Tag Archives: Boxing Betting

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Arthur Abraham: Can King Arthur Win One More Title?

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Chris Eubank Jr. defends his IBO Super Middleweight title for the first time against former champion Arthur Abraham in London in late July. Eubank is looking for legitimacy while Abraham is looking for another world title.

Second Super Middleweight Bout

Eubank Jr., the son of former two division world champion Chris Eubank, will be fighting at super middleweight for only the second time in his career. He knocked out Renold Quinlan in the 10th round of his super middleweight debut last February, annexing the latter’s IBO belt.

Previously, Eubank campaigned at middleweight and won the interim WBA middleweight title in 2015 by knocking out Fedor Chudinov in two rounds. Eubank also won the British middleweight title with a 10th round KO win over Nick Blackwell in 2016. Eubank’s lone defeat was a split decision loss to Billie Joe Saunders in 2014.

More Experience at 168

Abraham is a former two division champion. The hammer-fisted Armenian though is now already 37 years old, giving up a decade in age to Eubank Jr. Since losing to Robert Stieglitz in 2013, Abraham has been 10-1 losing only to Gilberto Ramirez in 2016. Abraham has lost only five times in his decorated career and his other losses were to Andre Dirrell, Carl Froch and Andre Ward in the Super Six Middleweight tournament of 2010. Abraham’s lost only twice as a super middleweight and both were in title defenses. He is the more experienced fighter between the two at 168.

Odds and Prediction

Eubank is a -600 favorite while Abraham is a +400 underdog in this matchup between young blood and old dog. It’s going to be a fun fight to watch these two power punchers go at each other. Eubank is the young, athletic and explosive power puncher while Abraham is a classic brawler who always comes forward with haymaker after haymaker until he lands a shot that will hurt his opponent.

It’s actually a dangerous fight for Eubank Jr. because he has never fought someone in the caliber of Arthur Abraham. Having said that though, Eubank Jr. is faster with his hands and feet. He is the more athletic and explosive puncher at this stage of their respective careers.

Abraham is much slower and I don’t think he can hang up with a younger and more athletic opponent if the fight doesn’t end early. Eubank can use his skills to box around Abraham and win on points. It’s just not going to be easy as his previous wins but there is no doubt who takes this. We’re picking Chris Eubank Jr. to win on points.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn: Does the Aussie Have A Chance?

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Filipino ring legend Manny Pacquiao returns to the boxing ring on July 2nd, 2017 to face young Australian Jeff Horn at the SunCorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

Legend Still Has It

Aptly dubbed as the Battle of Brisbane, the bout will be for Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title, which he won after a masterful domination of Jessie Vargas last November. The 38-year old Pacquiao announced his retirement after the bout but despite being busy with his duties as a lawmaker in his country, the Pacman’s urge to fight will bring him to Australia for the first time in his boxing career.

Although Pacquiao should be well past his prime, he still proved that he still has what it takes to take on the best welterweights in the business. Prior to beating Vargas, Pacquiao masterfully out-boxed Timothy Bradley in April of 2016 to prove that he still belongs among the elite. The victory over Bradley was his first bout since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015.

Dangerous Opponent

Jeff Horn is nowhere near the caliber of fighter Jessie Vargas is, much more Timothy Bradley. But unlike both, he presents a clear and present danger for Pacquiao simply because he is a wild card with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Horn is coming off a December victory over Ali Funeka and is considered the best pound for pound fighter in Australia. He has limited athleticism but has enough power to put his opponents to sleep. Horn is also a smart boxer who can counter well and dodge punches. Manny Pacquiao though is a giant leap in level of competition for the fighting former school teacher. This is an odd fight for Pacman because he is one of the biggest names in the sport and has nothing to prove. Yet he will be fighting an unknown but solid fighter on hostile ground.

Odds and Prediction

Pacquiao is currently a -700 favorite against Horn who is at +450. As we said, the unknown factor and home crowd are a big plus for Jeff Horn. Sometimes the biggest upsets happen when you least expect them. Horn may not be a world beater but given this opportunity of a lifetime, you’ll expect him to bring his A-game.

Beating Pacquiao is easier said than done though. Despite his advanced age, Manny Pacquiao looked in tremendous shape against Jessie Vargas. He was even the faster and quicker fighter than the two. Given Manny Pacquiao’s hand speed, footwork and ring IQ, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Jeff Horn. The Aussie is sometimes lazy with his footwork and against Pacquiao, that’s a recipe for disaster. Manny Pacquiao is going to run circles around Jeff Horn. He’s going to pound him with his famous four or five punch combos. It’s going to be  dangerous fight, yes. Jeff Horn is a live opponent. But we think Pacquiao is eons better in skill and speed. We are picking Manny Pacquiao to win by unanimous decision after a little scare from Jeff Horn.

Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Moises Flores Odds and Prediction

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Guillermo Rigondeaux takes on Mexican Moises Flores in a 12-round super bantamweight title bout which is part of the undercard of Ward-Kovalev 2 on June 17th, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This fight features two unbeaten fighters with years of ring experience and world title bouts. Rigondeaux and Flores will dispute the WBA (Super), Lineal and IBO super bantamweight titles.

Two Unbeaten Fighters

Rigondeaux enters the fight with an unblemished 17-0 record with 11 KOs . The Jackal is a 5-4 southpaw who has tremendous defensive skills and who controls the ring very well. Although Rigo is now 36 years old, he has not shown any signs of slowing down. He is coming off a second round stoppage win over Jazza Dickens last July. This will be Rigondeaux’s 10th defense of the super bantamweight titles which he won from Rico Ramos in 2012.

Flores is likewise an unbeaten fighter with a record of 25-0 with 17 KOs. Like Rigondeaux, he is coming off a long layoff as his last fight was a June 2016 unanimous decision win over Paulus Ambunda. He is a free swinger who likes to let his hands fly from start to finish. He has knocked out seven of his last 11 opponents. The 30-year old Flores has a 5 inch height and 1 inch reach advantage over Rigondeaux. Even if he is the underdog here, don’t expect Flores to be gun-shy on fight night.

An Offensive Fight

Rigondeaux is a -800 favorite against Flores who is currently pegged at +500. That looks like a mismatch but this is one heck of an undercard fight. It’s going to be an offensive fight with Flores’ aggressive style and Rigondeaux’s power. No disrespect but Guillermo Rigondeaux is hands down the best super bantamweight in the business.

Call him boring, but it’s almost impossible to bet against him given his experience and skills. He may not be getting any younger but he is still the man to beat. Both Rigo’s offense and defense are elite and he would make Flores miss a lot. When the Mexican lunges forward, he will be open to Rigondeaux’s beautiful counters.

It’s going to be hard for Moises Flores to find the target and he’s going to get countered all night long once he gets frustrated. It’s going to be another boxing clinic for the Jackal. We’re picking Rigondeaux to win by a wide points margin or late stoppage.

Ward vs. Kovalev 2: Why Andre Ward is Going to Repeat Over the Krusher

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Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev run back their 2016 thriller on June 17th, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Controversial Win

It can be recalled that Ward edged Kovalev during their first fight last November 19th, 2016. Despite suffering a knockdown in round 2, Ward gained the nod of all three judges who scored the bout 114-113 unanimously. Controversy erupted as many of the media scores had Kovalev winning.

The first bout was a tale of two stories. Kovalev dominated the first part of the fight, using the 2nd round knockdown to push Ward backwards. But as the longer the fight went, Ward was able to adjust. He began to outpoint Kovalev in the later stages of the contest. Punch stats had Kovalev outpointing Ward but the latter landed more punches in the second half of the fight.

Super Fight

These are the kind of fights that boxing fans deserve to see. Kovalev and Ward were both unbeaten going into their first encounter. Ward was the former Olympic champion and professional boxing Super Middleweight king who moved up in weight to challenge the unified Light Heavyweight champion of the world.

Kovalev was the Krusher who had been knocking out one opponent after another in an unprecedented rise to the top of the division. Ward meanwhile was a ring general and tactician who used his slick boxing skills to beat the best opponents he faced. When they collided, it was a super fight of different styles. As we said, it came down to the judges’ scorecards and only one point separated them.

Pick ‘Em Again

The odds are almost even here. Ward is a -163 favorite against the +130 Kovalev. So we’re getting another pick’em fight from the two best fighters in the division. It’s really hard to pick a winner here because as we saw in the first fight, these are two brilliant fighters who have different styles. Kovalev and Ward were able to do what they wanted to and it all came down to what the judges preferred more.

But to choose between the two, you cannot go against Andre Ward. Ward is the better boxer and more technically sound fighter. As we saw in the first bout, he was able to make adjustments. Kovalev got the early knockdown but he wasn’t able to adjust to Ward’s reply. Having said that, when you have Kovalev in a fight, he can end it anytime because he has the power that Ward doesn’t. The Krusher has shown that he can hurt Ward. Ward showed he can outsmart Kovalev. So in another chess match, we’re going with Andre Ward in another close (and controversial to Kovalev) decision win.

