There is going to be no headgear for this fight, and there is a push by both sides to have this be a professional fight, but it’s unclear at this point if that’s what is going to happen here. Jake Paul is the favorite at -225 while Mike Tyson is the underdog sitting at +170

Mike Tyson Betting Preview

Mike Tyson is one of the most decorated boxers in history, but he is also 57 years old. Tyson hung up his gloves almost two decades ago, but he has had one fight since then. Four years ago, Tyson came back for a fight against Roy Jones Jr, and it ended in a split draw. Looking at the stats, Tyson probably should have won, but some interesting judging from Vinny Pazienza meant it was a draw. In 58 professional bouts, Tyson has 50 wins, six losses, and two no-contests. 44 of his wins have come by knockout. Tyson has been sharing clips on social media, and it looks like there is going to be no shortage of trash talk leading into this fight. The big concern with Tyson still has to be with his age. Even if he looks in good shape, 57 years old is probably too old for most people to be taking shots like he might take on July 20th. 

Jake Paul Betting Preview

Jake Paul was a YouTube star before he decided he wanted to try his hand at boxing. Paul has been very selective with whom he has fought, and even though he has fought big names, it’s usually a UFC fighter, or a boxer who is past his prime. Paul has fought 10 times, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury. Paul the last couple of fights has tried to take on more traditional boxers, and he has found success. Paul’s last fight came against Ryan Bourland on January 30th, and it was a technical knockout in the first round. Paul has proven he has power in his hands, but at some point, he needs to fight a real fighter. 

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Betting Prediction

Tyson might be 57 years old, but there is still value here. Paul has power in his hands, but taking punches isn’t something he has a ton of experience with. Tyson might not have as much power as he once did, but I still think he has knockout power. A lot of boxers seem to have confidence that Tyson can get a win here, and I am going to trust them. Tyson is going to land of one of his signature punches, and Paul is going to have no answer for it. Back Tyson to get the job done as the underdog.

Free Boxing Pick: Mike Tyson ML +170

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Tyson Fury Betting Preview

Fury has won each of his last 6 fights, and he’s coming off a December win over Derek Chisora. Fury defended his belt for a third straight fight with a finish in the 10th round. Fury has produced finishes in four straight fights and has been dominant since that draw against Deontay Wilder almost five years ago. Fury is 35 years old, stands at 6’9”, has an 85-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Fury continues to show he’s a unique heavyweight who moves like a middleweight and has a quirky style that makes his opponent uncomfortable. Fury is always mixing up his stance, giving different looks, and has faster hands than you’d expect from a guy his size. Fury can box from the inside and outside, and he’s solid defensively that allows him to slip punches from some of the scarier boxers on the planet. We haven’t seen a boxer like Fury in this division, and his recent stretch is the best of his career. This will be Fury’s first career fight in Saudi Arabia.

Francis Ngannou Betting Preview

Ngannou is making his boxing debut with this bout. Ngannou was 17-3 in his MMA career, with 71 percent of this wins coming by knockout. Ngannou last fought at UFC 270 in January 2022, and it resulted in a decision win against Ciryl Gane. Ngannou improved his ground game over his career and has 4 career submission wins, but its stand up that buttered his bread. At 6’4” and with an 83-inch reach, Ngannou is one of the scarier strikers in the world, and his knockout mainly against Alistair Overeem six years ago is legendary. He showed against Jairzinho Rozenstruik he doesn’t need to land clean to drop somebody. Ngannou puts together his punches cleanly, throws accurate combinations and usually lands a strong overhand or a devastating uppercut. Ngannou is dropping anybody with a clean shot, it’s just that simple. It will be interesting to see how this translates to boxing, but at 37 years old, this feels a bit like a cash grab. Ngannou had issues with the UFC and has decided to chase the money fight in another sport. This will be Ngannou’s first career fight in Saudi Arabia.

H2H History

There’s no fight history between these 2 fighters.

Randy’s Free Pick

Ngannou has the raw striking power to land one shot and shock the world. It’s possible. However, it’s more than just power that goes into boxing, and Ngannou just doesn’t have enough training or experience in the sport to think he can step in the ring and beat one of the best boxers on the planet. Fury has faced powerful strikers before, and he survived. Fury’s movement, ability to change stances, patience, and variety of punches gives him a serious edge. We’ve seen MMA fighters transition to boxing, and it hasn’t gone well. Even with Ngannou being a scary presence, I don’t give him much chance in the ring. Give me Fury by stoppage to shave the juice.

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Canelo Alvarez Betting Preview 

Canelo Alvarez enters this fight with a 59-2-2 record that includes 39 knockouts. Alvarez has won 10 of his last 11 fights, and he’s coming off a May victory over John Ryder. Alvarez is coming off a one-sided decision where he controlled the fight from start to finish. Alvarez is 33 years old, stands at 5’8”, has a 70.5-inch reach and an orthodox stance. There’s really not much that can be said about Alvarez that hasn’t been said already, as he’s arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and has a resume that stacks up against anybody. Alvarez is a pressure style fighter who is always looking to be the aggressor, cuts the ring off well and lives off combinations and shots to the body. Alvarez has good technique and his toughness is probably an underrated trait. Alvarez is a tank who does everything well and can fight just about any style. With his consistent schedule and his status, Alvarez is pretty much in a class of his own. This will be Alvarez’s 17th career fight in Nevada.

