All posts by Chris Blain

UFC Fight Night 107: Jimi Manuwa vs. Corey Anderson Odds and Prediction

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Two of the light heavyweight division’s up and coming contenders square off in the main event of UFC Fight Night 107 at the O2 Arena in London on March 18th, 2017.

Fifth ranked Jimi Manuwa will face 7th ranked Corey Anderson in a fight that was promoted to top billing after the UFC reportedly had a difficulty in booking a main event for their London return. Needless to say, it’s set up as a big fight and the crowd at O2 Arena should be loud and ready for a good one:

This will be Manuwa’s second time to headline an event at the O2 Arena. Previously, he was knocked out by Alexander Gustafsson at UFC Fight Night 37.

Knocking On Championship Door

Manuwa is coming off an impressive 2nd round knockout win over former title challenger Ovince St. Preux at UFC 204 in Manchester. The English fighter has a 16-2 record and has 14 KOs to his credit. He’s been knocking on the championship door several times before but knockout losses to Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson have derailed Poster Boy in the past two years. With another opportunity to headline an event, Manuwa looks to improve his ranking and get closer to that chance to finally fight for a world title.

Fellow Up And Comer

After winning the Ultimate Fighter 19 season, Corey Anderson has compiled a 5-2 record in the UFC. The 7th ranked light heavyweight is also coming off a TKO victory over Sean O’Connell at UFC Fight Night 102 last December. Like Manuwa, he’s one of the up and comers in a stacked 205-pound division. But like Manuwa, he come up short in the biggest bout of his career. Overtime suffered a close split decision win against Mauricio Shogun Rua at UFC 198 in May 2016. But given a chance to make a name for himself, Anderson sets his sights on beating another highly ranked fighter in Manuwa. A victory over Manuwa puts Anderson on the title map but it won’t be easy.

Experience is The Key

The odds are calling this one for the Brit with Manuwa currently a -145 favorite against Anderson’s +115. But while the lines may be close, Manuwa has significant advantage in terms of experience and quality of opposition faced. Like Manuwa, Corey Anderson is an accurate striker with high volume of punches thrown. But we saw what happened to Ovince St. Preux when he faced Manuwa at UFC 204. Corey Anderson does have the puncher’s chance of beating Manuwa but it’s unlikely the hometown boy will disappoint. We’re picking Jimi Manuwa to win this fight via knockout.

Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs Odds and Prediction

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They’re calling it Middleweight Madness in the Mecca of Boxing.

It may not be as massive as the Canelo vs GGG match-up would’ve been but this is the first legitimate middleweight title fight in years. Not only that, it is the best middleweight matchup that could be made today.

Unification

In a year of title unifications, boxing’s unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin looks to add Daniel Jacob’s WBA (regular) title to his collection. If he wins, Golovkin doesn’t just become the WBA’s lone champion, he will also be two belts short of achieving his dream as an undisputed world champion. Only the WBO belt, now owned by Billie Joe Saunders and the Lineal title, held by Canelo Alvarez will then be not in the Kazakh’s hands.

Golovkin is the universally recognized middleweight champion and lays claim to the WBC, IBF, WBA ( Super ) and IBO belts. Along the way, Triple G has bulldozed past his opposition, knocking out all but three of his 36 opponents in the professional boxing ring. At 91.7%, he holds the highest knockout rate in boxing’s middleweight history. On March 18th, he hopes to add one more name to that list.

Miracle Man

Daniel Jacobs’ monicker Miracle Man was conceived because he overcame a form of cancer to win a world title. Jacobs has won 12 fights in a row since losing to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 and he’s won all of them by knockout. Now he fights the division’s boogeyman in a title bout that is set to decide the best middleweight in the planet.

At 6-0 and with a 73-inch reach, Jacobs size has been an advantage over his past opponents and it will be so against Golovkin. He has good movement plus legit punching power so he won’t be like any of the opponents that Gennady Golovkin has dismantled. But the catch with Jacobs is that he has a weak chin which failed him against Pirog and which had him dropped against Sergio Mora recently.

