Tag Archives: Boxing picks

Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker Odds and Prediction

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The first step to unifying boxing’s heavyweight titles takes place on March 31st, 2018 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Unified IBF, WBA and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua faces WBO title holder Joseph Parker in one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year.

Heavyweight Title Unification

Joshua is the universally recognized heavyweight champion of the world after beating the legendary Wladimir Klitschko in an epic war last year.

Since winning the IBF heavyweight belt against American Charles Martin in 2016, Joshua has fought four times. Two of those were IBF title defenses against Dominic Breazeale and Carlos Molina. The third one was his unification bout with Klitschko where he annexed the WBA and IBO belts.

Most recently, Joshua knocked out a stubborn Carlos Takam in in 10 rounds last October to keep his belts and his perfect record of  20-0 with 20 knockouts.

At about the same time Joshua won the IBF belt, Joseph Parker captured the WBO heavyweight title with a majority decision win over American Andy Ruiz.

Since then, Parker has made two successful defenses of his belt. Parker beat Razvan Cojanu in an unimpressive unanimous decision victory in May 2017. The Kiwi then beat Hughie Fury via majority decision last September to set-up a date with Joshua.

More than the belts, a rich unification bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder awaits the winner of this bout. Wilder is coming off a sensational knockout win over Cuban slugger Luis Ortiz last month. The Bronze Bomber is expected to fly to Wales not just to witness this contest but to challenge the winner after the bout.

Best Heavyweight In The Planet

Joshua is the heavy favorite here (-900 at Sportsbetting.ag), while Parker came back as the underdog at +600.

The British is massive at 6-6 with a reach of 82 inches. He is considered as the best heavyweight in the planet today. Joshua isn’t just a powerful puncher, he is also a complete fighter. AJ has the speed, quickness, footwork, hand speed and IQ that not every heavyweight possesses.

Other than the knockdown he suffered against Klitschko, Joshua has shown very little weaknesses so far. Parker meanwhile is a solid boxer himself. He has scored a knockout in 9 of his last 13 fights so there isn’t any question about his punching power. But Parker isn’t too hard to counter and that is considered as his main weakness. Given AJ’s skills, it may not be hard to find the target against Joseph Parker.

But while he’s easier to hit, Parker has proven that he has a granite chin. He’s been  into brawls with Andy Ruiz and Carlos Takam and in both instances, his chin held up. There is a difference though in both skill and power between Anthony Joshua and those two fighters so it will be interesting to see how good Parker really is.

Because he hasn’t faced well known opponents, it’s hard to gauge how good or not Joseph Parker really is. But even if we consider all things equal, Parker still gives up a lot to Joshua in terms of size. Being bigger than his foes has always been Joshua’s main edge over his opponents. This one should be no different.

Joshua is going to break Parker down and wear him out in the middle rounds. Even if Parker’s chin holds, it’s going to be an easy night for AJ. But chances are, Joshua is going to keep his perfect record.

Book another knockout win for Anthony Joshua. We’re picking Joshua to win by knockout. Bring in Deontay Wilder next.

Dillian Whyte vs. Lucas Browne Odds and Prediction

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Dillian Whyte and Lucas Browne settle their beef as the two heavyweights collide on March 24th, 2018 at the O2 Arena in London, England.

Whyte is the WBC’s #1 contender and he is within striking range of WBC champion Deontay Wilder, but he is risking that lofty ranking in order to settle his grudge with Lucas Browne.

Whyte is coming off an unimpressive unanimous decision win over Robert Helenius in the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam last October.

Since suffering his only professional loss to Anthony Joshua in 2015, Whyte has won six straight fights, half of them by stoppage. The 29-year old Whyte may be one win away from facing Wilder and he is eager to get that ‘w’ against his much older opponent.

Last Chance

Browne, meanwhile, is coming off a 2nd round knockout win over Matthew Greener in Australia. That has been Browne’s only fight since he was stripped of the heavyweight title he won from Ruslan Chagaev.

