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Billie Joe Saunders vs. David Lemieux Odds and Prediction

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The WBO middleweight title fight between Billie Joe Saunders and David Lemieux will take place on December 16th, 2017 in Montreal, Canada.

The undefeated Saunders is coming off back to back title defenses of the WBO belt he won from Andy Lee in 2015. In his standout career, Saunders defeated Chris Eubank Jr., Gary Sullivan and Willie Monroe Jr.

Huge Motivation

Lemieux captured the IBF middleweight title by knocking out Hassan N’Dam in 2015. Since his loss to Gennady Golovkin, Lemieux has won four in a row including a knockout of the year candidate against Curtis Stevens.

According to promoter Oscar De La Hoya, Lemieux would be in line to fight Canelo Alvarez if the latter’s rematch with Golovkin fizzles. That’s of course if he beats Saunders convincingly so that’s a huge motivation for the Canadian slugger.

Tough Fight

Saunders is the mild favorite here at -120, while Lemieux is at even money (+100). This is going to be a very tough test for Billie Joe Saunders not only in terms of the quality of the opponent but because he is fighting outside his home country for the first time in his career.

Lemieux meanwhile will be fighting in front of his countrymen. And although Lemieux  has two losses in Canada, both of those fights were in 2011. Lemieux has racked nine consecutive wins in Canada and with the crowd behind him, it’s got to play a big factor here.

More Punching Power

But given Lemieux’s shaky chin, Saunders has a good shot at winning this bout by knockout. Two of Lemieux’s three losses were by knockout so given his high work rate and combinations, he may be able to topple Lemieux.

However, Lemieux has more punching power and has the ability to walk down his opponents and personally, that should be what decides this fight. Both men are going to land their shots but Lemieux will hit and land harder.

This is a battle between two aggressive fighters and the one who has more power should be victorious. We’re picking David Lemieux to win this fight by stoppage.

Jeff Horn vs. Gary Corcoran Odds and Prediction

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Jeff Horn will make the first defense of his WBO welterweight title against England’s Gary Corcoran on December 13th, 2017 at the Brisbane Convention Center in Brisbane, Australia.

Battle of Brisbane 2

Dubbed as the Battle of Brisbane II, Horn will be fighting for the first time since his upset victory over Filipino 8 division world champion Manny Pacquiao last July 2nd. That bout was the original Battle of Brisbane where Horn rose to prominence by dethroning Pacquiao via controversial unanimous decision.

Pacquiao had a rematch clause and was expected to exercise it this November. But Pacman changed his mind due to his busy schedule as a senator in his native Philippines. So Horn will now defend it against Corcoran who will be fighting outside British soil for the first time in his career.

Corcoran is virtually untested as a pro but has won two in a row since suffering an 11th round knockout loss to Liam Williams in July of 2016. The Englishman has a 17-1 record with 7 KOs. In his most recent bout, Corcoran defeated Larry Ekundayo who is considered as Nigeria’s top boxer.

Tough and Gritty

Horn is the solid favorite here at -600, while the challenger Corcoran is the underdog at +350.  Horn’s upset win over Manny Pacquiao clearly had a lot to say about this line. But to Horn’s credit, he proved that despite his lack of athleticism, he is a tough and gritty fighter.

Horn can take a beating yet still stay in the fight. He is an accurate brawler and he is able to slip in short but crisp power shots that make him effective as a counter puncher. Against Corcoran, Horn not only has the advantage in toughness but also in punching power.

Power Is A Factor

Corcoran is a pressure fighter who likes to swarm his opponent from start to finish. Like Horn, he has an aggressive fighting style but unlike the Aussie, he doesn’t pack as much power in his punches. That may be a huge factor in this fight because if the two ever get toe to toe, which is likely given their style, Horn has the power to put Corcoran to sleep.

Horn isn’t really an elite fighter. With all due respect to him, he won the Pacquiao fight with a hometown decision. Still, Corcoran hasn’t fought anybody at Horn’s level. This is the Englishman’s first world title fight and he isn’t just fighting outside England for the first time; he is fighting the champion in his own backyard.