Odds

Golovkin is heavily favored here at -800 while Jacobs is pegged at +450. The odds are a little bit over the top, considering Jacobs’ abilities. In between his bouts with Sergio Mora, Jacobs annihilated then unbeaten Peter Quillin in just one round in the Battle of New York in 2015. Twelve straight knockout wins isn’t a fluke and so is Daniel Jacobs. But then again, his opponent has racked up 23 straight KOs himself and has a streak of KOs dating back to 2008.

The thing with Golovkin is that his fight resume isn’t that good. But the reason is because he is the most avoided boxer in the planet. In his most recent bout, welterweight champion Kell Brook ‘exposed’ Golovkin before waving the white flag in Round 5. Brook showed that with speed and movement, Golovkin can be hit. Like Brook, Jacobs can frustrate Golovkin with his boxing. But Golovkin is a relentless predator who has a chin that has withstood over 300 amateur bouts and his entire professional career. It’s interesting if Jacobs can keep up with GGG’s pace and brawling style.

It’s true that Danny Jacobs is the best fighter that Gennady Golovkin will have ever faced. But the real question is whether he is good enough to beat Triple G. We think not. We’re picking Golovkin to win by another knockout

David Lemieux vs Curtis Stevens Odds and Prediction

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HBO’s Boxing after Dark presents David Lemieux versus Curtis Stevens for the NABO middleweight championship on Saturday, March 11th, 2017 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York.

Comeback Trail

David Lemieux is on the comeback trail. After losing his IBF Middleweight title to Gennady Golovkin in 2015, Lemieux has won two fights in a row. He knocked out Glen Tapia to win the WBO-NABO middleweight title in May of 2016 and beat Christian Rios by UD in October of the same year.

Like Lemieux, Curtis Stevens has won two bouts in a row since losing to Hassan N’Dam in 2014. Stevens knocked out Patrick Teixeira last May and decisioned James Dela Rosa in November. Like Lemieux, Stevens faced Gennady Golovkin and got stopped by the Kazakh power puncher.

The Odds

Lemieux is a -425 favorite to win the fight while Stevens is a +340 underdog here. Not only is David Lemieux the more physically bigger fighter, he is also the more decorated boxer here. Being a former world champion champion, Lemieux has fought better opposition than Stevens. But then there is more to this than just the better resume.

Stevens has fought mostly in New York and will have the home court advantage in this fight. He’s also a live underdog because of his punching power and Lemieux’s susceptibility to getting hit and kissing the canvass. Stevens has a very good left hook and if he nails Lemieux clean to the body with a couple of those early, the Canadian could be in trouble.

The Big Question

Lemieux thought has power of his own and can definitely take out Stevens at any time. But while Lemieux has the power, his skills are also limited. He will most likely try to avoid Stevens early and go for the KO in the second half of the bout. However, one point worth noting is that Lemieux tends to slow down in the second half of the fight and Stevens appears to have the better stamina between the two, based on previous bouts.

The big question here however is if Stevens can be 100% healthy. In his most recent bout, Stevens suffered a left shoulder injury and struggled to beat James De La Rosa with one fully functional arm. If that arm is good as new, then this may be a closer bout than the odds are saying However, with that unknown factor, we’re siding with David Lemieux to beat Curtis Stevens in a competitive bout.

Sam Eggington vs. Paulie Malignaggi Odds and Prediction

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Sam Eggington gets the biggest opportunity of his career when he defends his WBC international welterweight title against former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.

Eggington won the minor title by knocking out countryman Frankie Gavin in October of 2016 in the biggest victory of his career. Now he gets to defend it for the first time in the undercard of Haye vs Bellew on March 4th,  2017 at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, London.