At 38, this may be Big Daddy’s last chance to win another world title. This is also the opportunity for him to erase all doubts after he was stripped of the WBA (regular) heavyweight championship after failing a drug test. A big win over a solid contender like Whyte should do that.

Much Younger

Dillian Whyte is favored in this bout at – 360 at Bovada, while Lucas Browne came back at +270.

Age is going to be a big factor in this fight as Whyte is nearly a decade younger than Browne. If Browne doesn’t get an early stoppage, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble.

22 of Browne’s 25 bouts have ended in a knockout so he’s a guy who doesn’t like to go the distance, especially at his advanced age. But knocking out Dillian Whyte isn’t an easy out for anybody.

In fact, only unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been able to beat him in the pros. For sure, Browne is no Joshua – not in age, not in skills and not in punching power.

Going The Distance

Make not mistake, this is going to be an intense and physical bout. But Dillian Whyte has the ability to take this fight to the full route.

Taking Browne to the distance should be a better game plan than choosing to stand and trade with the hard-hitting Australian. The longer this fight goes, the better it will be for Dillian Whyte as he is going to tire the much older Lucas Browne.

White has a lot of things going for him here: he’s fighting at home, he’s the champion,  he’s the younger guy and he has better hands. Having said that, Dillian Whyte is going to win this bout. It should go the distance but it should also be a clear cut win for him

Oscar Valdez vs. Scott Quigg Odds and Prediction

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WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez defends his belt against Scott Quigg on March 10th, 2018 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Potentially Explosive Match-Up

This is another potentially explosive match-up for the two-time Mexican Olympian whose last fight against Filipino challenger Genesis Servania was one of the best in 2017.

In that bout, both Valdez and Servania suffered knockdowns. But in the end, it was Valdez who came up with a hard fought victory to retain his title via unanimous decision.

Valdez is expecting another tough fight as he faces Quigg, a former junior featherweight world champion, who is currently trained by famed tactician Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.

Quigg has won three fights in a row since losing to Carl Frampton in the only loss of his professional career. Quigg moved up to featherweight after the defeat and has been impressive in his new weight class.

Has The Tools To be Great

The fight will be Valdez’s fourth defense of the title he won against Matias Rueda in July 2016. The 27-year old Valdez is undefeated in 23 fights and has 19 wins by way of knockout.

Quigg will be making his U.S. debut. The 29-year old Bury, Manchester, England native is 34-1-2 with 25 knockouts. Quigg won the WBA Super Bantamweight title in June 2012 and made six successful title defenses before relinquishing the belt to Frampton in February of 2016.

The champion Valdez is the huge favorite in this fight (-450 at Bovada), while the challenger Quigg came back at +325. Valdez has the tools to become one of the best pound for pound fighters in the planet. He throws great combinations, has good movement, applies enough pressure and has tremendous punching power.

Both Power Punchers

Although his last two fights have ended in decision, Valdez has one punch knockout power which is uncommon in these lower weight classes.

Valdez has knocked out eight of his last 11 opponents and the only knack on Valdez really is the lack of big names in his resume. That’s not his fault though as not many souls are brave enough to challenge a power punching ‘small guy’ like him. Quigg though is an exception.

The Englishman is tough as they come. He likes to fight on the inside and has great body work which slows down his opponents.

Like Valdez, he also has one punch KO power. And despite moving up in weight recently, he has the power to drop anyone in this new weight class. The problem with Quigg is that he can be wild with his offense and leave himself open for counters. That was his problem against Frampton. It will be the same with Valdez.

Prediction

Valdez has the advantages in quickness, hand speed, movement and power here. If he boxes to the best of his abilities, there is no doubt that he is going to win this fight. Valdez is the better overall boxer and may be just beginning to tap into his potentials. It’s hard to bet against someone who is just making his ascent in the sport.

But if Valdez fights like he did in his last two bouts and gets enticed to a brawl, he could be in real danger against Scott Quigg. Quigg is bigger and has more experience. His pressure style can also cause problems for the young champion. If this becomes a slugfest, Quigg’s chances of winning are much higher.