Jermell Charlo Betting Preview

Charlo enters this fight with a 35-1-1 record that includes 19 knockouts. Charlo has won 6 of his last 8 fights, and he’s coming off a May win over Brian Castano. Charlo is coming off a 10th round knockout and defended is belts for a third straight fight. With finishes in 8 of his last 10 wins, this is Charlo’s chance to put himself in a different conversation. Charlo is 33 years old, stands at 6,0”, has a 73-inch reach and orthodox stance. Charlo is an exciting fighter who gets in and out quickly, throws crisp combinations and has some pop behind his strikes. Charlo doesn’t have the patience or technical style that his brother has, but he’s the aggressor from the start and will simply bully his opponent if he allows. He can take a little more damage than you’d like, but he’s going to get his shots in regardless. Charlo is a fighter worth watching and hopes to put on a show in his biggest bout yet. This will be Charlo’s 9th career fight in Nevada.

Randy’s Pick

Charlo and the plus money is worth a look, as he has the knockout pop, the aggressiveness, and he’s the bigger fighter of the two with about 4 inches in height and nearly 3 inches in reach advantage. This won’t be as easy for Alvarez as the odds indicate. With all that said, I’m not stepping in front of Alvarez, a guy who has consistently been in the conversation of best fighters in the world and checks all the boxes. Alvarez can fight at any style, he’s seen it all, and he’s passed nearly every test over the last decade. Until proven otherwise, I’m going to keep backing Alvarez. I’ll take Alvarez to win by decision to shave the price down.

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Jake Paul Betting Preview

Paul will fight for the second time this year, and he is coming off a February loss to Tommy Fury. Paul lost a tight split decision, and it’s the third time in his last 4 bouts that went the distance after starting his career with 3 knockouts. Paul is now 26 years old, stands at 6’1” with a 76-inch reach and an orthodox stance. A popular Youtuber and Internet personality, it’s clear at this point Paul takes boxing seriously and has been impressive through 7 fights overall. Paul’s technique could still use a little work, and you can question his overall competition, but his power and punching accuracy can’t be overlooked. Paul has a decent jab and powerful right hand that can drop a lot of seasoned boxers if landed clean. Paul still has a ways to go before he can be taken seriously in terms of big name full time boxers, but given the short sample size and the fact he’s still a bit green to the sport, you have to respect his ability and success. This will be Paul’s first career fight in Texas.

Nate Diaz Betting Preview

Diaz is making his boxing debut at 38 years old. His last fight overall was at UFC 279 (last September) where he submitted Tony Ferguson in the fourth round that earned performance of the night. Under the UFC banner, Diaz averaged 4.57 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy percentage of 45 percent. Diaz is probably his best on the ground, but he obviously can strike, as he showed back in 2013 against Gray Maynard, where he landed combination after combination and earned knockout of the night at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. Diaz also has a IDGAF attitude in general that makes him scary to face. He’s a fighters’ fighter who doesn’t back down from a brawl whether that’s in the cage, ring, or street. And while he bleeds a ton these days after eating a shot, Diaz has a chin that will keep him standing, and he’s only been knocked out twice despite 13 career MMA losses. This will be Diaz’s first career fight in Texas.

H2H History 

There’s no fight history between these 2 fighters.

Randy’s Pick

I almost want to say screw it and grab Diaz at this price, but the reality is it’s probably not going to happen. Diaz has no experience as a pure boxer, and he hasn’t looked good in the few videos we’ve seen. Diaz is a 38-year-old who is simply cashing out on a nice payday before he eventually rides off into the sunset. Paul is the bigger fighter, is getting more and more comfortable in the ring, and that right hand is sure to land at some point given Diaz’s sometimes open stance. You also have to question just how much Diaz cares about the result, as he’s clearly just here for the money. Diaz’s chin will make him hard to finish, but this should be a Paul victory. I’ll take the YouTuber in a decision to shave the price down.

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Spence Betting Preview

This will be Spence’s third fight since 2020, and he’s coming off an April (2022) win over Yordenis Ugás. Spence is coming off a convincing TKO victory where he landed 216 total punches to just 96 from his opponent. It was Spence’s first stoppage since his 2018 victory over Carlos Ocampo. Now over a year later, Spence steps in the ring for his biggest bout yet. Spence is 33 years old, a southpaw who stands at 5’9” and has a 72-inch reach. Spence is highly athletic, moves well, and his relentless work to the body is his trademark. While others are headhunting, Spence attacks the midsection over and over, eventually wearing down his opponent. Spence is a compact puncher who doesn’t waste much motion in his shots, and he’s got some of the best pop in the division. With a nasty uppercut and quick hooks, Spence’s offensive attack is a thing of beauty. With now 22 rounds under his belt since the car crash, it’s safe to bet Spence is back in top-notch form. This will be Spence’s eighth career fight in Nevada.

