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.”

Article courtesy of Frank Warren