However, Valdez is too smart of a fighter to be lured into that. He knows who he’s up against and he has what it takes to beat Scott Quigg. We’re picking Oscar Valdez to win this fight and remain unbeaten.

Can Sergey Rabchenko Stage a Massive Upset Over Kell Brook?

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Former welterweight champion Kell Brook hopes to end a two fight losing skid as he faces Sergey Rabchenko in his hometown of Sheffield, England.

Brook will be coming to the fight after back to back losses to Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence.  In both bouts, Brook fractured his orbital bone and in both times, he needed surgery to repair the damage. Brook is 36-2 with 25 stoppages. Majority of his fights have been in England and this is yet another one of them.

Looking For A Big Win

Brook isn’t really a knockout artist but he does have plenty of pop in his punches. Nine of Brook’s last 12 wins have come by stoppage. He is looking to get a big win by scoring another a big knockout to get back in the winning column and remain relevant. But it may not be a walk in the park against a tough customer like Rabchenko

Since getting knocked out by Tony Harrison in an IBF title eliminator in 2016, Rabchenko has won back to back fights but against lesser known opponents. The former EBU light middleweight champion has a record of 29-2 with 22 knockouts. Although he will be fighting on hostile ground, this is Rabchenko’s seventh bout in England.

Concerns on Brook

Although Brook is a huge -1850 favorite at BetOnline (Rabchenko is the +925 underdog), this is a tricky fight for the Special One. He is coming off back to back losses for the first time in his career and he is trying to get back in the winning column by moving up to light middleweight.

There is also concern about Kell Brook’s right eye socket which was broken against Errol Spence and required surgery. While he has been cleared to fight, who knows how that eye is going to react once it gets hit multiple times again, now by a bigger opponent.

Must Win Situation

To his credit though, Brook’s two losses came against Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence, two of the most avoided fighters in the planet. All things considered normal, Brook is going to be back in his element, fighting with a high IQ and counterpunching very well against a bigger and slower opponent.

Rabchenko though is a tough fighter and is going to try and put the pressure on Kell Brook. He knows that Kell is in a must win situation and is pressured to win, especially in front of his countrymen. If Brook isn’t ready to get into a war, we may see an upset. All things considered though, Brook gets the benefit of the doubt. At 31, there is still something left in that tank and Brook is going to show that against Rabchenko.

Kell Brook wins this fight by decision.

Victor Ortiz vs. Devon Alexander Odds and Prediction

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Former world title holders Victor Ortiz and Devon Alexander square off in a welterweight showdown that will serve as the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on February 17th, 2018 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.

With the welterweight division stacked with big names and talent, these two former champions hope to keep their names among the elites. To do that though, they have to go through each other in a very important fight for both fighters.

Fighting Sporadically

Alexander is coming off an easy November 21st win over Walter Castillo. Prior to that bout, Alexander spent 25 months on the shelf recovering from addiction to painkillers. Alexander was both a 140 and 147-pound champion during his better years where he was considered one of boxing’s future stars.

Ortiz, meanwhile, has fought sporadically since losing his WBC welterweight belt to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2011. Aside from injuries, Ortiz has spent a considerable amount of time off the ring to pursue among others a movie career. But Ortiz returned in July 2017 to knock out Saul Corral in four rounds.

Crossroads Fight

Devon Alexander is the slight favorite here at -250 while Ortiz came back at +200. This is going to be an entertaining fight because both fighters know each other since they were kids but have never fought in the pros and when they were still in their primes. But like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, it’s better late than never. The comparison ends there, though.

Both are in the tail end of their careers and this is a crossroads fight for the both of them. The winner of this bout shall remain relevant in a very loaded welterweight division while the loser will probably never be able to get another shot at returning to the pinnacle of the 147-pound division.

