Tag Archives: Boxing Betting

Boxing Betting: James DeGale vs. Badou Jack Odds And Prediction

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James DeGale and Badou Jack will open boxing’s new year with an exciting match-up on January 14th, 2017. The two fighters are set to unify boxing’s super middleweight titles at the Barclays Center in New York.

Title Unification Bout

Englishman DeGale has been on a roll, winning his last 13 bouts and capturing the IBF super middleweight title along the way. After beating Andre Dirrell to win that belt, DeGale has successfully defended it twice and now he’s setting his sights on Badou Jack’s WBC crown and the vacant Ring Super Middleweight title.  

Jack has won four of his last five bouts but is coming off a majority draw against Lucian Bute last April. Like DeGale, he’s defended his WBC super middleweight title twice already. Half of Captain Jack’s last 14 victories have been by knockout, although his last three bouts against top level competition have been close.

This will be DeGale’s first bout in New York and Jack’s third in the Big Apple.

Strengths

Jack’s a well-rounded fighter who has a good jab but has a tendency to lunge forward when he punches. He’s tough to beat, especially when he gets his offense going early. But he may have a problem against Chunky.

DeGale is an aggressive boxer who’s good in cutting off the ring. He wears his opponent down with smart boxing and respectable power in his punches. DeGale has established himself as one of the best super middleweights in the world, if not the best. Although his record says he has one loss, that one was a debatable majority decision against George Groves in 2011.

More Complete Fighter

The oddsmakers like DeGale in this matchup and currently have him as a -300 favorite over Jack who is now at +250. The reason is DeGale is a more complete fighter than Jack. Aside from his more superior arsenal, DeGale is a very high IQ fighter who hasn’t shown too many weaknesses yet.

Compared to Jack, Chunky has been the more consistent fighter. Jack hasn’t won a clear fight since beating Francisco Sierra in 2014. His last three bouts against Anthony Dirrell, George Groves and Lucian Bute have ended in majority decision win, split decision win and split draw respectively. On the other hand, DeGale has stopped 14 of 23 opponents. His last three wins though have been by UD and considering Jack is no walk in the park, this one should be another 12 round win for James DeGale.

Boxing Betting: Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Smith Jr. Odds and Prediction

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Bernard Hopkins takes the boxing ring one final time before hanging up his gloves. The Executioner (or The Alien) faces 27-year old Joe Smith Jr. in a featured 12-rounder on December 17th at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

Leaving Legend

The 51-year old Hopkins has declared that this will be the final bout of a storied boxing career that saw him reign as world middleweight champion from 1994-2005, making an unprecedented 20 consecutive title defenses over that period. After losing his middleweight titles to Jermain Taylor, Hopkins won the light heavyweight title on several occassions.

At age 46, Hopkins became the oldest fighter to win a world title when he beat Jean Pascal. In 2013 and 2014, Hopkins broke his own record by winning two more world titles, one in each year. In his most recent bout, Hopkins lost his world titles to Sergey Kovalev.

The Irish Bomber

Known as the Irish Bomber, Joe Smith Jr. is on a roll with 16 consecutive victories and has six knockouts in his last seven victories. Smith is coming off the biggest win of his career, a stunning first round knockout of Andrzej Fonfara last June. Despite being a +1200 underdog to win that fight, Smith pulled of what could very well be boxing’s Upset of the Year for 2016. The Long Island, New York native is the current WBC international heavyweight champion. This will be Smith’s first fight in California.

Surprising Favorite

Despite a rather disappointing performance in a loss to Kovalev, Hopkins is a surprising -255 favorite over Smith who is at +215. What makes it more interesting is the fact that Hopkins isn’t just the much older man at 51, but he hasn’t fought since losing to Kovalev in November 2014.

There is no doubt that Hopkins is the much smarter boxer in this bout, but his level of performance has gradually dropped with age. Against Smith, Hopkins won’t be just facing an opponent half his age but also a fighter who mixes solid combinations with a vicious right hand. The only downside with Smith is he hasn’t faced too many quality level oppositions in his career. However, if the fight against Fonfara is an indication, Smith may be ready to take the big stage and retire Hopkins for good.

Bernard Hopkins is the name that rings a bell in this bout and it would be great to see him to leave with a fairy tale ending. But take away the nostalgia, the value is with Smith because of the plus money. Given Hopkins age and idle time, coupled with Smith’s streak and one punch knockout power, this could turn out ugly in an instant. Just ask Fonfara. Joe Smith Jr. by knockout in the first half of the bout.

