Boxing Picks 2018- Dillian Whyte vs Joseph Parker (July 28th)

For the second time in a couple of months I will be heading down to the O2 Arena to watch another big Heavyweight Fight with long-term implications.

Two months ago Tony Bellew was ending David Haye's career in that Arena and he has now set himself up to potentially take on Oleksandr Usyk who won the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight tournament last weekend. That would most definitely be a fight the wider Boxing circle would appreciate and one I would circle as a 'must see' fight to round out 2018.

This weekend it is Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker who headline the O2 Arena and I very much believe the winner of this fight will take on Anthony Joshua, assuming he wins his next fight against Alexander Povetkin, next April.

I've always doubted that Deontay Wilder-Joshua fight would be made for this year and I have a feeling they may still be around fifteen months from getting in the ring together which means the April Wembley date announced by Matchroom would need to be filled. Of course Eddie Hearn will be hoping his home fighter wins this one, but a stunning Joseph Parker performance may just get some momentum behind him which could see fans looking to see Joshua-Parker II despite the poor first fight between them.

Neither Whyte or Parker can look beyond a tough challenge that has been laid out in front of them though and the Heavyweight Division will also see the return of the likes of Carlos Takam, who takes on Dereck Chisora on the undercard, and Luis Ortiz who fights on the Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter undercard.

Garcia-Easter is the big offering from the United States this weekend in a Unification fight, but at the time of writing I am stunned to see no UK broadcaster has picked up that fight.


Last weekend I went 1-2 for the Boxing Picks but the main pick of Oleksandr Usyk beating Murat Gassiev prevented any losses from taking place. It would be good to get on a run of winners to really start improving the season totals, but a winning number is always better than a losing one and I have a positive number to build upon.

Onto the Picks from a busy Saturday of Boxing.

Anthony Fowler vs Craig O'Brien

It is hard to really know how to judge a fighter like Anthony Fowler until he begins to step up his opposition and that is what he is going to be doing in the next few months.

Facing off against an unbeaten fighter with more fights under his belt will be a new test for Fowler and there has been an edge to this one thanks to comments made by Craig O'Brien in the build up to the contest.

O'Brien has to be feeling confident having won all eight fights he has had, but I think there are levels to this fight and Fowler looks to be above him.

The Liverpudlian will hit harder than O'Brien and I can only see another stoppage being added to the ledger as Fowler then moves on to take on someone like Scott Fitzgerald who is another unbeaten fighter.

The bigger question is when Fowler will get to O'Brien and I am leaning towards sooner rather than later. There is obvious power in the Fowler gloves as he has managed to prevent four of his six previous opponents from hearing the bell for the Fifth Round and I do think he will prove to be a step above O'Brien as well as being heavily motivated to ram some taunts back down O'Brien's throat.

O'Brien may be a boxer who will look to move and frustrate Fowler, but the suggestion is he will fight fire with fire and I think that may lead to an early end to this one and I will back Fowler to win in the first half of the fight.

Joshua Buatsi vs Andrejs Pokumeiko

If everything had gone to plan Joshua Buatsi would have been taking a major step up in terms of competition on the undercard of the Dillian Whyte-Joseph Parker card.

The fight with Ricky Summers fell through because of an injury suffered by Summers and the rumour mill went into overdrive that he would potentially be facing a former Light Heavyweight World Champion in Igor Mikhalkin who was last seen being beaten by the imposing figure of Sergey Kovalev.

Both of those fights would have been much bigger than the step in opponent Andrejs Pokumeiko who was only announced earlier this week. Pokumeiko was last seen six weeks ago losing a Decision, but this really has the feel of a fight that is there to keep Buatsi ticking along before tougher tests are put together for him later in 2018.

Anything other than a Buatsi win would be a huge upset and in all likelihood he is going to become just the third fighter to stop Pokumeiko.

You can't underestimate the toughness of a fighter coming out of Latvia so I don't think Pokumeiko will roll over for Buatsi, while the British fighter has to make sure he is fully focused knowing it should have been a fight with a much bigger profile that he should be going into.

It can make it tough, but I think Buatsi will be coming out to make a statement and keep the wins ticking along. Even then it could take a few Rounds to really see Buatsi begin to exert the kind of pressure he will need to if he wants to earn the stoppage of the rugged opponent in front of him and it does feel like this could be a fight where Buatsi is in the ring for the longest time.

However I think that will come up just short and I will back Buatsi to finish this somewhere between Five and Six Rounds once he has got into a groove.

Nick Webb vs David Allen

I will probably feel like a right idiot on Saturday evening at the end of this fight, but I just can't have David Allen as a 4-1 shot to win this one.

Allen will be the first to tell you that he isn't at world level and some of the comments which suggest he is ready to walk away from boxing could be a worry, but this is a fighter that won't give up and is a tough fella to crack.