Crawford Betting Preview

This will be Crawford’s fourth fight since 2020, and he’s coming off a December win over David Avanesyan. Crawford is coming off a sixth round KO, where his right hand produced the stoppage. Crawford has now produced stoppages in each of his last 10 fights. Crawford is a 35-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’8” and has a 74-inch reach. Crawford is one of the best technical fighters in the sport, as he’s polished defensively with great head movement and shoulder rolls, and he allows very few rounds for his opponent to get comfortable. Crawford’s defense with his ability to fight out of either stance, he’s very tough to figure out. Crawford is a terrific counterpuncher and has a very strong right hand, as we saw in his last bout. Crawford is also an underrated power puncher despite a 76.9 percent finish percentage. Many consider Bud to be the best pound for pound boxer in the sport, and a victory here would certainly solidify that spot. This will be Crawford’s 10th career fight in Nevada.

H2H History

There’s no fight history between these 2 fighters. 

Randy’s Free Pick

You can make a case for either fighter here, as these are two of the most talented boxers in the sport and have shown little to no weakness up to this point. Crawford’s fundamentally sound approach probably makes him a safer bet, as we know he’s not going to put himself at risk. With that said, I’ve always liked Spence’s style more, as his ability to stay patient and work the body is a thing of beauty. He’s also the fighter we’re getting plus money on, and in a fight that could really go either way, I usually lean toward the more favorable price. Must-watch bout for combat sports fans.

Give me Spence in a thriller. 

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This will be Davis’ fifth fight since 2021, and he’s coming off a January win over Héctor García. Davis is coming off an impressive eighth round knockout where he was able to turn things up when he wanted and end things on his terms. Davis has finished 18 of his last 19 fights. Tank is a 28-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’5” with a 67-inch reach. Davis is an extremely heavy-handed boxer with a pressure style that is devastating once he gets comfortable. With a 92.8 percent finish rate, it’s quite clear what to expect. Davis is an aggressive boxer from Baltimore who mixes in combinations well and has fast hands for a bigger guy. Davis is also quite underrated with his defense, as he has solid footwork and terrific head movement that allows him to get in and out rather quickly. Davis is at his best when boxing on the inside and usually looks to close off the ring. This will be Davis’ fourth career fight in Nevada.

This will be Garcia’s fourth fight since 2021, and he’s coming off a July win over Javier Fortuna. Garcia is coming off a sixth round knockout, a fight he was in control from the start and even produced three knockdowns. Garcia has produced finishes in 6 of his last 7 fights. Garcia is 24 years old, stands at 5’10”, has a 70-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Garcia has punching power obviously given his knockout percentage of 82.6 percent, but he relies heavily on his hand speed. Garcia’s ability to throw rapid combinations actually helped build his internet following before the masses knew his name in the ring. Garcia’s speed and reflexes are top-notch and gives him a chance against anybody. Garcia also has great footwork and can get in and out quickly. Still, this will be the biggest test yet for the young Garcia. This will be Garcia’s fourth career fight in Nevada.

This should be a fun fight between two of the younger stars in the sport. However, as talented as Garcia is, I just can’t get behind him here. Davis is far and away more battle tested, he’s the more balanced fighter, and I’d take his power over Garcia until proven otherwise. Also, Garcia has a habit of dropping his hands or leaving his chin high when throwing a punch, which isn’t ideal when fighting somebody like Davis. I just don’t believe Garcia is ready for a fight like this.

Give me Davis by finish to shave down the price.

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This will be Benavidez’s fourth fight since 2020 and is coming off a November win over Kyrone Davis. Benavidez is a 25-year-old boxer from Arizona and has positioned himself as one of the top fighters in the division. Benavidez stands in at six feet, has a 74-inch reach and throws accurate combinations that’s helped produce an 88 percent knockout percentage. Benavidez is a pressure fighter who is relentless with his offensive attack and has produced stops in each of his last five fights. This will be Benavidez’s fifth career fight in Arizona. 

Lemieux has won nine of his last 10 fights, and he’s coming off a June win over David Zegarra. Lemieux will fight for the first time in nearly a year, and it’s his biggest fight since his 2017 bout against Billy Joe Saunders. Lemieux is a 33-year-old who stands at 5’9”, has a 70-inch reach and an orthodox stance. It’s no secret what you’re going to get from Lemieux, as he’s one of the better knockout artists in his division, with great power in both hands and a devastating left hook. Lemieux is always on the attack and knows how to put away his opponent whenever the chance opens up. Lemieux has produced stoppages in three of his last four fights. This will be Lemieux’s first career fight in Arizona. 

Lemieux at this big of an underdog is worth a look as he’s a seasoned fighter who has been in some wars, and he has the punching power to give him a punching chance. With that said, we’ve seen Lemieux overwhelmed in some of his bigger fights, and now he’s going up against a younger, faster fighter in Benavidez. Billy Joe Saunders and Gennadiy Golovkin gave Lemieux serious issues, and now he’s older and a bit slower. Benavidez has the reach advantage, hits with serious pop, and he’s just really entering his prime at 25 years old. There’s no real betting against Lemieux here.

Give me Benavidez by stoppage to shave down the expensive price.