Having said those, we’re picking Jeff Horn to remain unbeaten and keep his title. He won’t need a hometown decision here. It’s going to be his coming out party. Jeff Horn by a tough but clear unanimous decision.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux Odds and Prediction

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Vasyl Lomachenko defends his WBO super featherweight title against Guillermo Rigondeaux at the Madison Square Garden on December 9th, 2017.

This is a fight between two of the best pure boxers in the business and two former amateur superstars. It may not have the appeal as Canelo vs. Golovkin or even Mayweather vs. McGregor, but this is one of the most anticipated bouts of the year.

Undefeated Fighters

Lomachenko enters the fight with a deceiving 9-1 record. Despite just 10 fights under his belt, he’s already won two world titles in different weight classes. Lomachenko has not lost since losing a controversial decision to Orlando Salido in 2014. He will be fighting for the third time this year and making the fourth defense of his title.

Like Lomachenko, Rigondeaux is undefeated as a pro at 17-0 with 11 KOs. He is coming off a no-contest against Moises Flores in June 2017. Rigondeaux has boxed just a total of three rounds after 2015.  He is moving up two weight classes in search of the biggest conquest of his career.

About The Weight

Lomachenko opened as a huge -500 favorite with Rigondeaux coming back as the underdog ay +350. The line may look surprising but actually it is not. Rigondeaux is moving up two weight classes to challenge Lomachenko so more than skill and talent, the odds are about the difference in weight.

Rigondeaux boxed as a bantamweight during his amateur days and has been fighting at super bantamweight in the pros. However, he is skipping the featherweight weight class and will be going straight up to  super featherweight to challenge Lomachenko for the latter’s WBO title.

Can Be Dropped

There is a absolutely no questioning Rigondeaux’s skills and abilities but the sudden jump from 122 pounds to 130 pounds cannot be ignored.

Another factor to consider is that while Rigondeaux is a terrific defensive fighter, he gets dropped when he gets tagged.  Offensive fighters Nonito Donaire, Hisashi Amagasa and Ricardo Cordoba each put Rigo on the floor. Given that he is facing a bigger, stronger and maybe faster boxer in Loma, that might be a problem.

Lomachenko might be the best pound for pound fighter in the sport today. He is the total package. Loma has a very high boxing IQ, quick footwork and is one of the best in boxing from a distance. He is also a very efficient counter puncher because of his head movement and ability to slip punches.

More Punching Power

Rigondeaux isn’t a pushover but given that he’s moving up in weight and fighting perhaps the best boxer today, he’s got his work cut for him. Lomachenko has more punching power than anybody Rigo has faced and that may be the difference here.

This is going to be a great fight, no doubt. But we’ll have to pick Vasyl Lomachenko to win this fight because he is the bigger puncher here. Vasyl Lomachenko by late stoppage or close unanimous decision.

Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali Odds and Prediction

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Miguel Cotto fights Sadam Ali on December 2nd, 2017 at New York’s Madison Square Garden in what is expected to be the final bout of Cotto’s glorious boxing career.

Cotto is the most decorated Puerto Rican boxer of all-time. The Caguas native has won a total of six boxing world titles in his career and is the current WBO light middleweight champion. He is the only fighter from Puerto Rico to win world titles in four different weight classes.

A Surprise Choice

Earlier this year, Cotto announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year. After winning the WBO 154-pound title, Cotto hoped to fight one more time and face the winner between the middleweight showdown between Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. But with both headed to a rematch, Cotto decided to look elsewhere. Many were surprised that he picked Sadam Ali.

Known as the World Kid, Sadam Ali was a top amateur prospect who competed for the U.S at the 2008 Olympics. Since turning pro, Ali’s just suffered one loss in 26 fights. That loss was to Jessie Vargas in 2016 for the vacant WBO 147-pound title. Since that defeat, Ali has won two in a row with his most recent win coming over former interim 140-pound title holder Johan Perez last July.

