Boxing Picks 2023- Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo (September 30th)

It feels like every weekend in Boxing we have some solid Knock Outs and some controversy and we got some of both last week.

Zhilei Zhang has put himself in a very strong position to earn a major World Title fight after beating Joe Joyce for a second time.

A damaged eye forced Joyce out of the first fight, but there was no questioning the manner of the second loss as Zhang made true of his nickname 'Big Bang' when catching The Juggernaut with a perfectly timed right hook for a Knock Out of the Year contender.

I expected more from Joyce, but this could simply be an opponent who has his number.

Faster hands and from the southpaw stance is going to the problem for many, and it was quickly clear in the rematch that Joe Joyce simply did not know how to deal with the challenge in front of him.

At 38 years old you can understand why many are talking about Joe Joyce perhaps needing to consider retirement- he is going to find it is a long road back to the top from here and Joyce has enough tape to suggest that many will believe he is in the 'who needs him' club.

Others may feel the chin is no longer the 'weapon' Joe Joyce thought it was and that he could be set for more big losses like the one suffered on Saturday, but the Heavyweight deserves to be given a chance to try and climb up off of the floor if he chooses to move in that direction.

Plotting that route back up to the top is going to be difficult- the likes of Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are unlikely to want to go in with Joyce, but the rematch with Daniel Dubois could do decent business. In the Heavyweight Division, you are always just a couple of semi-decent wins away from being talked about as a potential World Title contender and Joyce may feel he deserves to give it one more crack to see if he can get into position for that kind of bout.

Controversy had already been courted by DAZN and Matchroom when adding Conor Benn to the card in Orlando (he did not look the best after the long layoff, but Benn did enough to win his fight), but the judging on the night was pretty pathetic.

Sandy Ryan somehow could only earn a Draw in a fight where she did the basics of Boxing- hit and don't get hit- effectively for at least seven of the Ten Rounds scheduled. Even the home fans were booing and Jessica McCaskill almost looked embarrassed with the 97/93 card given in her favour, while it is another case of Boxing hurting itself.

Some close Decisions can frustrate, but it is much more difficult to accept what the Judges claim they are seeing when 99% of viewers only see one winner.

It is expected that Sandy Ryan will get her rematch and ultimately beat the former Undisputed Champion later this year, but it is not ideal that she cannot move past Jessica McCaskill into Unification fights of her own thanks to the poor judging we continue to see.

We have been treated pretty well as Boxing fans in 2023 with big fights being signed and delivered and this weekend is another with the Undisputed vs Undisputed Super Middleweight World Title fight in Las Vegas between Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo.

Matchroom are running a card in London too so it is a good day for DAZN subscribers in the United Kingdom having had confirmation that the Canelo-Charlo fight will be shown on that channel too.

It is the Cruiserweight King Jai Opetaia who will be headlining in London against Jordan Thompson before the big card from Las Vegas. This looks a decent main event, although it has perhaps gone under the radar with its place in the Boxing schedule and the winner could go onto some big Unification nights.

Just as I was ready to post this thread, news broke that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have signed contracts to finally put the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship together. Unsurprisingly it is going to occur in Saudi Arabia at some point between December 2023 and March 2024, but this can only be good news for fans and ultimately the rest of the Division.

Assuming a rematch has also been agreed, the Heavyweight jam might finally begin to clear up over the next eighteen months and some big fights could soon be put together. It would not surprise me if both Fury and Usyk retire at the end of the double header if there has been a clear winner produced, and that should soon open things up for the next generation of Heavyweights to really get into the World Title mix.

It does leave some of the current generation scrambling around- the Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua negotiations have broken down again- but there are some big nights to be made involving those two, Zhilei Zhang, Andy Ruiz Jr, Filip Hrgovic and potentially even Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubios.

Out of those fighters, Dubois is the one with a bit more time to rebuild, but the rest need to get active in what has been a slower than expected year for the Division.

Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo

When Canelo Alvarez signed a three fight deal with PBC, most anticipated that he would be fighting Charlo first up.

However, the feeling was that Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo would return after a long time out of the ring to challenge the Undisputed Super Middleweight King. Instead it is Jermell Charlo, the Undisputed Light Middleweight Champion, who is moving up two weight Divisions to take on Canelo for all of the marbles in the 168 pound Division.

While he has not had a layoff nearly as long as his twin brother, Jermell Charlo's bid for the Undisputed Super Middleweight crown surprised the majority of fans and those inside of Boxing circles. It has been sixteen months since we last saw Jermell in the ring and in that time he has delayed the mandatory World Title fight with Tim Tsyzu on a couple of occasions too.