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This will be Spence’s fourth fight since 2019, and he’s coming off a December (2020) win over Danny Garcia. Spence started off strong, winning nearly all of the first six rounds, and showed flashes of being the fighter he was before his accident. Spence has seen his last three fights go to the judges, which means he hasn’t had a stoppage since Carlos Ocampo, which was almost four years ago. Spence is 32 years old, a southpaw who stands at 5’9” and has a 72-inch reach. Spence is highly athletic, moves well in the ring, and his relentless work to the body makes him one of the best boxers on the planet. Spence is constantly working the midsection of his opponent, and it makes things easier for him as the fight drags out. Spence is a compact puncher who doesn’t waste much motion in his shots, and he’s got some of the best pop in this division. With a nasty uppercut and quick hooks, Spence’s offensive attack is a thing of beauty. With a fight under his belt and him back in the swing of things, we should see Spence more comfortable this time around. This will be Spence’s eighth career fight in Texas.

Ugas has won 10 of his last 11 fights, and he’s coming off an August win over Manny Pacquiao. Ugas is coming off a competitive fight where he threw half the amount of punches of his opponent but was highly more accurate with his shots and awarded the victory. Successfully defending his belt, Ugas now looks for the biggest win of his career. Ugas is a 35-year-old Cuban who stands at 5’9”, has a 69-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Ugas is a decorated boxer with Olympic medals to his name, and he’s been improving his pro resume the last few years. Ugas is a smooth athlete who is polished defensively and puts his punches together quite nicely on the offensive end. Ugas throws very clean combinations to the body and has a right hand that does most of his power damage. Ugas picks and chooses his spots, which leads to fewer shots thrown, but usually quite accurate. This will be Ugas’ second career fight in Texas.

Ugas at this price is quite attractive when you consider his resume, especially as of late. Ugas just beat Manny and did give Shawn Porter all he could handle. You usually don’t see prices like this next to quality fighters. With that said, Spence is a class or two above Ugas, as he has a power edge, his game plan with the body work is unmatched, and he’s the bigger fighter of the two with a three-inch reach advantage. I’ve been driving the Spence bandwagon for years, and he’s done nothing to get me off. There were concerns after the accident, but Spence did quiet some of those with a solid performance against Garcia. Spence should look even better with time off and more preparation.

Give me Spence by decision to shave down the price.

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This will be Crawford’s fourth fight since 2019, and he’s coming off a November (2020) win over Kell Brook. Crawford is coming off a rather easy victory where he produced a fourth round knockout and was in control from start to finish. Crawford now looks to defend his belt for a fifth time. Crawford is a 34-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’8” and has a 74-inch reach. Crawford is one of the best technical fighters in the sport, as he’s polished defensively with great head movement and shoulder rolls, and he allows very few rounds for his opponent to get comfortable. Combine Crawford’s defense with his ability to fight out of either stance, he’s very tough to figure out. Crawford is a terrific counterpuncher and has a very strong right hand. Crawford is an underrated power puncher and has finished each of his last eight fights. Many consider Bud to be the best pound for pound boxer in the sport and a victory here may solidify that spot. This will be Crawford’s ninth career fight in Nevada.

Porter has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off an August (2020) win over Sebastian Formella. Porter is coming off a decision victory where he won the WBC Silver welterweight title, and he won every round on all three judges cards. Porter hasn’t produced a knockout since his 2017 victory over Andre Berto. Porter is 34 years old, stands at 5’7”, has a 69-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Porter is truly one of the more underrated boxers in the world, as he may not have the sexy style casual fans prefer, but he’s technically sound and has a high IQ. Porter is a quality defensive fighter who bobs and weaves punches well, and he’s highly effective with his counters. Porter doesn’t have elite punching power, as he has just three knockouts in the last eight years. However, Porter is usually the aggressor and his work rate makes up for the lack of pop. Porter is going to let his hands go. This will be Porter’s third career fight in Nevada.

Porter is good enough to be worth a look in the underdog role, and you can argue he outboxed Keith Thurman back in 2016. You rarely get a boxer this quality at this price. With that said, Crawford is simply the better boxer here from a defensive perspective, he can switch stances comfortably, and he’s the bigger fighter with the longer reach and more punching power. There’s a reason why Crawford is this big of a favorite. Porter is going to put up a fight, and he’ll eat some quality shots, but it’s Crawford who will remain unbeaten.

Give me Crawford in a decision. 

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Wilder has won six of his last eight fights, and he’s coming off a February (2020) loss to Fury. Wilder is coming off his worst showing of his career where he looked sluggish, didn’t have his legs and was knocked out in the seventh round. Wilder has a lot of excuses for looking the way he did, but he has a chance to redeem himself with a victory here. Wilder’s stock took a major hit in his last bout and it’s crucial he bounces back here if he hopes to stay in the elite conversation. Wilder is a soon-to-be-36-year-old American who stands at 6’7”, has an 83-inch reach and an orthodox stance. When in good form, Wilder is still the most powerful puncher in boxing and one of the best power punchers in the history of the sport. Wilder has a lot of flaws from a boxing standpoint, as his defense isn’t great, his technique is off a bit and he doesn’t have the best footwork. However, Wilder can erase things with just one shot and we saw it back in 2018 when he produced a knockdown and forced a draw. Wilder doesn’t have to box well to win a fight. This will be Wilder’s sixth career fight in Nevada. 

