were no complaints, as Arthur was in his feet for a matter of seconds before he was forced to take a knee again and it was several minutes before he was able to get to his feet again. 

For Yarde, the winner of the January 15 WBO light-heavyweight title between Joe Smith Jr and Callum Johnson awaits. In this form, he will be tough to oppose.