Promising Fighter Against Decorated Veteran

The 23-year old Eggington is one of the more promising fighters coming from the UK. He’s won two fights in a row, both by KO, since suffering his third career defeat at the hands of Bradley Skeete. That defeat has been Eggington’s lone loss in his last 11 fights. Eight of his last nine victories have been by knockout and his stoppage of Gavin was just the highlight.

After losing back to back fights to Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia, Malignaggi has won three fights in a row against lesser quality opposition. He won the European Union welterweight title in 2015 and is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Gabriel Bracero in 2016. That bout was his lone bout of 2016. Malignaggi will be fighting in the UK for only the third time in his career. But being a decorated veteran, fighting in hostile territory won’t be a problem.

The Odds

The odds for this bout are close. Eggington is the favorite at -200 but Malignaggi isn’t too far behind at +162. Ellington is an aggressive fighter who has legit power in his fists. He knows how to kill his prey once he smells blood. Defensively, he’s got a proven chin and good defense. However, he’s not fought someone in the caliber of a Paulie Malignaggi.

Malignaggi is a former two division world champion but at age 36, he is a far cry from the boxer who accomplished that feat. At his best, he was a crafty boxer who had solid defensive skills and fast hands that allowed him to make excellent counters. The Magic Man has fought some of the biggest names in the sport and will not be shy of the moment.

Malignaggi is used to fighting in the bright lights but going to the home turf of a young and hungry lion might not be the best idea for an aging fighter who’s lost a step or two. He’s boxed almost thrice as many rounds as Eggington has but he’s not been as active as his opponent lately.

Facing Father Time

Malignaggi’s been knocked out twice in his last five bouts and both against younger and stronger opponents. He’s not only fighting Eggington on March 4th. He will also be facing father time. Nobody has beaten that mythical opponent, neither will Malignaggi. Expect some moments of brilliance from the Magic Man. But in the long run, the younger man will take this fight in his home country. We’re picking Sam Eggington to defeat Paulie Malignaggi.

UFC 209: Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson Odds and Prediction

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Five rounds weren’t enough to get a winner. Now the UFC adds another five more.

Four months after they figured in a controversial majority draw at the historic UFC 205 last November, UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and top contender Stephen Thompson go at it again. This time, the welterweight pair will be the headliner of UFC 209 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Controversial Draw

Woodley won the UFC welterweight title with a dramatic first round knockout of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 in July of 2016. He retained the belt with the controversial draw against Wonderboy in November. But retaining the title won’t be enough for the Chosen One. Woodley plans on giving Wonderboy the worst beating of his career.

After their first bout, Thompson was immediately campaigning for a rematch. Woodley on the other hand, tried to lure the UFC into booking him big fights with GSP or Nick Diaz. In the end though, Dana White felt the two needed five more rounds to settle the score. They were booked to be the main event of UFC 209 on March 4th in Sin City.

The Odds

Stephen Thompson opened as a -120 favorite while the champion Woodley opened at even money. The current money lines haven’t changed much with Thompson fluctuating from -120 to -135 and Woodley from even money to +105. Woodley won’t like these numbers but these are better than the +120 and +140 with which he opened and closed during their first bout. However, it’s still surprising how Woodley is the underdog considering what transpired during their first meeting.

Woodley outstruck Thompson 113-60 in total strikes and 61-43 in significant strikes. He was also able to take Thompson down once and nearly submitted Wonderboy at one point in the bout. Many observers felt Woodley won and got the raw deal from the judges. Not only did he land more shots, he was the one who connected with the more telling blows.

More Well Rounded

Despite getting only a draw from the judges, Woodley erased the doubts on his cardio and his ability to mix it up with a premiere striker like Stephen Thompson. Not only did he take Thompson’s strikes well, but he also showed that he was the more well-rounded fighter.

Nothing much changes here, especially since their last fight was only last November. Sure, Wonderboy will make adjustments, but so will Woodley. Overall, we see Tyron Woodley as the better all-around fighter and Wonderboy the more flashy striker. Look for Woodley to shoot for more takedowns in the rematch. He had Thompson in a whole lot of trouble on his back. Wonderboy won’t be easy to beat though, even on the ground. But Woodley is going to hack out a decision win in this fight. It’s going to be close, perhaps a split decision. But Woodley should get the win this time around.