Fury has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a February (2020) win over Wilder. Fury showed that the first bout wasn’t a fluke, as he was dominant from the start and looked like he could have finished things earlier. Most people thought Fury won the first meeting even after being dropped late, so he certainly proved those folks right and is now wildly considered the best heavyweight in boxing. Fury is 33 years old, stands at 6’9”, has an 85-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Fury continues to show he’s a unique heavyweight who moves like a middleweight and has quirky style that makes his opponent uncomfortable. Fury is always mixing up his stance, giving different looks and has faster hands than you’d expect from a guy his size. Fury can box from the inside and outside, and he’s clearly not afraid of the power that Wilder brings to the table, as he’s attacked him without much care and has been able to slip most of those power punches. We haven’t seen a boxer like Fury in this division. This will be Fury’s fourth career fight in Nevada. 

There’s value to getting Wilder at big plus money, as he only needs to land one shot to win the fight. Wilder doesn’t have to win majority of the rounds, he just needs to land one punch. There’s value at big plus money. However, we’ve seen these guys fight twice already and Fury was the better boxer for nearly every round. Even when he was dropped in the first bout, he dominated that fight and probably should have still earned the victory. Things usually don’t change a whole lot when guys enter a third bout, as all the tricks and what not were already used. There’s no surprises here. Fury is the better boxer and there’s no other way to slice it.

Price is a bit steep, but I’ll back Fury with confidence.

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Joshua has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a December win over Kubrat Pulev. Joshua is now 2-0 since his first loss to Andy Ruiz Jr., and he’s fresh off a ninth round knockout in his last bout. Joshua dropped his opponent multiple times and landed countless uppercuts to close the deal and defend his belt. Joshua is nearly 32 years old, stands at 6’6”, has an 82-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Joshua has the footwork, movement and hand speed that separates him from a lot of this division. While everybody at heavyweight has power, Joshua is extremely fluid with his movement and puts combinations together with surprisingly quick hands. Joshua has great technique, doesn’t take a beating and picks his spots smartly rather than loading up and going for the knockout. Joshua is very disciplined and usually takes full advantage when that opening is created. However, some aren’t as high on Joshua as they once were and it’s key he starts stringing some of these wins together. This will be Joshua’s 20th career fight in England. 

This will be Usyk’s third fight since 2019, and he’s coming off a October win over Dereck Chisora. Usyk is coming off a competitive fight that went the distance and he’s slowed down his workload as of late. Usyk will fight for the first time in nearly a year, as he’s somebody who usually fought twice a year. Usyk is a 34-year-old southpaw who stands at 6’3” and has a 78-inch reach. Usyk is most known for his punching power and hard shots to the body, but the movement for a guy this big is what separates him from the rest of the division. Usyk moves well with his punches and bobs and weaves counters that allow him to be even more effective with his combinations. Usyk’s variety of punches along with his overwhelming pop is tough to deal with, as he hits like a heavyweight and has knocked out three of his last six opponents. Usyk has also shown his conditioning is up to par, as he’s gone the distance with some quality fighters. This will be Usyk’s third career fight in England.

This is a massive test for both of these fighters and you could make a case for either side. With that said, Joshua has a clear size and reach advantage, and Usyk isn’t fighting at his usual weight. Joshua should be able to control this fight as the bigger, stronger fighter and being able to fight from the outside will be key. Usyk is a tricky southpaw and it may take some time to get his timing down, but Joshua should be able to pick things up in the middle rounds and catch his opponent with something hard.

Give me Joshua by stoppage. 

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Holyfield has split last six fights and is coming off a May (2011) win over Brian Nielsen. Holyfield is considered one of the best boxers of all time, as he’s the only four-time world heavyweight champion and the first boxer to hold world titles in three different decades. Holyfield won a bronze medal in the 1984 Olympics, beat Mike Tyson twice and his bouts against Buster Douglas and George Foreman produced a million or more PPV buys. Holyfield is now 58 years old, stands at 6’2” and has a 77.5-inch reach with an orthodox stance. He’s taking this fight on extremely short notice after Oscar De La Hoya tested positive for COVID. However, Holyfield has to be in some sort of shape after he was scheduled to face Kevin McBride back in June. This is clearly a money grab for Holyfield, who has had serious financial issues since retiring from the sport, despite making over a half billion dollars in his career. Usually things don’t end well for aging fighters who can’t leave the sport alone for whatever reason. This will be Holyfield’s first career fight in Florida.

Belfort has split last 10 fights and is coming off a May (2018) loss to Lyoto Machida. Belfort retired from MMA after his fight at UFC 224 and this will be just his second boxing match. Belfort beat Josemario Neves in a first round knockout back in 2006. Belfort has black belts in BJJ and Judo, but he was mainly a striker throughout his MMA career, producing 18 knockouts and seeing 25 of his 41 fights overall end in knockouts. He’s now 44 years old, stands at 6’0” and has a 74-inch reach. Belfort is a tricky southpaw who landed 46 percent of his strikes during his UFC days. Belfort has the background and the skillset to be a decent boxer if that’s the route he took, but at 44 years old, this feels like a one and done for the Brazilian. This will be Belfort’s first career fight in Florida.