No one is going to blame Charlo for taking on a bigger challenge and he has long sounded pretty confident of being able to hand what Canelo Alvarez could bring into the ring. The latter has been operating at a much higher weight class for some time, but the head to head photos have shown that there is little in terms of size between these two and and some may even say that Jermell Charlo has some of the size advantages.

Fighting at 168 for the first time will be challenging of course, but Jermell Charlo has shown he has decent stamina and enough pop to be worthy of the shot.

He has lost before, but Jermell Charlo has made up for that with a strong win over Tony Harrison in the rematch, while also beating Brian Castano in a rematch after a draw the first time around. The skills are there to win a fight like this one, while any of the suggested decline in Canelo Alvarez may leave the Mexican a little vulnerable to an upset.

Suggestions have also been made that Canelo Alvarez has shied away from fighting Afro American fighters since his loss to Floyd Mayweather and that has to be on the mind of the long time pound for pound superstar. There is plenty of motivating factors for Canelo who has not looked himself in his last three fights and a long career could be catching up with him.

Opposing Canelo Alvarez in Vegas is never easy- he has had some very close Decisions there a couple of times in his career. Even what looked like a clear loss to Dmitry Bivol was very close on the cards and there is a feeling that Jermell Charlo could have some difficulties winning this one in the eyes of the judges.

Canelo has looked like he wants to make a point this week and Jermell Charlo has been out of the ring for quite a while, which makes the upset harder to believe in.

Of course we have all heard Charlo talk about the vulnerabilities of Canelo, something that the latter has been mentioning this week, and so there is pressure on the fighter coming up two Divisions to be more than competitive. However, winning on the cards looks like it will be tough and Canelo Alvarez is not going to be someone that is easy to stop having taken shots from much bigger opponents than Jermell Charlo.

It has been a couple of years since Canelo last produced a Stoppage.

However, the length of Jermell Charlo might offer Canelo chances to work the body, where he has been so effective, and the seventeen month layoff for the Undisputed Light Middleweight World Champion is a long one that could be tough to deal with.

An angry, motivated and healthier Canelo Alvarez is still one of the top Boxers in the world and the feeling is that he wants to make a statement by forcing a Stoppage in this one. The question is whether his hand injury has taken away some of that power hitting and especially over the full Twelve Rounds.

I do think there will be some worrying moments for Jermell Charlo down the stretch as Canelo looks to put an exclamation mark down on the fight, especially with Charlo having been out of the ring for as long as he has. It may perhaps seen Jermell Charlo begin to think about a 'win' merely of getting to the cards and Canelo Alvarez is likely to have his hand raised in that fashion.

No one should be doubting the quality of the main event in Las Vegas and it is a card with some big names to back up the headline act.

I am really looking forward to Jesus Ramos vs Erickson Lubin in what feels like something like a crossroads fight at this stage of their respective careers. The veteran is Lubin who has operated at a higher level than Ramos, but the latter has a bit of momentum and is stepping up as a favourite in this fight.

Jesus Ramos does hold a win over Brian Mendoza, which looks even better now Mendoza is holding the Interim WBC World Title, and at 22 years old is still growing as a fighter.

Unsurprisingly Erickson Lubin thinks this is coming too soon for Ramos and this could be a really fun fight with both carrying plenty of power. The edge might be with the younger, unbeaten fighter, but it might depend on what Erikson Lubin has left in the tank.

Both fighters might take some time getting into their rhythm in the southpaw vs southpaw stance, but this should catch fire and one of the two may be forced to be saved by the referee or the corner in the second half of the Twelve Rounder.

Yordenis Ugas is also returning on the main card and it will be the first time we have seen him since the brutal loss to Errol Spence Jr in April 2022.

It will soon be seen as to how much Ugas has left in the tank with a tough match up against Mario Barrios.

Losses to Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman might suggest that Barrios is not quite up to the very top level, but he has a fight under his belt this year as he got back to winning ways following those back to back defeats.

Despite only recently coming up to Welterweight, Mario Barrios has size to cause problems for Yordenis Ugas, who will have to use all of his experience to win this one on the cards.

The main card will feature four fights, but those in Las Vegas will also benefit from seeing Frank Sanchez making sure he is ticking over as the unbeaten Heavyweight continues to search for a big fight, and they will also have The Nail Oleksandr Gvozdyk continuing his return after retiring in the aftermath of a defeat to Artur Beterbiev.

