Boxing Picks 2018- Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford (June 9th)

He's Back.

The Lineal Heavyweight Champion, which still means something whether the mainstream media want to admit it or not, is back from an almost three year lay off and Tyson Fury looks to have the motivation to go back to the top of the mountain.

For now it is all about shaking off the ring rust for Fury who is on the comeback trail against an overmatched Sefer Seferi. Any fight for the World Title has to wait but it is great to see Fury back although the big question is how long, if ever, it will take for Fury to reach the kind of standard he set in bamboozling Wladimir Klitschko in Germany.

It is a big fight night on Saturday but you have to be frustrated with two American cards being placed on the same date which means fight fans have to pick and choose what they want to watch. Of course we do have the chance to record one card and watch the other, but it is frustrating when promoters put on two good looking fights on the same night when noting a couple of weekends where there isn't any top boxing being put on.

On Saturday it is Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford on one card and on another we have a potential 'Fight of the Year' candidate when Leo Santa Cruz faces Abnes Mares for a second time.

Earlier on Terry Flanagan goes to become a two time World Champion when taking on Maurice Hooker in Manchester while Jermell Charlo is back in action to defend his WBC Light-Middleweight Title which could lead to some huge fights later in the year in what is becoming a pretty stacked Division.

Tyson Fury vs Sefer Seferi

Some of the criticisms from the likes of Tony Bellew for Tyson Fury's comeback fight are almost laughable as if they expect the former World Heavyweight Champion to pick a top 10 contender having been out of the ring for almost three years.

In truth Fury needs to get some fights under the belt and he will be continuing to manage his weight which still has some way to go for the Lineal Champion to really feel like he is back to peak fitness.

This shouldn't be a big concern for Fury in this bout with Sefer Seferi who hasn't been anywhere near someone as good as Fury. It is no surprise that Fury has built up his opponent by even uttering Evander Holyfield's name in the same sentence as Seferi's but the only thing I see those two fighters having in common is 'The Real Deal' nickname.

In absolute truth all Fury is hoping for is that Seferi can offer some durability and he himself has predicted a Fifth Round stoppage here.

Fury isn't someone who will beat you with one punch concussive power but much depends on how much Seferi really believes in his own ability and I am not convinced he does. I think the fight may end a little sooner than Fury himself has predicted and I am not sure we will learn a lot about him here.

It's still good to have Fury back in a Heavyweight Division which looks to be thriving.

Jermell Charlo vs Austin Trout

This is the second time Austin Trout will have fought Charlo, although this time it is Jermall's twin brother Jermell Charlo who faces Trout at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

For most this is merely a stay busy fight for Charlo who puts his WBC Light-Middleweight Title on the line knowing there are some big money fights to come if he can defend it on Saturday.

The unification with Jarrett Hurd looks to be on the back burner for now, but the likes of Kell Brook, Jaime Munguia can offer big challenges for Charlo later in the year. Brook may be the target knowing the money Eddie Hearn can offer for that one and so Charlo has to make sure he doesn't lose his unbeaten record in an upset.

Austin Trout has proven to be a tough fighter having been the last one to take Jermall Charlo the distance, but he was beaten up and broken down by Jarrett Hurd since then. He is still slick enough to give Charlo problems early in this one, but Jermell Charlo has stopped his last four opponents and I think this is a chance for him to make a statement by matching what Hurd was able to do against the former Champion.

No one can dispute Trout's toughness especially when you think he has been the distance with Jermall Charlo and Canelo Alvarez, but he is older now and knows how to be stopped. With the punching power displayed by both Charlo Twins in their most recent fights I think Trout could be pulled out by his corner in this one as he was against Hurd, although the latter is a big powerful Light-Middleweight fighter and will be a tough out for anyone.

I do just wonder if Trout's best days are behind him now and I think Charlo has picked him as someone he can make a big statement against. While the odds on favourite 'method of victory' is Charlo winning on points, I think he may get a chance to show off some power and I think he can catch Trout with something big which hurts him.