Deontay Wilder vs. Gerald Washington Odds And Prediction

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WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder returns to action on February 25th, 2017 in his home state of Alabama.

The Bronze Bomber spent the second half of 2016 on the shelf after he suffered hand and biceps injury during his dominant victory over Chris Arreola in July of 2016. With his injuries fully healed, Wilder faces unbeaten challenger Gerald Washington at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Another Replacement Opponent

Washington is the second consecutive replacement opponent that Wilder will be facing. Last July, Chris Arreola stepped in after Wilder’s original opponent Alexander Povetkin was pulled from the bout for testing positive for a banned substance.

Wilder’s original opponent for February 25th also failed a similar drug test. Andrzej Wawrzyk tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol in two random drug tests administered by VADA in January hence he was stripped of his opportunity to fight Wilder.

Washington fought in the undercard of Wilder-Arreola and recorded a fourth round knockout of former title challenger Ray Austin. The US Navy veteran has a professional record of 18-0-1 with 12 KOs. The bout marks the first title fight for Washington and the fifth title defense for Wilder. It will be Washington’s second fight in Alabama while it will be the 9th bout for Wilder in his home state.

A Massive Favorite

Wilder is a massive favorite over Washington at -1400. The challenger is pegged at +700.

Like Wilder, Washington took up the sport at a late age. He made his pro debut in 2012 but is already 34 years old. Washington is perhaps one of the heavyweight who matches Wilder’s size. He’s 6-6 and has a reach of 82’ inches. On the other hand, the champion is slightly taller at 6-7 and longer at 83’. But given Washington’s length and punching power, he can be very dangerous is he’s able to land cleanly on Wilder.

But Washington is slower and has less technique than Wilder. He’s more of a free swinger who doesn’t have much defense. He bullies his opponents with his aggression and relies solely on his powerful right hand. Similarly, Wilder is a work in progress but he is far advanced in terms of skill and technique. Along with Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder is perceived to be the future of the heavyweight division. This should be a shootout and we expect Wilder to win by early knockout.

Boxing Betting: Jermell Charlo vs. Charles Hatley Odds and Prediction

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Jermell Charlo makes the first defense of his WBC junior middleweight title against mandatory challenger Charles Hatley on March 11, 2017 as the co feature of Gary Russell Jr vs Escandon at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Wrong Tree

Hatley is best remembered for crashing Jermall Charlo’s post fight interview during the latter’s IBF title defense against Austin Trout. Hatley, together with promoter Don King, gate crashed the interview and announced himself as Jermall’s next foe. Unfortunately, Hatley was barking at the wrong tree. He was mandatory challenger for the WBC belt which Jermell won earlier that night. The incident caused a commotion and led to some shoving between the opposing parties. That has since transformed to something personal between Jermell and Hatley who will meet inside the ring next month during the former’s first title defense.

The Future

A former Olympic alternate and US amateur welterweight champion, Charles Hatley is one of the top prospects in boxing’s rising 154 pound division. Known as the Future, Hatley has a record of 26-1-1 with 18 KOs. He’s won nine fights in a row and is coming off knockout wins over Saul Roman and Anthony Mundine. At 5-10, Hatley utilizes his length to keep his opponents at bay. He’s knocked out four of his last five opponents and is coming off his biggest win against Mundine. However, he last fought in November 2015 and it will be interesting how the long layoff will come to play against Jermell Charlo.

One Half

Jermell Charlo is one half of the Charlo Brothers. Twin brother Jermall is the IBF 154-pound king. The Charlos are the first twins in boxing history to hold world titles in the same weight class simultaneously. So that’s where Hatley’s confusion was rooted. Jermell won his WBC title by knocking out John Jackson last May. He’s got one of the quickest hands in the division and is tough to beat when he’s in the zone. Charlo’s and exciting fighter with lightning combinations. He has knocked out his last two opponents.