Not the Same

Both are former world champions and both are southpaws. But since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Victor Ortiz has never looked the same. He’s won just half of his fights and has lost to every recognizable name in his resume since the controversial knockout by Mayweather.

Devon Alexander has the advantage in speed and defense. He should be able to break down Ortiz while landing some excellent counter punches. Ortiz has the advantage in punching power but at this stage of his career, we aren’t sure what is left of Ortiz or his punching power. Something has been missing since he got knocked out by Mayweather.

We’re picking Devon Alexander to win this fight by unanimous decision. He’s too good to be lured by someone like Ortiz into a phone booth battle and he’s too smart to be caught by a one punch knockout from the Vicious One. Ortiz may be more entertaining but that’s as good as he’ll get.

George Groves vs. Chris Eubank Jr. Odds and Prediction

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George Groves faces Chris Eubank Jr. for the WBA Super Middleweight title at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on February 17th, 2018. The bout will serve as one of the semi-finals match-up for the super middleweight division edition of the  World Boxing Super Series.

Coming Off KO Wins

Groves is coming off a 4th round knockout of Jamie Cox during his opening match of the World Boxing Super Series tournament. The fight also served as Groves’ first defense of the WBA super middleweight belt which he won over former champion Fedor Chudinov last May. It was Groves’ first title win in four tries.

Eubank meanwhile reached the semifinals with a third round stoppage of little known Avni Yildirim. Eubank has fought mostly at middleweight and in his most important bout, he dropped a 12 round split decision loss to then British and Commonwealth middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders.

As Close As It Gets

This is as close as it gets. The betting odds favor Chris Eubank Jr. at -150 but George Groves isn’t far behind at +110. You can easily make a case for both fighters in this bout, that’s the reason why tickets for this one sold out very fast. It’s one of the most highly anticipated bouts of the tournament.

It’s fair to say that George Groves is the better boxer here and has a huge experience advantage over Eubank. Groves is famous for his two bouts against the legendary Carl Froch and although he lost both fights, his familiarity with an event of this magnitude is a big plus for him.

More Stamina

But Eubank is the better athlete and has more stamina. He’s good at pacing himself and keeping something left in the tank for the championship rounds, where he loves to be the aggressor. That’s bad news for someone like Groves who can be wild at times and whom we’ve seen in the past tire himself out after getting lured into a brawl.

Keep an eye for Eubank’s uppercuts, they might end this fight in the later rounds. It’s going to be fun and exciting as everyone else expected. But in the end, it’s going to be Chris Eubank Jr. who will be moving one fight closer to winning the Ali Trophy. We’re picking Chris Eubank Jr. to in by late stoppage or close decision.

Murat Gassiev vs. Yunier Dorticos Odds and Prediction

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IBF cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev takes on WBA cruiserweight kingpin Yunier Dorticos in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series’ cruiserweight division. The fight will be held at Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia on February 3rd, 2018.

Unbeaten Champions

The 24-year old Gassiev is the youngest member of the cruiserweight field. He has an impressive record of 25-0 with 28 knockouts. Gassiev has knocked out nine of his last 10 opponents, with only Denis Lebedev going the distance with him. In his most recent bout at the WBSS quarterfinals, he needed just three rounds to dispose of Krzysztopf Wlodarczyk.

Like Gassiev, Dorticos is unbeaten in 22 fights. The 31-year old Havana, Cuba native has knocked out all but one of his 22 opponents inside the ring. In his quarterfinals bout, Dorticos outslugged Dmitry Kudryashov in just two rounds to retain his belt and move on to the semifinals of this cruiserweight tournament.

KO Doctor

Dorticos isn’t called the knockout doctor for nothing. Nine of his last 11 bouts have lasted four rounds or fewer and over the period, only Edison Miranda survived his powerful straight. When you talk about pure power, Dorticos may be the top guy in this weight class. At 6-3 and with a reach of 80 inches, Dorticos has excellent size for a cruiserweight.