Boxing Ring

Kell Brook vs. Errol Spence Odds and Prediction

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Kell Brook returns to welterweight to defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Errol Spence of the United States.  The bout will be held on May 27th, 2017 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England, which is Brook’s hometown.

Brook’s Big Balls

Brook is coming off a punishing defeat at the hands of unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin last September 10th, 2016. As if Golovkin wasn’t a challenge big enough for him, Brook fights at welterweight to defend his IBF belt against the most dangerous non-champion out there.

Errol Spence is undefeated in 21 bouts with 18 KOs. The former US 2012 Olympian has been on a tear lately, stopping Chris Van Heerden, Alejandro Barrera, Chris Algieri and Leonard Bundu in succession. He is the IBF’s #1 contender and is looking to win his first ever world title. Brook is Spence’s toughest opponent to date while Brook is being praised for his willingness to fight a tough foe in Spence immediately after his loss to Triple G.

Champ is Underdog

Interestingly, Spence is the odds on favorite here at -165 while the champion Brook is at +145. The lines are close, yes but the oddsmakers are giving the younger and less experienced fighter the edge over a battle tested champion. But as his nickname is, Errol Spence is The Truth.

The southpaw Spence has a three inch reach advantage over Brook and that could play an important factor in this fight. Being the better overall pure boxer between the two, the edge in length will enable Spence to set up his punches with his jabs. Spence has power in both hands and has stopped his last eight opponents, but he’s not your usual power puncher who rushes for the KO and swings wildly on his opponent. He’s got a high boxing IQ and a polished defense.

Length and Power Decides

Brook has the advantage because he will be fighting in front of his home crowd and he will be very motivated to bounce back from his loss to Gennady Golovkin. Like Spence, he has a high boxing IQ and can fight on the inside and outside. He also has more experience than the American, but as we said earlier, Spence has the length and power advantages over him. Having said that, it’s hard to pick against Spence right now. He’s on an impressive winning roll and has matured a lot in recent years.

We’re picking Errol Spence to win by decision or late stoppage.

Terence Crawford vs. Felix Diaz Odds and Prediction

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Terence Crawford defends his WBC, WBO, Ring and Lineal junior welterweight titles against challenger and former Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz on May 20th, 2017 at the Mecca of Sports, Madison Square Garden.

Fighting on A Big Stage

Crawford is considered as one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world. His journey to becoming one of boxing’s biggest stars has been well-documented. But while Crawford’s name has risen from the ranks, he has never really fought on a big stage. Sure, he packed Omaha’s Century Link Center  each time he fought and he defeated Viktor Postol at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but none of his previous wins have been fought in a venue as big as the Madison Square Garden. Now Crawford looks to extend his unbeaten record to 31 against a challenger not many people are familiar with.

2008 Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz is on the brink of superstardom. He is coming off a TKO win over Levi Morales last December. Prior to that, Diaz notched his biggest career win, upsetting the highly regarded Sammy Vasquez by unanimous decision. In search of his first professional world title, he faces an overwhelming favorite.

Are The Lines Exaggerated?

Crawford is currently a -1700 favorite and Diaz comes in as the obvious under dog at +1100. Don’t let those numbers fool you. The lines are exaggerated because of the name ‘Crawford’ and because the casuals do not know who Felix Diaz is.

Diaz is a former Olympic Gold medalist who has beaten a handful of good fighters in the pros without any trouble. Although he is shorter, Diaz has the athleticism to give Crawford a run for his money or even stage an upset. His high work rate and aggressor attitude could cause some problems for Terence Crawford. If you have a few extra dollars, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to place a small bet on Diaz.

This Bud’s For You

However, if we’re picking a winner here, we’re going with Bud Crawford. While Diaz may cause him some problem, the Dominican Republic native doesn’t pack a big punch so it’s likely the fight is going the distance. That’s going to be a problem against Crawford, who is one of the best boxers and ring tacticians in the game today. Crawford is bigger, smarter and has a big edge in punching power. If Diaz throws wild shots at Crawford, it might be a quick fight. In all likelihood, this will be a decision win for Crawford. A knockout though isn’t out of the picture. We’re picking Terence Crawford to win on points.

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez

An All Mexican Showdown: Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Odds and Preview

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Cinco De Mayo weekend heats up as the two most popular Mexican fighters today square off in a catchweight bout on May 6th, 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Real Deal

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is Golden Boy’s flagship fighter. He is also the best fighter from Mexico, regardless of weight class. Alvarez was looking at a mega buck showdown with Gennady Golovkin  but with negotiations failing, he settled for this all-Mexican showdown against the son of the legend.