Bad Blood?

Jermell and Hatley have gone back and forth verbally. The incident with Jermall seems to make this personal for the two who are incidentally both from Texas. Charlo though is a big -1200 favorite to defeat Hatley who is at +775. Given that this is only Jermell’s first title defense and the bad blood between the two, Hatley is live underdog here perhaps worthy of a look. But if you dig deep into the match-up, Charlo seems to be stronger, faster and better skilled than Hatley. Jermell’s power and quickness should be the difference. We’re picking Jermell Charlo to win by late stoppage or unanimous decision.

UFC Fight Night 105: Derrick Lewis vs. Travis Browne Odds and Prediction

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UFC Top 10 heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Travis Browne collide at UFC Fight Night 105 on February 19, 2017 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with the winner moving on to greener pastures and the loser moving down the heavyweight ladder.

New Main Event

Brown and Lewis were set to square off at UFC 208 on February 11 in Brooklyn but after the Halifax event lost its main event of Dos Santos vs Struve following Struve’s injury, the heavyweight showdown between Hapa and the Black Beast was moved to the promotion’s next event as its headliner. The move speaks a lot about the promise of Lewis and the drawing power of Browne, who is more popularly known as Ronda Rousey’s boyfriend.

Black Beast

Derrick Lewis isn’t the Black Beast for nothing. He’s recorded a knockout in all but two of his 17 wins. He’s lost four times though, two by KO but has won five bouts in a row, four of them by knockout via punches. The only opponent he didn’t knockout during this run was Roy Nelson and we know Big Country has the best chin in the business. Lewis has tremendous power in his punches and that’s his main weapon. What impressed us with Lewis is how he’s improved the other facets of his game lately. In his most recent bout against sambo master Shamil Abdurakhimov, Lewis came from behind to win by stoppage.

Something’s Not Right

Travis Browne is one of the best strikers in the UFC’s heavyweight division. We saw a lot of that in 2013 when Browne was at his finest, beating Gabriel Gonzaga, Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett in succession and by stoppages. But something’s not right with Hapa lately. His striking has been off as he was dominated by both Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez in his last two bouts.  If you take away Browne’s striking, then he is just a mediocre fighter on the ground. Nothing special with his wrestling or grappling skills really.

Even Fight

This is one of those pick’em fights. Lewis is a -137.50 favorite while Browne is a slight  +110 underdog. In the UFC’s heavyweight division, one doesn’t really have to be well rounded to win. You just have to have the power. Now both these fighters have that game changing power, just that Lewis may have more. But Travis Browne is the more dynamic striker and the quicker one on his feet. What should play an important factor in this fight is the current streak of each fighter. Brown has lost four of six bouts and has dropped to #9 in the rankings. Lewis meanwhile has won five in a row and has risen one spot above Hapa at #8. We’ll play the streaks here and bank on Lewis’ power. We’re predicting that Derrick Lewis knocks out Travis Browne.

UFC 208: Holly Holm vs. Germaine De Randamie Odds and Prediction

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The UFC will crown its inaugural women’s featherweight champion at the main event of UFC 208 on February 11th, 2017 at the Barclays Center in New York.

No Cyborg

After much thought and discussion, the UFC finally decided to create a 145-pound weight class for women. But surprisingly, the woman universally recognized as the best 145-pound fighter in the galaxy won’t be vying for the title.

Invicta FC featherweight Cris Cyborg is considered as the baddest woman on the planet. But Cyborg has been forced to fight at a catchweight of 140 pounds during her first two UFC bouts because the promotion doesn’t have a featherweight division. When the UFC finally created the division, Cyborg turned down the fight because she is still recovering from the brutal weight cut from her previous bout. With Cyborg out, the UFC decided it would be Holly Holm against Germaine De Randamie.