He has been in the ring with fighters that have to be considered some way superior to Nick Webb and it took the likes of Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka time to break down Allen and stop him late in those fights. Dillian Whyte didn't even get to that point and had to settle for a points win over Allen and I am not convinced Webb has the power to put him away.

The big question for Webb is whether he has the fitness to go the full Ten Rounds here and keep Allen off of him. The latter is not a big puncher, but he will come forward and pressure Webb and if tiredness comes into play then it could be a really tough evening for the unbeaten Heavyweight.

A look at Webb's record and it could be argued that Allen is the toughest fighter he has been in the ring with and that is clearly not a mutual factor in this one.

Maybe Allen gets caught early and Webb can finish this off, but I am going to have faith in the chin holding up and I can see Allen being the stronger fighter at the final bell. Earning a decision won't be easy for Allen who is not the best boxer out there, but he will give everything and if Webb does tire as he is prone to doing, maybe Allen will have his big day in the sun that he has been craving.

Either way the price is not justified here and I will have a small interest in Allen getting the win and then being lined up for a British Title tilt.

Conor Benn vs Cedrick Peynaud

It was supposed to be another routine evening for Conor Benn who is still very much in the early stages of his career, but it proved to be anything but as he was dropped twice by Cedrink Peynaud in the opening Round of their first fight back in December.

Benn did come back to drop Peynaud in the Fifth and Sixth Round and almost had the Frenchman out on his feet, but even then there was some controversy when he was given what looked a fairly wide win on the scorecards.

Now Nigel's son is back to show the fans that it was a one off back in December and he is ready to take on the challenge of Peynaud for a second time.

And this time I am not expecting any mistakes from Benn.

I expect him to be cautious at first and really get behind his boxing, especially knowing he has the power to hurt Peynaud and also has four more Rounds to go in this one compared to the Six Rounder they fought in the first fight.

Cedrink Peynaud had a stunning night back in December, but I think he would have been stopped if the fight was scheduled for Eight instead of Six Rounds and he should have finished Benn in the First Round when knocking him down twice. That will be a missed opportunity as far as I am concerned and I expect Benn to be a lot better and showcase what he learnt from the first fight.

The cautious approach will likely be set aside once Peynaud starts to tire as he did last time and I think that is when Benn will put down the pressure to stop this opponent. Peynaud does have the experience of fighting a Ten Rounder before, but he was the one looking tired when he fought Benn last time out and I think The Destroyer will re-write the story about this fight with a stoppage in the second half of the fight.

Carlos Takam vs Dereck Chisora

There are many similarities with the way both Carlos Takam and Dereck Chisora choose to carry themselves in the ring, but I would be surprised if Takam is not able to win this fight.

You can't always be sure what you are going to get from Chisora who has produced some big performances in his career, although I do think the best days are now behind him. The style won't change as Chisora will look to get forward and bully opponents, but this feels like it will be similar to when he faced Dillian Whyte and found the latter a little too good in a Split Decision defeat.

I expect the two fighters to make this a rough fight for the other, but I think Carlos Takam can make use of the longer reach and the better boxing skills he possesses. That is especially the case at this stage of their respective careers although there is a slight question mark around Takam who has not been in the ring since his defeat to Anthony Joshua last October.

That loss was only the fourth suffered by Takam and the previous two before the loss to Joshua came against Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker. That is some elite company that Takam has been operating in compared with Chisora who has lost a fight that would have been considered domestic level and another at European level.

Chisora is a tough man though so I can't imagine him rolling over and he has only ever been stopped twice against Tyson Fury and David Haye. Takam has displayed some punching power, but I am not sure he will have enough to stop Chisora too and the same can be said the other way around so the scorecards being needed looks the most likely outcome of the fight.

I just feel Chisora doesn't have a lot left in the tank and that was evident in his defeat to Agit Kabayel last year and this looks like the kind of fight where Takam can keep his Ranking moving forward with a solid win. Carlos Takam might be able to get the better of the exchanges when they occur, but I expect the longer reach to be key for him and I do think he can win this one on the cards.

There is plenty on the line for both fighters when you think of where the losing fighter would go, but I think Dereck Chisora's time at this level has already passed and I will back Takam to win this one on points.

Dillian Whyte vs Joseph Parker

The main event at the O2 Arena really does look a crossroads fight for Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker with the winning fighter heading towards a World Title fight and the losing fighter perhaps wondering where their career is heading.

Both Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker have had the one loss on their ledger and both by the same man in Anthony Joshua although Whyte was stopped and Parker was beating by a Unanimous Decision.

I don't think the way either fight ended has much influence on this one, but the bigger factor may be how Parker has dealt with a first professional loss and whether he truly believes he should be alongside the very best in the Heavyweight Division.

Parker knows he should have performed better in the loss to Joshua but he is straight back on the horse when so many others would have taken a much more comfortable fight to get back to winning ways.

The Kiwi does have something to prove having underwhelmed since getting to World level fights, even if he has narrowly found a way to win those fights before running into Joshua. Some will say he should not have received the Decision against Andy Ruiz or Hughie Fury so Parker has plenty to prove when he steps in with Dillian Whyte.