There’s conflicting reports about this fight being sanctioned, so that’s the reason you’re not seeing betting lines at the moment. You usually don’t get lines for an exhibition, as there’s no official winner outside of a knockout. The bottom line is these are two old fighters who wouldn’t be in the ring if they didn’t have financial issues. Belfort is younger and probably the faster fighter at this stage, but he also has limited pure boxing experience. As old as Holyfield is and the fact he hasn’t fought in a decade, he was still a world class boxer and that IQ doesn’t go away. Holyfield should do enough to protect himself, land a few shots on the outside and I’d side with him to win if this is a sanctioned fight.

Give me Holyfield in a victory.

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Paul will fight for the second time this year, and he is coming off an April win over Ben Askren. Paul is 24 years old, stands at 6’1” with a 76-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Paul is coming off a first round knockout where he dropped his opponent easily and had some questioning if the fight was staged. Paul has now won two of his three fights in the first round. Paul is a popular Youtuber and Internet personality who appears to be taking the sport of boxing seriously. He obviously has a lot of work to do from a technique standpoint, as he has been sloppy at times and keeps himself open. Paul can be inaccurate with his shots and look for the knockout a little too much, but so far his style has worked. Paul deserves credit for what he’s done up to this point, especially with the lack of experience, but there’s still work to be done before he starts calling out actual seasoned fighters. With that said, Paul does let his hands go and puts some legit pop behind his shots. When Paul lands cleanly, he’s shown he can hurt his opponents, for what it’s worth. For a celebrity, you can certainly do a lot worse than what Paul shown up to this point. This will be Paul’s first career fight in Cleveland, his birthplace. 

Woodley has lost his last four fights and is coming off a March loss to Vicente Luque. During his MMA career, Woodley averages 2.36 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy percentage of 48 percent. Woodley also averaged 1.06 takedowns with an accuracy percentage of 40 percent. Woodley is 39 years old, stands at 5’9”, has a 74-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Woodley comes from a wrestling background where he was a two-time All-American, and he later earned a black belt in BJJ. However, Woodley has seven career knockouts and has more than held his own standing up. Just look at what Woodley did against Robbie Lawler, Josh Koscheck and Jay Hieron to get an idea of how he’ll hold up from a boxing stand point. Woodley is also training with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Eric Brown, one of the best boxers ever and somebody who worked with Manny Pacquiao and James Toney. This will be Woodley’s first career fight in Cleveland.

You can understand why Paul is the favorite, as he has the more pure boxing experience, he’s the bigger fighter and he’s dropping guys left and right. With that said, Woodley is easily the best fighter Paul has faced up to this point, and he has far and away better standup than Askren. Woodley is quite comfortable on his feet, he has good footwork and he has more than enough power to make Paul think twice about being reckless. The value is on Woodley and the plus money, as this is the first time Paul is facing a respectable fighter on the feet.

Give me Woodley. 

Read the rest of "Tyron Woodley vs Jake Paul Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 8/29/21" at Sports Chat Place

Ugas has won 10 of his last 11 fights, and he’s coming off a September win over Abel Ramos. Ugas is coming off a rather comfortable split decision victory and has now won three straight fights since his 2019 loss to Shawn Porter. This will be his first defense of his new belt he won 11 months ago. Ugas is a 35-year-old Cuban who stands at 5’9”, has a 69-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Ugas is a decorated boxer with olympic medals to his name and he’s been improving his pro resume the last few years. Ugas is a smooth athlete who is polished defensively and puts his punches together quite nicely on the offensive end. Ugas throws very clean combinations to the body and has a right hand that does most of his power damage. Ugas simply has to remember to stay busy and not take rounds off, which made his last bout closer than it probably should have been. This will be Ugas’ sixth career fight in Nevada.

Pacquiao has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a July (2019) win over Keith Thurman. Pacquiao is coming off an incredible victory where he hurt Thurman in the later rounds and outworked him. Thurman was the more accurate puncher, but Pacquiao was busier and landed the bigger shots that titled the fight in his favor. He’ll now fight for the first time in more than two years. Pacquiao is a 42-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’5” and has a 67-inch reach. Pacquiao may not be as quick as he once was, but he still dodges punches well and his work rate hasn’t dropped a bit. Pacquiao threw 568 total punches against Adrien Broner and 571 punches against Thurman. Pacquiao is going to bring the fight to his opponent and be the aggressor from the jump. Most fighters are a shell of themselves at this stage, but Pacquiao somehow has a lot of the same tools that makes him arguably a top-10 boxer of all time. The hand speed, toughness and work rate are all there, making Pacquiao still a dangerous fighter in this division. This will be Pacquiao’s 22nd career fight in Nevada.

There’s a case to be made for Ugas here as an underdog, as he’s the younger fighter, taller and has a reach advantage. However, Pacquiao just showed that a lot of his skill set is still there, he’s the faster puncher and has a power advantage as crazy as that sounds. Pacquiao is also used to the big stage, while Ugas lacks experience in these sort of spots and lost his only other mega fight. Pacquiao should be favored and should win, and he’s going to be the aggressor from the opening round.

To lower the ML price, I’ll back Pacquiao in a finish.