Canelo hasn’t lost since getting schooled by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013. Alvarez has won six in a row since losing to Money,  including four by stoppage. In his most recent bout, Alvarez returned to the title picture by stopping Liam Smith last September.

Son of the Legend

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has always been overshadowed by his great father and namesake. The former WBC middleweight champion has also been hounded by personal problems all throughout his career.  Still, he has found his way to yet another big fight. Junior hopes to erase all doubts about show serious he is with his boxing career.

The Odds

Canelo is a -700 favorite against Chavez Jr., who is a +450 underdog as of this writing. Alvarez has knockout power and does a good job working the body. Defensively, Canelo is sharp and he has a proven chin given that he has faced some of the biggest names in the sport. The only concern with Alvarez is that he sometimes has struggle controlling the ring, thus allowing quick and athletic opponents to move from harm’s way. Knowing his opponent though, this shouldn’t be a problem on fight night.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. only knows one way to fight and that’s moving forward. He likes to use a lot of activity and would rather punch his way to winning rounds rather than wait to land his haymaker. Like Alvarez, Junior likes to work his opponent’s body. He also has knockout power if he can land his right hand. The problem with Junior here, as is with his previous fights,  will be the weight.

Weight is a Factor

The bout is contracted for 164.5 pounds. It will be the highest weight at which Canelo will have fought in. For Chavez though, it will be the lightest weight since he fought Sergio Martinez for the world middleweight title in 2012. Since then, Chavez has struggled with his weight. In his most recent bout, Chavez weighed in at 169 against Dominik Britsch. It will be interesting how he carries the lighter weight against Canelo.

Weight aside, Canelo Alvarez is the superior fighter here. Alvarez is simply the better skilled and more polished boxer. He also has the better experience against top level competition. We’re not discounting the possibility of a Chavez upset, by KO or otherwise, but it’s hard to see him outbox and outsmart Canelo Alvarez. Love or hate Saul Alvarez, he is Mexico’s best boxer. And we’ll see that on Cinco de Mayo weekend. We’re picking Alvarez to win by late KO or points.

Andre Berto vs. Shawn Porter Odds And Preview

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Former world champions Andre Berto and Shawn Porter will meet in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on April 22nd, 2017 at the Barclays Center in New York.

The bout will be the WBC’s title eliminator with the winner between the 5th ranked Porter and the 7th ranked Berto scheduled to face the new WBC champion Keith Thurman next.

Title Eliminator

Showtime Shawn Porter is just 2-2 in his last four bouts but his losses were to IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook and Thurman. Those bouts were close and went down the wire. Porter could have easily won both on another given time. Should Porter get past Berto, he may be staring at a rematch against Keith Thurman.

Like Porter, Berto’s last few bouts have been split 50-50. He’s won just half of his last eight bouts and has virtually lost to every big name that he’s faced. Berto is best remembered for being Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s retirement opponent. He has not won back to back fights since 2010. A win over Porter puts him on line to fight for the WBC belt he successfully defended five times during his peak.

Not The Same

Porter is a solid -420 favorite over Berto who is currently at +300.

Berto’s record is an impressive 31-4 with 24 KOS but he’s clearly not the same fighter he was in his prime. Ever since pulling out of the Shane Mosley bout in 2010 in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquakes, Andre Berto has not been the same ‘Beast’ inside the ring. From being undefeated in his first 27 bouts, Berto suddenly went 4-5 and although he is coming off a 4th round KO win over Victor Ortiz, it’s clear that Berto no longer has the same pop in his punches and has lost a step or two inside the ring.

The Prediction

Porter may be coming off a loss to Keith Thurman but that was a closely contested bout and Porter may have even gained more respect from it. He may not be the flashy boxer but his blue collar work ethic, high level boxing IQ and technical abilities are solid enough to get the job done. Showtime loves to come forward and press the action. That pressure and heavy work rate should pose a lot of trouble for the battle weary Berto.

Of course, Berto is still a very respectable fighter but post shoulder surgery, he cannot keep step with  the tireless Shawn Porter. We’re picking Porter to win on points. He should be able to force Berto to box him and avoid getting into a slugfest where Berto still has the puncher’s chance.

Beautiful Brutality: Why Martin Murray Will Beat Gabriel Rosado

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Martin Murray returns to the middleweight division on April 22nd when he faces veteran Gabriel Rosado at the Liverpool Echo Arena in England.