Ali has never fought above welterweight before and it was surprising that Cotto’s camp picked him as the Puerto Rican’s final ring opponent. Cotto, meanwhile, has fought as heavy as middleweight and with this bout for the WBO 154-pound title, Sadam Ali may be David to Cotto’s Goliath.

Going Out in A Blaze of Glory

Cotto is the massive favorite here at -900 while Ali is the underdog at +450. Sadam Ali is a decent boxer but he is way over his head in fighting Miguel Cotto. Cotto doesn’t just have the much better resume and boxing skills, he is also the much bigger fighter here. Having said that, it’s hard to find an area where Ali has the advantage except perhaps in age, height and length.

This is Miguel Cotto’s final bout and he wants to ride into the sunset on a winning note. Ali doesn’t have a good resume and hasn’t proven that he can hang with elite boxers. His biggest fight was against Jessie Vargas and he was outclassed rather easily. Miguel Cotto isn’t just better than Vargas. He punches a lot harder than him.

Cotto’s fighting with diminished skills. He isn’t the feared boxer he was when he was in his prime. Despite that, he is still a much better boxer than Sadam Ali. He’s going to use his power to bully Ali until the latter weakens. Miguel Cotto’s going out in a blaze of glory. We’re picking Miguel Cotto to win by stoppage.

Can Sergey Kovalev Reclaim His Status As Light Heavyweight Champion?

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Sergey Kovalev looks to regain the first world title he won as a professional boxer when he faces  Vyacheslav Shabranskyy on November 25th, 2017 at the Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York., USA.

Started It All

The WBO lightweight title is one that has sentimental value to the man known as the Russian Krusher because it was the first of three light heavyweight belts he won during his long reign as unified light heavyweight champion. Kovalev won that belt in 2013 when knocked out Nathan Cleverly in Wales. Krusher defended the belt eight times before losing it to Andre Ward in the first of their two fights.

Kovalev’s first loss to Ward was close and as some would say controversial. But Ward knocked out Kovalev in a rematch to settle their score. The losses to Ward were the first in the 34-year old Kovalev’s career and he looks to bounce back not only with a win over Shabranskyy but by reclaiming the belt that started it all.

Big Opportunity

Ukrainian Vyacheslav Shabranskyy is staring at a big opportunity against Kovalev. Not only is the 30-year old about to get a shot at a big name like Kovalev, he also has the opportunity to win his first ever world title after this originally 10 rounder was promoted to the WBO title fight after Ward’s retirement.

Shabranskyy has lost just one time in 20 bouts and that defeat was a knockout loss against Sullivan Barrera last December. Since that defeat he’s racked up two successive victories and will be fighting for the third time this year. Like Kovalev, he is known for his punching power with 16 KOs in 19 wins.

Prediction

This is going to be a slugfest but of two fighters with different styles. Shabranskyy is an aggressive slugger who throws volume punches to the body. Kovalev meanwhile picks his spots first before getting into a slug of war. Shabranskyy is the taller fighter here and because of that, there is a room for upset.

However, Kovalev is the more polished boxer and has the better all around skills. Although he’s coming off back to back losses, those were to the best fighter in the planet. With Ward now retired Kovalev is the man to beat at light heavyweight. Shabranskyy will try to rush in and overwhelm Kovalev but the Krusher has excellent IQ to counter that. He’s going to take his time and try to outbox his opponent. But if Shabranskyy gets too sloppy, Kovalev’s going to end his night early.

We’re picking Kovalev to win by unanimous decision or stoppage in the championship rounds.

Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam Preview and Prediction

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With Kubrat Pulev out, world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua gets a new opponent for his October 28th, 2017 bout at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

AJ was expected to make a mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev but the Bulgarian pulled out of their encounter after suffering a torn muscle in his right shoulder area. Joshua will now defend his belts against the next highest fighter on the IBF’s heavyweight rankings.