Read the rest of "Manny Pacquiao vs Yordenis Ugas Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 8/21/21" at Sports Chat Place

Franco has split his last eight fights, and he’s coming off a November no contest against Andrew Moloney. Franco saw his last bout come to an end due to an accidental head clash. The bout was stopped in the third round. Franco is a 25-year-old American who stands at 5’5”, has a 67-inch reach and an orthodox stance. He comes off as a defensive fighter who does a good job of keeping his hands up and rolling with the punches. Franco does some of his best work with counters and has some sneaky pop despite his smaller frame. As Franco showed against Bryan Bazan, he can drop an opponent if the right shot lands cleanly. Franco likes to stay busy, and he works his jab well. Franco is the type of fighter who gets better as the fight drags out. This will be Franco’s first career fight in Oklahoma.    

This will be Moloney’s fourth fight since 2020, and he’s coming off a November no contest against Joshua Franco. Moloney saw his last bout end early, as his head clash left Frnaco’s eye damaged and he was unable to continue. Moloney is a 30-year-old Australian who stands at 5’5”, has a 65-inch reach and has an orthodox stance. Moloney is a sharp boxer who throws quick, crisp and accurate punches and does a wonderful job of working the body rather than just head hunting. He does a good job of getting in and out with his shots, and he has terrific head movement that prevents him from ever taking considerable damage. Moloney has good footwork and this recent power surge shows there’s some pop behind those punches as well. Moloney has all of the tools to become a household name these recent US bouts will only build his profile. This will be Moloney’s third career fight in the United States. 

Moloney is probably the better pure boxer, as he throws sharp punches without wasting much motion and he gets in and out without taking clean damage. However, we’re getting plus money with Franco, who already beat Moloney a little over a year ago and landed 29.3 percent of his punches. Moloney had trouble landing consistent shots and was simply outworked. Franco is also the bigger fighter here with a two-inch reach advantage. We also can’t ignore this fight being in the US, and boxing has a long history of politics.

We’re getting value with Franco and the plus money.

Read the rest of "Andrew Moloney vs Joshua Franco Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 8/14/21" at Sports Chat Place

Charlo has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a September win over Jeison Rosario. Charlo successfully defended his WBC light middleweight title in his last bout with an eighth round knockout. He’s now won three straight fights since his 2018 loss to Tony Harrison. Charlo is 31 years old, stands at 5’11”, has a 73-inch reach and orthodox stance. Charlo is an exciting fighter who gets in and out quickly, throws crisp combinations and has some pop behind his strikes. Charlo doesn’t have the patience or technical style that his brother has, but he’s the aggressor from the start and will simply bully his opponent if he allows. He can take a little more damage than you’d like due to his aggressiveness, but he’s going to get his shots in regardless. Charlo is a fighter worth watching. This will be Charlo’s 13th career fight in Texas.

Castano has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a February win over Patrick Teixeira. Castano is coming off a one-sided decision victory and now looks for his second victory this year. He’s improved his resume over the last few years, but this will be Castano’s biggest fight yet. Castano is 31 years old, stands at 5’7”, has a 67.5-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Castano is an aggressive, tough fighter who is going to stand in the pocket and trade punches. Castano is going to let his hands go, he can take punishment and keep coming forward, and his conditioning is as good as it gets. Castano is a bulldog in the boxing ring and he’s simply not going to be outworked. This will be Castano’s first career fight in Texas.

This is going to be a fun fight between two fighters with similar pressure styles. Charlo is going to be an issue for the smaller Castano, but this is some nice plus money with a proven fighter and somebody who is going to bring an insane work rate. Castano doesn’t back down, he lets his hands go, he can take shots, and he’s going to throw power combinations. In other words, you have a punchers chance with Castano every time he takes the ring. I like it.

There’s value with Castano here.

Read the rest of "Brian Castano vs Jermell Charlo Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 7/17/21" at Sports Chat Place

This will be Davis’ fifth fight since 2019, and he’s coming off an October win over Léo Santa Cruz. Davis is coming off his most competitive fight of his career, as it was back and forth and tight on the scorecards until the knockout in the sixth round. Many consider it the knockout of the year in 2020 and it’s certainly Davis’ biggest moment of his career yet.

Tank is a 26-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’5” with a 67-inch reach. Davis is an extremely heavy handed boxer with a pressure style that is devastating once he gets comfortable. With finishes in each of his last 15 fights, it’s quite clear what to expect. Davis is an aggressive boxer from Baltimore who mixes in combinations well and has fast hands for a bigger guy. 

Davis is also quite underrated with his defense, as he has solid footwork and terrific head movement that allows him to get in and out rather quickly. Davis is at his best when boxing on the inside and usually looks to close off the ring. This will be Davis’ second career fight in Georgia.

This will be Barrios’ fifth fight since 2019, and he’s coming off an October win over Ryan Karl. Barrios is also coming off a competitive bout that was stopped in the sixth round. While Barrios deserves credit for the win, Karl was at a disadvantage once he suffered a nasty cut due to a headbutt. 

El Azteca finally gets his chance on the big stage, as Batyr Akhmedov is probably the most notable fighter he’s faced. Barrios is 26 years old, stands at 5’10”, has a 71-inch reach and an orthodox stance.