The Preacher’s Daughter

Holly Holm rose to superstardom when she upset Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 over a year ago. But just as the Preacher’s Daughter reached the top of the mountain, she fell off just as quickly. Holm immediately yielded the title to Miesha Tate in her first title defense at UFC 200. Then Holm lost again to top ranked bantamweight contender Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on Fox 20 last July of 2016.

Holm has fought at 135 pounds throughout her MMA career but the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion fought between 132-152 pounds as a world champion professional boxer. So, it’s still a weight that Holly Holm isn’t a stranger to.

Randamie is a former kickboxer and Strikeforce standout. The 32-year old Dutch is 4-1 in her last four bouts and is coming off a ‘Performance of the Night’ award against Anna Elmose. Randamie lost to current UFC women’s bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes in 2013 but has won two in a row, both by KO since. She has fought twice as a featherweight in her MMA career but has been a bantamweight since 2013. She will be making her first ever title fight appearance in any promotion.

The Odds

Randamie and Holm both opened at -115 apiece. But the lines have slightly moved to Randamie’s direction at -130 versus even money for Holm in recent days. This one’s an intriguing fight between two elite strikers who excel in different disciplines. Ranamie is a world class Muay Thai kickboxer who is excellent in the clinch and uses her length to dictate her fights. On the other hand, Holm is a former world champion professional boxer who uses her incomparable punching skills to dominate her opponents. Randamie has the better all around skills but this is really a pick ‘em. We’re going with even money and picking Holly Holm to beat Germaine De Randamie.

Adrien Broner vs. Adrian Granados Odds And Prediction

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Adrien Broner returns to the boxing ring on February 18th, 2017 against Adrian Granados at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Problem

Broner is known by his double meaning nickname ‘The Problem”. That’s because when he’s focused, he is a handful for his opponents inside the ring. Broner’s mix of speed, athleticism and power easily make him one of the sport’s best fighters. In fact, the 27-year old Broner has already won world titles in four different weight classes. However, there’s a big ‘if’ with Adrien Broner.

When he isn’t fully committed to his craft, Broner has been a big problem. His lack of professionalism, poor work habits and off the ring distractions have cost him not just possible world titles but big money fights with big time fighters. Broner was ( and still is?) a protege of Floyd Mayweather Jr. As such, he intends to follow Floyd’s road to becoming a multi-million dollar fighter. But before he realizes his self created monicker ‘About Billions’, he’s got to get his act together for good. AB has won two in a row, both by stoppage and will be looking to cement a title shot against Ricky Burns.

A Scrappy Opponent

Getting another world title may be looking to far ahead. Broner’s opponent isn’t a household name but is a solid fighter. Adrian Granados is ranked in the Top 5 by both the WBA (#3) and WBC (#5).

He’s coming off a victory over Ariel Vasquez in July of 2016. Granados’ ticket to fame was his 2015 victory over Amir Imam. However, Granados has fought only once since that win and that was against Vasquez. The scrappy Illinois native is an aggressor inside the ring and doesn’t give up easily.

He’s lost four times in his career but has never been knocked out. He’s a solid dude who won’t be rattled by the moment, fighting a 4-division champion like Broner and fighting in Broner’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.  He’s gonna go there and scrap with AB.

The Odds

Broner is the -290 favorite while Granados the +245 underdog in this fight. We all know the stuff that Broner is made of but many of us haven’t seen Granados fight. But the key to this fight is which Adrien Broner will show up on fight night.

When Broner is on top of his game, he is one of the better fighters in the sport today. He is more skilled than Granados and should take this one by decision. If we gauge his last two bouts, we can say that it looks like Broner has matured at age 27. He’s fighting at home and is looking ahead at a title fight with Burns. That should be more than enough motivation for him to zero in on this bout. But then he’s Adrien Broner, the biggest enigma this sport has ever seen.

You really can’t predict which one’s gonna show up on the day of the fight. Given that risk though and weighing it with his talent level, we’re picking Broner to beat Granados here.