But Gassiev is also a behemoth himself. He is 6-3 with a reach of 76 inches. Gassiev likes to pressure his opponents. He loves to come forward with hard, compact punches that have one-punch knockout power. Gassiev may have the most feared right hand in the division and at just 24, he has the chance to become the man to beat at this weight class.

More Skilled

Gassiev is the slight favorite here at -150 while Dorticos the underdog at +120. This has the makings of a classic with two big punchers carrying unbeaten records going head to head. It also has the potential to be an early fight of the year candidate because these punchers have a high knockout ratio.

But as far as picking a winner here, we’re going with the betting favorite Gassiev. Not only is he fighting on home turf, he is also the more skilled boxer between the two. While Dorticos can be sometimes wild with his punches and leave himself open for counters, Gassiev throws compact and powerful punches without sacrificing his defense.

Dorticos’ size has always been his advantage over his opponents but in this fight, he won’t have the benefit of that size edge because Gassiev is one of the few cruiserweights who can match him in terms of size. So for as long as Gassiev fights smart and avoids getting hit by Dorticos’ haymaker, he’s going to win this fight. We’re picking Murat Gassiev to beat Yunier Dorticos in an exciting battle.

World Boxing Super Series Semis: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Mairis Briedis Odds and Prediction

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WBO Cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk faces WBC Cruiserweight title holder Mairis Briedis in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series at the Riga Arena in Riga, Latvia on January 27th, 2018.

The winner of the bout will move on to face the winner of the other semi-final bout IBF champion Murat Gassiev and WBA king Yunier Dorticos on February 3rd, 2018. The World Boxing Super Series champion will receive the Muhammad Ali Trophy, boxing’s most prestigious prize today.

Nation Behind Him

Usyk is the top seed in this cruiserweight tournament. The former 2011 World Champion and 2012 Olympic champion is undefeated in 13 bouts with 11 knockouts. But he will be facing a fellow world champion in his own backyard. Mairis Briedis is considered a national hero in Latvia and you can expect the whole nation to be cheering for him.

That crowd support was evident during Briedis quarterfinal fight against Mike Perez which he won by unanimous decision. Briedis has fought eight times in front of his countrymen and he’s never lost a bout there. The WBC champion also has an unblemished record of 23-0 with 18 KOs.

Can’t Miss Battle

The betting gods favor Usyk here at -500 while Briedis is the underdog at +350. This is a can’t miss battle between two unbeaten champions. You can’t ask for a better way to start the year. But of course you’ve got to realize that this is part of the World Boxing Super Series where champions meet champions in order to determine the best of the best.

Usyk has the advantage in speed and combinations while Briedis possesses that one punch knockout power than can end this fight at any given time. This will most probably go down to who can dictate the tempo of the fight and we believe that’s going to be Oleksandr Usyk.

Losing Focus

The Ukrainian isn’t just the bigger fighter in this match-up, he also has the ability to mix punches and land different combinations. Usyk is also quicker on his feet and has the ability to take a punch. Given these advantages, Usyk is going to frustrate Briedis all night long.

When big punchers like Briedis can’t land the ‘Big One’, they tend to get discouraged and lose focus. Briedis is an excellent slugger and a deserving champion but he doesn’t have what it takes to outwork Usyk inside the ring. We’re picking Usyk to win close, on points and in a very good fight.

Errol Spence vs. Lamont Peterson Odds and Prediction

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Errol Spence defends his IBF welterweight title against Lamont Peterson on January 20th, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Fighting At Barclays

The 27-year old Spence, a native of Dallas, Texas, traveled all the way to England to dethrone Kell Brook as the IBF welterweight champion in May of 2017.

Spence fulfilled his promise to become world champion by pummeling Brook, breaking his orbital bone in the process en route to an 11th round TKO win. This will be Spence’s third appearance at the Barclays Center and in his most recent outing there, he stopped former world champion, Chris Algieri.