Barrios is a lengthy fighter who is light on his feet and has very quick hands. He puts his combinations together nicely and has some impressive punching power for somebody with a wiry frame. Barrios has stopped nine of his last 10 opponents and has a mean right hand. 

Barrios will fight Mexican style at times and take unnecessary  punishment, but for the most part, his offense overwhelms fighters and is fun to watch. This will be Barrios’ first career fight in Georgia.

There’s a path for Barrios to win this fight, as he has a massive height and reach advantage, and he could dictate the entire fight if he stays on the outside. The concern is Barrios getting too aggressive, coming inside and getting caught with something. Barrios also has the power to scare Davis, which is something we haven’t seen in much of his past opponents. This line is showing Barrios respect.

With all that said, it only takes one mistake for Davis to end this fight. You’re asking a lot from Barrios to be perfect for 12 rounds, and this is a massive increase in competition. 

I’ll side with Davis here, but the fight should be competitive.

Read the rest of "Mario Barrios vs Gervonta Davis Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 6/26/21" at Sports Chat Place

Lomachenko has won five his last six fights, and he’s coming off an October loss to Teófimo López. The fight snapped a 13-fight winning streak and lost the WBA (Super), WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles. The Matrix hopes to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time in his career.

Lomachenko is a 33-year-old southpaw who stands at 5’7” and has a 65-inch reach. He is one of the best technical fighters in the sport with ridiculous footwork and defense, and he’s usually very hard to hit consistently. Lomachenko has quick hands offensively, puts combinations together nicely and has enough pop to end things. 

However, Lomachenko has some doubters to silence after his last performance. He was hit a ton his last time out and looked to be running out of gas late. This will be Lomachenko’s sixth career fight in Nevada.

Nakatani has won five of his last six fights, and he’s coming off a December win over Felix Verdejo. He is coming off a comfortable ninth round knockout that earned him the WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title.

Nakatani is a 32-year-old Japanese fighter who stands at 5’11”, has a 71-inch reach and an orthodox stance. He’s massive for this division, has legit knockout power and throws a mean overhand right that can do serious damage. Nakatani throws accurate punches and his cardio is impressive as well, as he doesn’t slow down much later in fights.

Nakatani will work the body here and there, but he head hunts a ton and appears to have a killer instinct. Defensively, Nakatani has respectable head movement and slips punches well. For his size, he’s not a standing target you may expect he would be.

While his resume is just now improving, Nakatani has the tools to shock the boxing world. This will be Nakatani’s third career fight in the United States.

Lomachenko is the favorite for obvious reasons, as before his recent bout, he was considered by some to be the best pound for pound fighter in the world. He’s one of the more complete boxers in the sport. With that said, Nakatani is no slouch, and he just took Lopez to 12 rounds and knocked out Verdejo. Japan has a good boxing scene right now and Nakatani is in the same conversation with Naoya Inoue for the best in the country. The guy can fight and is eager to prove he deserves a rematch with Lopez.

Boxing lines are usually lopsided and it’s sometimes hard to make money in this sport. However, in terms of the odds, Nakatani and the big plus money is worth consideration. This will not be a walk in the park for Lomachenko.

Give me Nakatani for the upset.

Read the rest of "Masayoshi Nakatani vs Vasyl Lomachenko Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 6/26/21" at Sports Chat Place

This will be Charlo’s fourth fight since 2019, and he’s coming off a September win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Charlo is coming off his most impressive win of his career, beating one of the top Ukraine fighters by a decent margin. 

Hit Man is 31 years old, stands at 6’0”, has a 73-inch reach and an orthodox stance. Charlo is a gifted athlete who throws accurate punches, has a strong jab and a mean overhand right that’s dropped many of his opponents. Charlo has true knockout power in both hands and it’s led to four of his last seven fights ending in finishes. He has quick feet and shows flashes of being able to slip punches, but he does have a habit of getting hit far more than you’d like from somebody who is supposed to be a top tier boxer. This will be Charlo’s ninth career fight in Texas.

Montiel has split his last six fight and is coming off a December win over James Kirkland. Montiel is coming off a joke of a fight where he dropped his opponent three times in the first round. He still has a knockout percentage of 100 percent. 

Juanito is 27 years old, stands at 6’1”, has a 74-inch reach and a orthodox stance. Montiel is an aggressive fighter with legit knockout power obviously, and he likes to be the aggressor. However, Montiel does have accuracy issues and is a bit slow with his hand speed. Montiel will also drop his hands at times and take unnecessary damage due to holes in his defense.

Montiel also has a questionable resume, fighting most of his career in Mexico and not taking on respectable names. This will be Montiel’s third career fight in the United States.

Montiel has the punching power to pull off the upset of the year, but that’s about it. He’s very slow with his hands and has major flaws defensively. Charlo should have a field day in this contest and his hand speed will be the difference here. Montiel hasn’t faced anyone close to the level of Charlo, and he’s going to struggle to say the least.

Give me Charlo, and I’ll side with a finish to shave down the ML.

Read the rest of "Juan Macias Montiel vs Jermall Charlo Boxing Picks, Odds, Predictions 6/19/21" at Sports Chat Place