Replacement Foe

That man is 3rd ranked Carlos Takam, who lost to WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in a competitive bout in 2015.  Takam has a record of 35-3-1 with 27 KOs. The Frenchman has won two in a row since losing to Parker. He will be challenging for a world title for the second time in his career.

Joshua has made three successful defenses of the IBF heavyweight title he won from Charles Martin in 2016. The 28-year old British superstar knocked out Dominic Breazeale in in seven rounds, Eric Molina in three and then sent Klitschko to retirement last April 29th in the leading 2017 Fight of the Year candidate.

Total Package

Anthony Joshua is a -6600 favorite against Takam, who is currently listed at +200. AJ is considered to be the best heavyweight in the planet and is the total package as a fighter. He has power, hand speed, footwork and boxing IQ. He’s shown few weaknesses so far, although he was dropped by Klitschko during their bout.

Takam is almost nine years older than Joshua and is much shorter than the champion. He has knockout power too and has won four of his last five bouts by stoppage. He has a come forward style but tends to lose steam after a couple of rounds. His best chance against AJ would be in the opening rounds of the bout.

Perfect Record

Given his age and his tendency to drop his hands, his stamina and durability should be a problem if this goes to the middle rounds. But don’t think he is out of shape because even before Pulev pulled out, Takam was already a standby opponent so he is ready. Problem is, Joshua looks unstoppable right now. He has a perfect record of 19-0 with 19 KOs.

Look for Anthony Joshua to send Takam packing early. It’s going to be a quick night in Wales. Nobody’s perfect but AJ will keep his clean slate. Anthony Joshua by knockout before round six.

Battle Of The Liams: Will Williams Get His Revenge on Smith?

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Here we go again. The battle of two of Britain’s up and coming boxing superstars, both named Liam.

Liam Smith and Liam Williams will square off again after their thrilling first encounter ended in controversy. The two will lock horns one more time at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England on November 11th, 2017 in what the WBO has announced as a title eliminator for their 154-pound belt.

Unfortunate Ending

Smith and Williams engaged in a dogfight last April at the Manchester Arena in England. The bout came to a sudden end after Liam Williams was pulled from the bout after nine rounds because of an eye injury. It was a sorry loss for Williams who was up by one point in all three of the judges scorecards.

Because of the unfortunate ending, an immediate rematch between the two was set and it was initially penciled for October 28th, 2017. But with heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua fighting on that same date, the Liams agreed to move their fight to November 11th, 2017 and settle their dispute once again inside the ring.

Title Eliminator

Their first bout was for the WBO 154-pound title but Smith did not win it because he failed to make the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds during the weigh-ins. Instead, the title was disputed by Miguel Cotto and Yoshihiro Kamegai last August. Cotto won it and will defend the crown against Sadam Ali on December 2nd. As this bout is a title eliminator, the winner between Smith and Williams will fight for the title next.

The WBO title once belonged to Liam Smith before he was beaten by Saul Canelo Alvarez. Liam Williams, meanwhile, is the British and Commonwealth 154-pound champion and the 2016 Young Boxer of the Year by the British Boxing Writers association. He is looking for his first world title and once again, that road leads to Liam Smith.

Loser is Favorite

Despite losing their first encounter, Liam Williams is the slight favorite here at -120, while Liam Smith is at even money +100. If not for that eye injury, Liam Williams would’ve likely won that fight on points. Williams looked too sharp for Smith in the early goings and kept his more experienced opponent off him with laser jabs.

Don’t forget that Williams had his best round of the fight in Round 8 before the accidental clash of heads in Round 9 forced the Williams corner to step in and save their fighter’s eye from further damage. To his credit, Smith fought back and turned it into a bloody brawl before the accidental headbutt occurred.

Prediction

We know how tough a veteran Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith is and we acknowledge him being a former world champion. But Liam Smith is probably the best 154-pounder in England right now. He has the skills and power to be a world champion.