WBA Featherweight Title Preview: Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares Odds And Prediction

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You can’t really keep a good fight from happening.

Take Two

Jesus Cuellar and Abner Mares will be fighting six months after they were originally scheduled to face each other. That bout was scrapped because Mares failed to get a medical clearance in New York due to a 2008 eye injury. With Mares cleared by the California State Athletic Commission, the two will headline Showtime’s December 20th event at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.

Three division champion Mares ( 29-2-1 with 15 KOs) hasn’t had a big victory since knocking out Daniel Ponce De Leon in 2013. In fact, Mares is coming off a close but clear unanimous decision loss to Leo Santa Cruz in last year’s Battle of Los Angeles. Cuellar (28-1 with 21 KOs), the hard hitting Argentine, hasn’t lost a bout since 2011 and will be making the sixth defense of the WBA (regular) Featherweight title which he won in 2013. The only blot on his record is a 7th round KO loss to Oscar Escandon in 2011.

High Output Fighters

Mares is known to be a pressure fighter who likes to keep himself busy in the ring throwing lots of punches. Not only that, he also works the body well and lands at a good 34% of his total punches. But if Mares throws a lot at 652 punches thrown per fight, Cuellar is surprisingly a busier fighter with an average of 716 punches thrown per bout. He isn’t as accurate thought at 24.4% but between him and Mares, the Argentine southpaw is the heavier hitter.

The concern with Mares is that he lets himself take unnecessary blows, as in his fight with Jhonny Gonzalez where he lost by KO. He can’t afford those same mistakes against the hard hitting Cuellar who will be looking to chop his head off. Cuellar has a two inch reach and a one and a half height advantage over Mares. Mares however has the edge in experience and level of competition faced. In the end though, this could go down to Cuellar’s power.

Who Wins?

This is and even fight with both fighters currently pegged at -110 according to several gambling sites.

Mares is a crafty veteran who has been in some big wars and finds ways to win. Cuellar is an untested heavy hitter with a lot of potential. Both are coming off long layoffs after the postponement of their bout and ring rust will come to play here.

Given their recent showings, Cuellar’s combination of power and speed may be too much for Mares. He may be wild sometimes with his haymakers but against a guy like Mares who isn’t hard to hit, he will connect and Mares will feel his power. We’re picking Jesus Cuellar to win by KO in the second half of the bout.

WBO Super Featherweight Preview: Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters Odds and Pick

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Vasyl Lomachenko continues his quest for greatness as he defends his WBO Super Featherweight championship against former featherweight champion  Nicholas Walters on November 26th, 2016 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Greatest Amateur Boxer Ever

Lomachenko enters the fight with a deceptive 6-1 professional record, but behind that seemingly inexperienced resume is who many consider to be the greatest amateur fighter of all-time.

A back to back Olympic gold medalist in 2008 and 2012, Lomachenko also won consecutive gold medals in the World Championships in 2009 and 2011. The 28-year old Ukrainian finished his amateur career with a sensational 396-1 record with his only defeat to Albert Selimov avenged twice.

Since turning pro, Lomachenko has fought in a total of six world title bouts, losing once to Orlando Salido in his first attempt at a world title. Since that defeat, Loma’s won five bouts in a row against rapidly increasing level of opposition He’s captured two world titles in two different weight classes and is coming off a 5th round KO of Roman Martinez last June.

Axe Man

Nicholas Walters will be looking to win his second world title in as many weight classes. Known as the Axe Man, the Jamaican slugger is unbeaten in 27 bouts with 26 wins, 1 draw and 21 wins by knockout. After losing his title on the scales during his fight with Miguel Marriaga in June, Walters has moved up in weight. He was ‘robbed’ with a draw in his super featherweight debut against Jason Sosa. But that did not stop him from pursuing a bout with the great Lomachenko.

Not A Mismatch

Lomachenko is a big -500 favorite over Walters who is at +400 in many sports books. But don’t let the numbers think this is going to be a mismatch. Walters is a legit foe and has exceptional athleticism and overall punching power. He has fast hands, quick feet and has finished all but two of his last eleven opponents. He’s proven that he can take care of a good technical boxer when he knocked out Nonito Donaire in 2014. Against Lomachenko though, he must be wary with counters as his defense has a tendency to slip at times. An interesting fact here is that this will be Walters’ first bout in Las Vegas.