Two division champion Lamont Peterson has faced some of the biggest names in the sport, including Amir Khan, Danny Garcia and Timothy Bradley Jr. Peterson won the WBA 147-pound title last February but relinquished it in order to challenge Spence. Peterson has lost just once in his last five fights and two of his most recent wins have come at the Barclays Center. It will be interesting to see who wins at the Barclays this time around.

A Huge Favorite

Spence is a huge -1600 favorite over the veteran Peterson, who came back at +1150. Although this is only Spence’s first title defense, he proved in his last fight that he is for real and not just hype. Spence’s demolition of Kell Brook last May showed that he should be ranked among the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet.

The 5-9 southpaw has an impressive 72-inch reach advantage and possesses power in both hands. Spence likes to work the body and does so with consistency until his opponent wears down. But unlike some elite punchers, he isn’t a free swinger. He’s a high IQ fighter who has excellent defensive instincts.

Best Welterweight Today

Peterson is no pushover. He is an excellent athlete and a former world champion. He moves well around the ring and has very decent punching power. He likes to work on the inside with his fast hands and can put up some great combinations if he finds a rhythm. Peterson’s been knocked out just once in three losses, so he’s a tough cookie to crack too.

But Spence is on a roll and is probably the best welterweight in the sport today despite the lack of big fights in his resume. Peterson is soon to be 34 and at that age, he may not be able to keep up with a hungry pitbull like Spence.

Peterson’s going to have his moments here but it’s going to be Spence who will open 2018 with a bang. Whether it’s a  late stoppage or a dominant unanimous decision win, we’re picking Errol Spence to win and keep his belt.

Robert Easter Jr. vs. Javier Fortuna Odds and Prediction

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Robert Easter Jr. will defend his IBF lightweight title against Javier Fortuna on January 20th, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

One of the sport’s rising stars, Easter is unbeaten in 20 bouts with 14 KOs. The Toledo, Ohio native is coming off back to back successful title defenses against Luis Crus and Denis Shafikov. He will be looking to repulse a third challenger in the person of Javier Fortuna, who is making the leap from 130 pounds to challenge for the world title.

The 28-year old Fortuna briefly held the WBA (regular) 130-pound title before relinquishing it to Jason Sosa in the only loss of his professional boxing career. The Dominican Republic born fighter also held the interim WBA featherweight belt in 2012 but lost it on the scales in his first title defense.

Big Size Advantage

Easter is the favorite here at -400 while Fortuna is the underdog at +340. The champion has a huge 5 inch advantage in height and an eight inch reach advantage over his challenger. For someone like Fortuna who is moving up in weight for this fight, that difference may be too much.

But it’s not just the physical advantages that make Robert Easter the betting choice here. The champ also has excellent hand speed, footwork and a proven chin. With his athleticism, Easter is most probably the best lightweight in the world today and that’s no easy assignment for Fortuna.

Make Or Break Fight

It’s safe to say that Fortuna is over his 2016 loss to Jason Sosa because he hasn’t lost since that bout. But he hasn’t faced a marquee name in his last four bouts and is coming off a September win over unknown Nicolas Polanco.  

Like Easter, Fortuna has power in both hands. He has great movement and has an explosive offensive attack. But he’s known as someone who’s great against lesser known foes. He will have to step up his game big time to match Easter’s game.

You’ve got to like Fortuna’s spunk and energy but against the best lightweight in the world, he will need more than what he’s shown so far. It’s going to be a make or break fight for Fortuna. If he wins, he belongs to the elite. If not, he is just a gatekeeper.

Fighting At A Distance

Easter’s size advantage is too much to make up for, especially if the champ can move out of harm’s way and box intelligently from the outside. There’s not much that Fortuna can do if Easter chooses to keep the fight at a distance. If that’s what happens, it will be easy picking, with Easter running away with a wide unanimous decision victory.

But if somehow Easter falls into the trap of brawling, then things could get exciting. Easter has a bad reputation for making easy fights more complicated. He can’t do that against Fortuna because he might be surprised. However, given all things, it’s safe to bet on Robert Easter.

We’re picking Robert Easter to win by a wide decision here.