Again, Williams has the better jab and more powerful punches. Those should be the key. Barring any unfortunate injury in the rematch, Liam Williams should exact revenge on Liam Smith. Williams by unanimous decision or late knockout.

Can Bermane Stiverne Beat Deontay Wilder This Time?

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WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will now defend his belt against the man he won it from – Canadian fighter Bermane Stiverne. Stiverne replaces the power punching Luis “King Kong” Ortiz who failed a drug test last week.

Stiverne was supposed to fight fellow contender Dominic Breazeale in the undercard. Instead he will now face Wilder in the main event of this Showtime event  on November 4th, 2017 at the Barclays Center in New York.

Rematch

Wilder and Stiverne met in 2015 under different circumstances. Stiverne was the champion and Wilder the challenger. The latter won the contest via unanimous decision and took the WBC belt home to Tuscaloosa , Alabama.  Wilder has since defended the belt successfully five times.

Wilder was supposed to fight Ortiz to silence  his detractors who have always criticized his level of competition. But the Cuban tested positive for two diuretic drugs chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide, which are used to treat high blood pressure but which can be used as masking agents for steroids. Ortiz said it was used for the former but didn’t ask for medical exemption from VADA.

Size Advantage

Just as he was in their first bout, Wilder is the favorite here. The Bronze Bomber is a -700 against Stiverne who is at +425 for this rematch. We saw what Wilder did in the first bout. Wilder used his size advantage over Stiverne to dictate the fight from the outside.

Before their first bout, Wilder was 32-0 with 32 KOs and many people thought he was all about knocking people out. But against Stiverne, he used every inch of his 83 inch reach advantage to keep the hard hitting Canadian at bay. Wilder dominated the fight with his jab and continued to pepper Stiverne with big right hands. He won handily in the scorecards.

Can’t Get Going

Stiverne is a conservative counter puncher and he won’t win this fight fighting at a distance because he gives up too much size against Deontay Wilder. He has to take this fight close since his best punches are the compact hooks which he throws from the inside. To get inside though, he must take chances and risk getting hit by Wilder’s bombs.

Stiverne successfully avoided getting floored or knocked out in the first bout. However, he wasn’t able to get his offense going because he was busy fending off Wilder’s punches. We’re not saying that Stiverne has no shot at winning this because he does have power in both hands.

However, Wilder beat him two years ago, when the Bronze Bomber was a raw talent. With Wilder now smarter and more intelligent, an older Stiverne is in for all sorts of problems.

Prediction

It’s not Deontay Wilder’s fault that he will be fighting Bermane Stiverne. Luis Ortiz couldn’t do his part. Now Wilder says that Stiverne is  going to pay for Oritz’s miscues. Doesn’t get any worse for Bermane Stiverne.

We’re picking Deontay Wilder to win this fight. f there’s a man to beat Wider, it won’t be Stiverne.  He already knows what Stiverne brings to the table and he has improved so much in the last couple of years. So don’t be surprised if Wilder is going to win this one by knockout.

Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev Odds and Prediction

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Anthony Joshua puts his heavyweight world titles on the line against Kubrat Pulev at Cardiff’s Principal Stadium on October 28th, 2017.

Joshua will defend his WBA and IBF belts against the Pulev, who is the IBF’s mandatory challenger. Pulev has won 25 of 26 bouts with his only loss coming at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Since that defeat, Pulev has won five fights in a row including victories over Dereck Chisora, Samuel Peter and Kevin Johnson.

Next Big Thing

Pulev is a 6-4 fighter who utilizes his range very well. He is a smart boxer who doesn’t allow his opponents to box from the inside. He makes them fight his style and he’s good at finding holes in their defense. Although he isn’t known for his punching power, Pulev has recorded a knockout in six of his last 10 bouts.

Joshua, meanwhile, is the next big thing in the sport. He owns a perfect record of 19-0 with 19 KOs. Widely considered as the best heavyweight today, he possesses freak physical attributes. Joshua is large and masculine but he is fast, quick and agile. What makes him more dangerous is that he has natural punching power in both hands. There aren’t too many weaknesses in his game.