Total Package

Lomachenko is the total package. Not only does he possess a high level boxing IQ, he also has excellent defense. Like Walters, he has quick hands and feet. Between them though, he has the better combinations and is the smarter counter puncher.

Coincidentally, both fighters have a similar connect percentage of 37.9% ( Per Compubox ) but Lomachenko has more output per fight at 177.4 punches landed per fight against Walters’ 159.6. But while they don’t have much difference in offensive numbers, Lomachenko’s defensive prowess stands out. Lomachenko’s opponents only land 16.4% of their punches on him while Walters allows a higher 21.5% Both numbers are good really but in a chess match like this, that could spell the difference.

Who Wins

Given his attributes, it hard not to look at Walters at +400. He may be the smarter bet if you want to gamble. But in the end, it’s likely Lomachenko who gets the victory here. Loma’s just too smart a boxer against Walters. He can adjust his game plan in between rounds and has too many ways to win bouts. Walters only knows one way to fight and that ram right through his opponents. He’s moving up in weight and may not be as powerful as he was in the lower ranks. Having said that, if you’re betting to win go with Lomachenko here.

Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward Boxing Odds and Fight Prediction

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A potential Fight of the Year candidate awaits boxing fans on November 19th as unified Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev defends his titles against former super middleweight king, Andre Ward .

Boxer vs Puncher

Known as the Krusher for his knack of knocking out his opponents, Sergey Kovalev has 26 knockouts in 30 total wins. Ward, on the other hand, is one of the sport’s best boxers. He’s accumulated a professional record of 30-0 with 15 knockouts. In his last 10 bouts, Ward has recorded just two knockouts. On the other hand, Kovalev has failed to stop just two fighters in his last 10 bouts.

Their game plans are as obvious as their records. Kovalev would love to engage Ward in a slugfest for the ages. Ward, meanwhile, will be looking to hit and not get hit by the power punching Russian Krusher. With two fighters who excel in their respective fighting styles, this one’s pretty much a toss-up in the truest sense of the word. The oddsmakers agree.

Hard To Pick

Ward opened as a -150 favorite against Kovalev’s +120. Again, these are two Top 5 pound for pound fighters fighting each other in their primes. But in a close call like this, experts tend to think that the safer money is with the better boxer which in this case is Andre Ward. Two months later, the lines have narrowed further at -137 to +110 but still favor Andre Ward.

As for the method of victory, the oddsmakers have set Ward winning by decision at +110 and Kovalev by KO or disqualification at +200. Many boxing experts feel that if the fight is going the distance, it will favor the boxer Ward while if it’s ending abruptly, it’s gonna be the hard hitting Kovalev who comes out victorious.

Weight Difference

Weight will not be an issue for Andre Ward but without doubt he will be facing a naturally bigger man on November 19. This will only be Ward’s third bout at light heavyweight while Kovalev has resided here since 2009. And Kovalev won’t be just another light heavyweight in the roster, he is the best in the division and is the hardest hitter in the weight class. Sure Ward is an expert in not getting hit, but once he gets hit will be the question. How Ward takes Kovalev’s punches will be the key in this bout. If he can take Kovalev’s punches though, the Krusher may be in for a long night.

Can Box Too

By Saying that Kovalev will primarily win by KO doesn’t mean he can’t box. Kovalev famously outboxed Bernard Hopkins in a career defining fight in 2014. That victory though is a two way school of thought against Andre Ward. Kovalev  dropped Hopkins but couldn’t finish him off. So Ward, being a sound technical boxer like Hopkins, could go the distance with Kovalev too and have the better shot at beating Kovalev.

Having said that, the longer this fight goes, the more it favors Andre Ward. If this fight is going the distance, Andre Ward is going to pick up that decision win.

Showtime Boxing Announces Seven Major Fights

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It’s going to be ‘Showtime’ indeed for the sport of boxing starting in December as Showtime Sports recently announced a massive seven-bout schedule that is certainly going to get boxing fans pumped up.

Showtime took to Twitter to announce the big news:

High Quality Fights, Fighters

Showtime’s impressive schedule involves fourteen Top 10 fighters, seven of which are undefeated. Twelve of the boxers are current or past world champions, as well. The schedule also has an impressive six title fights, including two title unification bouts. The fighters on the six world title bouts have combined record of 313-6. If that’s not impressive enough for you, you just aren’t a boxing fan.