Whyte has bounced back from his loss to Joshua by winning seven straight fights and it is the highlight reel Knock Out of Lucas Browne which is going to be fresh in the memory. However this is a much different fight than the one against Browne, who stood in front of Whyte and didn't have anything like the movement Parker will bring to the table.

The win over Dereck Chisora was controversial too with many believing Whyte did not do enough to win that fight, while he has needed points to beat David Allen and Robert Helenius. So while I think Whyte has plenty of power, I am not convinced he has enough to dent a man like Parker who has proved to have a very solid chin throughout his career.

Movement and boxing skills are with Parker as is the speed and I don't think he was that poor against Joshua, or certainly not as poor as some think. He does have the inferior reach, but Parker will believe he can get his punches off first with the speed he has and I think the New Zealander may just nick this 50-50 contest.

I think the speed and superior boxing skills will see Parker build up a lead and then begin to counter Whyte as he chases the big Knock Out punch. It does point to Parker working his way to a Decision win, although I would not rule out controversial scoring and the potential for a Split or Majority Decision or perhaps even the Draw.

My heart is actually with both fighters- I have a lot of time for both and I would have loved to have seen both Whyte and Parker take a different direction and work their way into mandatory spots to get their chance at a World Title. That is the the fan in me of both men that wants to see them rewarded, but I will be heading to the O2 Arena for this one because I do think it has the potential of being a very good fight between two genuine World contenders.

Coming back will be very difficult for the losing fighter with a long road to set up a shot at a World Title, but the winning fighter may just get a date with Anthony Joshua next April if the current three belt holder beats Alexander Povetkin in September. That is a lot on the line for both Parker and Whyte and my head is saying that the former World Champion will have a little bit more than the home fighter in this one.

I think it will be tough for either fighter to stop the other, although I would not be surprised if we see some solid countering which may put one or both on the floor in this one. However my head says Parker is quicker and will have the ability to get in and out of the punching zones in this one a little better than Whyte.

Parker has not been that impressive in his recent fights, but he does do enough to win fights and I think this match up is better for him as Whyte won't be hard to find. As much as Whyte has improved since his loss to Joshua, I think the Lucas Browne win is a little overrated considering the shape the Australian showed up in and the fights with Chisora and Helenius may point to a fighter who is not quite up to World level.

I hope it is a fun fight and I will be happy whoever wins, but my pick is going to back Joseph Parker to win this one on points. Some will consider a bit of a saver on the Draw, which could be a real player in a close fight where Whyte is likely to be the aggressor and Parker the fighter throwing the quick combinations and boxing on the back foot.

Some of the cards in recent British fights involving a home fighter have been 'interesting' to say the least so I am not ruling out a controversial call, but I think Parker will do just enough to nick this with a 116-112, 115-113 kind of card in his favour.

Mikey Garcia vs Robert Easter Jr

You have got to love the way Mikey Garcia is trying to build a lasting legacy for himself and this week he goes back down to Lightweight to enter into a Unification fight with Robert Easter Jr.

The oddsmakers think it is a foregone conclusion that Garcia is going to add another belt to his large collection, but I think Easter Jr is being underestimated somewhat. Much of that could be down to some poor performances in the last couple of fights he has had, but Easter Jr has a clear advantage in height and length and will have to make use of those attributes to win this one.

The question for Easter Jr is whether he can step up his level having had those tough outings and whether he can avoid getting involved in a real scrap with Garcia who has the edge when it comes to power.

Garcia has not stopped his last two opponents, but Adrien Broner has shown he has decent punch resistance and Sergey Lipinets was put down and that is despite Garcia going up the Divisions to take on those two fighters. Back down at Lightweight Garcia should be much more comfortable but Easter Jr has the talent to make this a much tougher fight for Garcia than the layers are anticipating.

Ultimately I think Garcia will make the better adjustments in the fight if Easter Jr is boxing well from the outside and keeping this at range. I also think the power is enough to hurt Easter Jr later in the fight and I would not be surprised if Easter Jr has to get off the floor.

He can still make Garcia work for things though and I think the scorecards will be needed and I think Easter Jr is going to have to be a dominant winner to get the Decision here. Anything close will likely lean in favour of Garcia, but I think the latter will get the better of the Championship Rounds and that can see him pull away for the win and Unifying the WBC and IBF belts here.

It is tough to oppose the obvious Mikey Garcia power, but Robert Easter Jr is an unbeaten fighter and a talented one who can force Garcia to dig deep for the win.

MY PICKS: Anthony Fowler to Win Between 1-4 @ 3.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Joshua Buatsi to Win Between 5-6 @ 4.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

David Allen @ 5.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Conor Benn to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Carlos Takam By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Joseph Parker By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.60 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Mikey Garcia By Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.37 Sporting Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2018 Update: 18-34, + 4.90 Units (79 Units Staked, + 6.20% Yield)