'The Rock’ Fired Up For Kovalev V Yarde

DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK’ JOHNSON has given Anthony Yarde the green light to copy his famous chant and celebration if he shocks WBO light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev next month. The Hollywood and WWE legend has used his catchphrase; ‘If you smell what The Rock is cooking’ for almost 20 years during his wrestling career. And Ilford’s Yarde (18-0, 17KOs) is planning to honour his hero when he challenges Kovalev (33-3-1 (28KOs) in Chelyabinsk on Saturday August 24 Yarde, 27, vowed: “When I win I am gonna do ‘The Rock’s’ celebration and get on the top of the rope with the belt and shout ‘If you smell…’. I might use his ring entrance music also.” Johnson who has starred in a stack of blockbuster movies including Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Fast Five and San Andreas was blown away when he heard of Yarde’s plan. He told Yarde: “You set the stage brother, do my iconic pose justice if you win.” Johnson is a huge boxing fan and cannot wait for the big showdown in Russia, and promised: “Gonna be a great fight. “Kovalev and Yarde are two bad ass dudes. Phenomenal fighters.” WATCH KOVALEV V YARDE LIVE ON BT SPORT ON AUGUST 24