Title Unifications

Showtime’s top tier schedule is headlined by a welterweight title unification between IBF champion Keith “One-Time” Thurman and WBC title holder Danny “Swift” Garcia on March 4th, 2017. Before he fights Thurman, Garcia has a tune-up fight on November 13th against fringe challenger Samuel Vargas.

Another title unification bout opens up the year in 2017 when Las Vegas resident and WBC Super Middleweight champion Badou Jack meets England’s IBF Super Middleweight title holder James DeGale.

More Title Bouts

The series of fights begin with a double title bout affair on December 10th at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

WBA ‘regular’ featherweight champion Jesus Cuellar faces former world champion Abner Mares while IBF Jr. middleweight champion Jermall Charlo risks his belt against mandatory challenger Julian Williams.

Another double title bout event sets the month of January ablaze when Carl Frampton faces Leo Santa Cruz in a rematch of their July 2016 Fight of The Year candidate. The co-main event for Frampton-Santa Cruz will be the WBC lightweight title bout between champion Dejan Zlaticanin and challenger Mikey Garcia.

The seventh bout in the series features the return of the enigmatic four division world champion Adrien “ AB” Broner on February 11th. Broner will face fellow 140-pound contender Adrian Granados in a featured bout. Showtime is considered to be taking a risk in Broner whose recent off the ring troubles included suicide threats that led to a Police investigation and being cited for misdemeanor in a Las Vegas night club.

Odds For The Bouts

Some lines have already opened for these match ups and they are very competitive. These are Carl Frampton ( -110) vs Leo Santa Cruz ( +127), James DeGale (-220) vs Badou Jack (+220). Likewise, Mares vs Cuellar is expected to be close as both fighters were pegged at -110  against each other during their aborted June 2016 bout.

Keith Thurman vs. Danny Garcia Slated For March 2017

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Danny Garcia is “gift”, no more.

After years of being mocked as ‘gift’ because of winning controversial decisions and fighting lesser known foes, Philly’s Danny “Swift” Garcia stepped up to the plate when he agreed to fight WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time”” Thurman next year:

https://twitter.com/keithfthurmanjr/status/787000095283695618

Stepping Up to The Plate

WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia has been labeled a cherry picker for fighting lesser known opponents. On Wednesday, that label may have been erased after PBC spokesman Tim Smith told media that Garcia has signed on a deal that would pit him against fellow unbeaten champion Keith Thurman in a title unification bout which could very well be the biggest match-up Al Haymon’s PBC will have ever put up.

Thurman is one of the division most feared punchers with his 27-0, 22 KOs record. One time is coming off a unanimous decision win over former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter last June. Prior to his win over Porter, Thurman had five successful title defenses under his belt.

Gifted Not Gift

Danny Garcia burst into the boxing spotlight with back to back wins over Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales. Then the unified 140-pound champion, Garcia sent Morales to permanent retirement in their second bout, knocking out El Terrible in 4 rounds.

He followed up that victory with impressive wins over Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse. However, controversial wins over Mauricio Herrera and Lamont Peterson plus a fight over the overmatched Rod Salka led to him being called ‘Gift”.

But Garcia is more than that. He’s one of the most gifted fighters in the business with his combination of speed, skill and power. Perhaps he was just looking for the right fight at the right time. A title unification bout with Thurman would be big. In fact, it would be the biggest welterweight match-up since Mayweather-Pacquiao.

Tune-Up Bout

Before these bg names collide though, Danny Garcia will be having a tune-up bout against Samuel Vargas on November 12th. According to PBC spokesman Smith, Garcia is taking the fight in order to keep himself in the best physical and mental state while waiting for the Thurman bout. On the other hand, Thurman isn’t expected to have a tune-up bout.

While IBF Kell Brook and up and rising star Errol Spence entering the picture, boxings welterweight division remains one of its best despite the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. The winner of the Thurman-Garcia bout is likely going to be the Alpha Male of the division until he fights either Spence or Brook.

Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs Mandatory Bout Announced

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The WBA has ordered WBA (Super) Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin to face WBA ( Regular ) middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in what it called a mandatory bout:

Fresh off KO Wins

The WBA’s orders came after both champions successfully defended their world titles last week. Both Golovkin and Jacobs fought on the same weekend and both are fresh off KO wins over their respective challenger.