Moving Down

After three failed tries at the middleweight title which culminated in an 11th round TKO loss to Gennady Golovkin in February of 2015, Martin Murray has since campaigned at super middleweight. There, Murray won five of seven bouts but lost another title shot against Arthur Abraham in November of 2015. Another loss to countryman George Groves last June may have made Murray think twice about staying at Super Middleweight. Two fights later, he goes down to 160 pounds once again to face an opponent who, like him, has tried but failed to win a world title in his decorated career.

An Uphill Battle

Gabriel Rosado was a 21-5 up and coming contender when he was stopped by Gennady Golovkin in his first attempt at a world title back in 2013. Since then, it’s been an uphill battle for the Pennsylvania native. Rosado has won only twice since, losing four times and earning one no-contest over the period. To his credit, though, Rosado fought top some notch competition lately: Peter Quillin, Jermell Charlo, David Lemieux, Joshua Clottey and Willie Monroe Jr. With the losses piling up, Rosado needs to rebound quickly or else his career could be ending pretty soon. Facing Murray is a big challenge but it will also be a huge reward bout if Rosado wins. If you ask Rosado, there isn’t any doubt that he will.

The Odds

Murray is currently a -350 against Rosado’s +265. And while this bout is going to be competitive, brutal and bloody, we’re going with Martin Murray here. Sure, he’s always been exciting to watch with his brawling style but Rosado has been struggling in the last couple of years. With two wins in his last seven fights, he appears to be on the way down. Murray meanwhile has won five of seven bouts since the Golovkin loss. Four of those wins were by KO and his losses were to Arthur Abraham and George Groves. This fight’s in England and Murray’s only loss in his home country has been against Groves.

Murray’s weakness was his lack of power but with four KO wins in seven super middleweight fights he’s proven otherwise. Murray’s rugged style is a bad match-up for Rosado and if he’s expecting a Gatti-Ward style war, he’s not going to win this at all. Murray is one of the sport’s toughest competitors. This could end in a stoppage with the brutality expected but if this one’s going to get stopped, it will be in Murray’s favor. I can’t see Rosado winning on points either with Murray being the better all-around fighter between the two. We’re picking Martin Murray to beat Gabriel Rosado.

A New Era: Liam Smith vs. Liam Williams Odds and Prediction

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It’s Liam verus Liam on April 8th at England’s Manchester Arena when former WBO super welterweight champion Liam Smith tests the unbeaten British and Commonwealth super welterweight title holder Liam Williams in the co-main event of Terry Flanagan’s 5th title defense against Petr Petrov.

A New Era

Dubbed as ‘A New Era’, Liam vs. Liam features two of England’s best 154-pounders. Smith was the former WBO world champion before losing to Canelo Alvarez by 9th round TKO in September 2016. Smith returned to action on March 18th and won a 4-round bout against Marian Cazacu in Spain. He will be fighting on back to back months.

Williams won the British and Commonwealth 154-pound titles by stopping Gary Corcoran at the Wales Ice Rink in July of 2016. He is coming off a November victory over Gabor Gorbics. For his achievements last year, the undefeated Williams was named as the British Boxing Writers Young Boxer of the Year for 2016.

Incidentally, Smith and Williams are the #1 and #2 super welterweights in Britain, respectively so bragging rights is an added prize aside from the WBO European belt which will will be on the line when these two collide on April 8th.

Odds and Prediction

Manchester Arena will definitely be fully packed for this contest because many British boxing fans consider this to be a truly 50/50 bout. The odds currently say that Williams is a -125 and set Smith at even money at +100.

It may look interesting that the young up and comer is favored over the more experienced former world champion but Liam Williams may be the best super welterweight in Britain today. The 24-year old Welshman is a very accurate puncher who possesses a very strong right uppercut. At 5’10”, he’s got good size and length. Williams also comes in on fire, having won his last 8 bouts by stoppage.

Smith ,meanwhile, has a polished offensive game and throws very good combinations. Smith has a balanced head and body attack and while he may not have the same power as Williams but eight of his last wins have come via knockout. The one big concern here is that he will be fighting in back to back months which is always risky. No question that his last bout was just a four rounder but the quick turnaround could backfire against a talented blue-chip contender who has all the motives to beat him.

We’re picking Liam Williams to win here because he’s got the better jab and the heavier hands. Smith may appear to be much more experienced but in reality, his resume isn’t that good. So get your popcorn ready. This should be a good one but we expect Williams to remain undefeated.