Massive Favorite

A.J. opened as a massive -5000 favorite at Bovada, while the Bulgarian brute came back as the +1400 underdog. Joshua should win this fight because he is the most physically gifted heavyweight in the business today. A.J.’s combination of size, speed, power and athleticism are rarely seen. We saw that on full display during his April 2017 victory over the great Wladimir Klitschko.

While many say that Joshua beat an over the hill old guy in Klitschko, it wasn’t easy. Wlad dominated the heavyweight division for over a decade and despite his advanced age, he didn’t show signs of slowing down. It was just that he faced a phenomenal athlete in Joshua and lost to him.

Too Much To Handle

Joshua’s defense isn’t very good. We saw Klitschko take advantage of that. Pulev fights a little like Klitschko. He uses his jab to set up his power right hand. Being an accomplished amateur boxer, Pulev is also a good boxer by heavyweight standards. As such, he can give Joshua some problems but in the end we think Joshua’s too much of a physical specimen for Pulev to handle.

Pulev will try to take advantage of Joshua’s defensive lapses but he too doesn’t have elite defense as well. Look for Joshua to unload his big bombs early in this fight. Not a question of the winner really. The odds are picking Joshua by a mile and we agree. As to how this fight will end, that’s more interesting. We’re picking Anthony Joshua to win by knockout in the first half of the fight.

George Groves vs. Jamie Cox Odds and Prediction

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George Groves defends his WBA (Super) super middleweight title for the first time against unbeaten Jamie Cox on October 14th, 2017 at the SSE Arena in Wembley London.

The bout is part of the ongoing World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament which began in September. The winner of this contest will move forward to face the winner of the October 7th match between Chris Eubank Jr. and Avni Yildirim.

Grizzled Veteran

Groves is the grizzled veteran who brings an impressive record of 26-3 with 19 KOs. He has won five fights in a row and has not lost since being outpointed by Badou Jack in 2015. Groves is well known for his two fights with Carl Froch and although he lost both fights, he is a force to reckoned with.

Jamie Cox is the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medalist who has compiled a record of 24-0 with 13 KOs . Cox will be making his first ever world title fight appearance and unfortunately for him, he is doing so against one of the toughest super middleweights in the business.

Big Step Up

Groves is a -450 favorite at Bovada to beat Cox, who is currently at +325. Groves biggest advantage is his vast fighting experience. He’s fought some of the best names in the weight class Fedor Chudinov, Martin Murray, Badou Jack, Carl Froch (twice), Glen Johnson, James DeGale. Groves may only be a modest 4-3 against those fighters, but still he has proven that he can compete at world title level.

In his most recent bout, Groves finally became a world champion after three failed attempts. Groves knocked out Chudinov in the sixth round of their WBA (Super ) super middleweight title bout. He then entered the 8-man World Boxing Super Series – super middleweight division tournament. His first assignment is the unbeaten Cox.

Cox has the tools to win this fight. His fast combinations and punching power are no fluke. He can turn the tide quickly and win this fight in a hurry. Cox is a pressure fighter who likes to bring the fight to his opponents. Five of his last six victories have been by knockout. But this bout won’t be decided by punching power. Rather, it will be won with experience and boxing ability. This is such a huge step up in level of opposition for Cox. He might not be able to rise to the occasion.

An Explosive Fight

Although he was stopped twice by Carl Froch, Groves is no easy man to put down. He’s a brawler who’d gladly accept Cox’s invitation to meet at the center of the ring. He has power in both hands and although he has good defense, he’d rather take some more punishment in order to deliver some. Seven of Groves’ last 10 wins have been by stoppage, so this is going to be an explosive fight.

But when it goes down the stretch, it’s going to be Groves’ boxing that will shine. We’re not expecting this fight to end by knockout. We think this is going to be a long and hard grinder. In the end, the more experienced boxer should win it. This should be a good fight. We’re picking George Groves to win on points.