That may see Charlo punish a tough Trout for a few Rounds before the corner decide their man has had enough for the evening and Charlo can make it five stoppages in a row.

Leo Santa Cruz vs Abner Mares

The first time these two got together in the brilliant Super Featherweight Division it was a classic fight and now they have the rematch in Los Angeles which should produce a fiery atmosphere for both fighters.

Abner Mares has bounced back from the defeat to Leo Santa Cruz by winning a couple of Decisions to get back into this position, and it was picking up the regular WBA strap that has given him the opportunity to have the rematch with the Super WBA Champion.

Santa Cruz has been much more active than Mares in the time since their first fight which includes two very tough fights with Carl Frampton which were split. Plenty have been hoping for a rubber bout between those two fighters but Santa Cruz has shown little willing to do that and has moved away from any potential fight in Northern Ireland which looked to have been the deal between him and Frampton.

The first fight was a very exciting affair, but Mares ran out of steam which means there could be more of a chess fight develop when they meet in Los Angeles. I am not sure that is going to be good enough for Mares to change the outcome as I think Santa Cruz is the better boxer of the two.

While both feel they have shown improvement since the first fight in 2015, Santa Cruz is the younger man and that should also make a difference as he keeps Mares at bay.

I don't doubt Mares has his moments and I am sure it is going to be a close fight on the cards with the way the two approach things. However I think Santa Cruz will be the slicker and able to control things from a distance and it is going to be difficult for Mares to find the right formula to maintain the tank and also put Santa Cruz under exceptional pressure.

It should still be a fun fight and I think it will be close on the cards, but I am looking for Santa Cruz to edge things and set himself up for some more intriguing bouts with the likes of Josh Warrington, Carl Frampton for a third time or the one most want to see against Gary Russell Jr.

Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford

It has been eleven months since Jeff Horn stunned Manny Pacquiao with a controversial Decision win in front of his watching fans in Australia. Ever since then Horn has been fighting to command the respect of the fight fans as well as his fellow professionals and he won't have a better chance to announce himself as a legitimate contender in the loaded Welterweight Division than by winning this fight.

He takes on one of the pound for pound kings in Terence Crawford who is moving up from Light-Welterweight after unifying the Division.

The move up has got the fans salivating about potential bouts with the likes of Errol Spence and the winner of the upcoming Danny Garcia/Shawn Porter bout which is set to go in August. Terence Crawford himself is not looking past the bout with Jeff Horn although he is a huge favourite against a fighter who has been seen as someone who has got 'lucky' to be in the position he is in.

Crawford is going to be naturally the smaller man so it is up to Horn to try and pressure him and rough up the American, although I am not sure the referee will let him get away with the same type of game plan as he enjoyed against Pacquiao.

Even then Pacquiao, who has not shown considerable power in his latter years, almost stopped Horn in a tremendous Ninth Round. Age prevented the former pound for pound king from really taking over from there, but Crawford is not someone who is likely to run out of gas and instead I think he will be able to take Horn out there.

I am favouring Crawford to find a way to get this to a finish and six of the last seven fighters have not been able to go the distance against him. Yes Horn is a bigger man and may take more punishment, but I think Crawford will begin wearing him down after the first three Rounds and then really take over the fight by putting a beating on a fighter who will keep coming forward.

Some have compared this to when Ricky Hatton took on Floyd Mayweather and I have a feeling that Horn's work will be stymied by the refereeing like Hatton's was. If that is the case I have no doubt that Horn will still continue to push forward and try and change the way the fight is going and that could lead to Crawford picking him off and eventually stopping him at some point in the latter stages of this fight.

I did have a slight feeling this might be a coming out party for Crawford in a new Division by blowing past Horn, but I think the Australian will show toughness for the first half before being put away.

MY PICKS: Tyson Fury Win Between 3-4 @ 4.33 Boyle Sports (1 Unit)

Jermell Charlo to Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 2.62 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leo Santa Cruz to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Terence Crawford to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2018 Update: 14-31, - 1.37 Units (68 Units Staked, - 2.01% Yield)