Jacobs successfully defended his title for the 4th consecutive time with a 7th round knockout of Sergio Mora last September 9th. Jacobs dropped Mora a total of five times before the bout was halted. Prior to that, Jacobs came off a stunning 1st round KO win over fellow New Yorker Peter Quillin in a high profile bout last December 2015.

Known as the Miracle Man for overcoming cancer, Jacobs won the vacant WBA (regular) middleweight title with a victory over Jarrod Fletcher in 2014. He’s since defended the belt against Mora ( twice ), Caleb Traux and Quillin. Jacobs is 32-1 with 29 KOs. His only defeat was a 5th round TKO to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 when he challenged for the WBO middleweight title.

GGG-Brook

Golovkin meanwhile is coming off a 5th round TKO victory over IBF Welterweight champion Kell Brook who agreed to move up two weight classes to challenge the man nobody wants to face.

The GGG-Brook bout was interesting because Brook gave a good account of himself while it lasted. Not only were the official scorecards close but GGG was landing cleanly on Golovkin throughout the contest. But after four seemingly competitive rounds, Golovkin turned on the heat in the fifth, forcing Brook’s corner to throw in the towel.

While Brook mightily failed in his quest, experts are saying he may have laid the foundation in beating the fearsome Golovkin who recorded his 23rd consecutive win by breaking Brook’s orbital bone last Saturday night. With the victory over Brook, Golovkin improved his immaculate record to 36-0 with 33 KOs.

Champ vs Champ

The WBA’s order to let its Super and Regular champions square off is a rare occurrence. In this case, the fight isn’t booked yet but both parties are given 30 days to negotiate the fight or else it goes to a purse bid. After the fight is agreed, it is bound to happen within 120 days.

As for the date, HBO has reserved November 26 for Golovkin but because Jacobs is managed by Al Haymon of the PBC, there could be some hitches. However, Haymon fighters have fought under HBO in the past, giving this champion vs champion bout a good chance of happening.

Donnie Nietes To Face Edgar Sosa On September 24th

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It’s being dubbed as the latest installment of the Philippines vs. Mexico boxing rivalry.

Philippines vs. Mexico

The rivalry between the Philippines and Mexico in boxing rose to new heights with Manny Pacquiao’s four bouts with Mexican boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez. But with both fighters now past their primes, two current boxing  world champions from both countries will square off at the StubHub Center in Carson, California to renew that fierce rivalry.

Donnie Nietes, the Philippines’ longest reigning boxing world champion of All-Time, will be moving up in weight to challenge Mexican former WBC Flyweight champion Edgar Sosa:

Moving Up In Weight

On Thursday, Nietes formally relinquished the WBO Jr. Flyweight title to be able to fight Sosa. Nietes had been champion since 2011 when he defeated another Mexican in Ramon Garcia Hirales. Since then, Nietes has successfully defended the belt 9 times, stopping his opponent on five of those title bouts.

The only blot to his rule was a 12-round majority draw against Moises Fuentes in 2013. Nietes avenged that by knocking out Fuentes one year later.

In 2015, Nietes surpassed the legendary Gabriel “Flash” Elorde as his country’s longest reigning boxing champion. Nietes is also the Ring Magazine’s Jr. lineal Junior Flyweight champion. But the dearth of big fights in his weight class has forced Nietes to make a move to the next higher class where the likes of Sosa, fellow Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada and current Pound for Pound best fighter Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez reside.

A Solid Test

Sosa himself was a long reigning champion. He held the WBC Flyweight title from 2007-2009, making 11 successful title defenses during that period. The 36-year old Sosa has notable wins over Giovanni Segura and Ulises Solis in recent years but suffered a 2nd round KO loss to Roman Gonzalez last year.

Sosa is 3-2 in his last three bouts and is coming off a victory over unknown Orlando Garcia Guerrero last February. Despite his recent skid, Sosa should provide Nietes with a solid test at 112 pounds.

Nietes will only be fighting for the second time on U.S. soil. His first appearance was during the under card of Gonzalez-Viloria where he won a lopsided decision over Juan Alejo. Nietes win was unnoticed because of the brilliance of Chocolatito’s win over Nietes’ countryman Viloria. Chocolatito is slated to defend his flyweight titles against Carlos Cuadras on September 10th. If he is successful and Nietes wins convincingly against Sosa, a fight between them could be targeted for 2017.