Both should win early in their respective bouts before looking for bigger fights in 2024.

There are a couple of rival cards going head to head in the United Kingdom and the biggest fight looks to be the World Cruiserweight Title on the line in London.

Jai Opetaia upset Maris Breidis to become the King of the Division, but injury has meant he has been out of the ring since July 2022.

Some big Unifications were spoken about, but those have not come off and Matchroom have instead looked to begin their new partnership with the Champion by having him come to London to take on an unbeaten British fighter in Jordan Thompson.

The latter is a big Cruiserweight and has passed all tests so far, but he is taking a big leap into this one and the feeling is that he will eventually break down.

Jordan Thompson can come again, but Matchroom are looking to showcase the talent of Jai Opetaia and the Australian can warm to his task and earn the Stoppage.

One of the fighters who has given Jordan Thompson his biggest scare is Vasil Ducar and he is on the undercard of the main event.

He dropped Thompton in the Tenth Round of their fight, but Ducar was pretty well beaten on the cards.

There is no doubting his toughness and it could be difficult for Cheavon Clarke to force a Stoppage, although the unbeaten Cruiserweight should have far too much on the cards. The layers expect Clarke to find the Stoppage having put away five of his six previously defeated opponents inside the distance, but Ducar can just show some veteran experience to hear the final bell in this Ten Rounder.

A fight that has flown under the radar features Murat Gassiev and Otto Wallin at Heavyweight.

The former has been very inactive since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in the World Boxing Super Series Final of a Cruiserweight tournament in July 2018. This is only the fifth fight Gassiev has had since then after the move to Heavyweight and he has totalled just eight Rounds in a little over five years.

Otto Wallin is best known for almost stopping Tyson Fury on cuts, but out of the ring issues have meant the Swedish Heavyweight has not been able to build on that unexpected performance. He has won five fights in a row with some solid veterans seen off and it is a big surprise to see the southpaw as the wide underdog in this one.

Perhaps something has already been decided, but Otto Wallin is the superior fighter at this weight and Murat Gassiev was well beaten by southpaw Usyk in the aforementioned Final. The underdog looks a very big price and almost has to be taken on, even if the price smells fishy.

MY PICKS: Canelo Alvarez to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jesus Ramos-Erickson Lubin to End Between 7-12 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Yordenis Ugas to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.10 Coral (2 Units)

Oleksandr Gvozdyk to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.20 Coral (2 Units)

Jai Opetaia to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 William Hill (2 Units)

Cheavon Clarke to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Otto Wallin to Win @ 3.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2023: 40-78, - 29.72 Units (221 Units Staked, - 13.48% Yield)

College Football Week 5 Picks 2023 (September 30th)

We might still be in the 'jockeying' stage of the long run up to the College Football PlayOffs, but there are one or two teams that are already facing a massive climb if they are going to get back into contention.

The Clemson Tigers suffered a second loss of the season and that likely means curtains for their chances of reaching the PlayOffs, even if we have yet to reach October. The Big Ten East Division looks loaded with Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all looking strong, but they are likely to feast on one another which means only one of those three teams is likely going to be invited into the mix for the National Championship.

Teams like Oklahoma and Texas will want to finish their time in the Big 12 with a flourish, while the USC Trojans might be the best of a pretty good looking Pac-12 Conference.

And you have to consider the Georgia Bulldogs the favourites right now having a long unbeaten run behind them and with the rest of the SEC still playing catch up.

Things can change very quickly in the College Football ranks and the Buckeyes almost fell to an important loss in Week 4. A late Touchdown helped them overcome the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with just one second left in the Fourth Quarter, but the Fighting Irish fans will be sickened by the mistakes made by the Coaching Staff at the end of that game as they played Defense with one player short of the eleven allowed on the field.

It happened in back to back plays at the end of the game and that is absolutely on the Coaching staff- it is also a moment that many other teams around the College Football ranks will have felt regret on behalf of the Fighting Irish as a loss for the Buckeyes would have made it very difficult for Ohio State to potentially be considered as a PlayOff team without winning the Big Ten Championship.

Week 5 will really see the Conference games getting going and that likely means big changes in the Rankings in the weeks and months ahead. Right now the feeling is that the Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan Wolverines, Texas Longhorns and USC Trojans are leading the way for the final four positions to compete for the National Championship, but those teams have to negotiate a long and winding road filled with obstacles before we get into the December Bowl Games.

All of those teams, and plenty others, have to keep focused on a game by game basis and make sure they avoid the pitfalls that can await at every turn.

USC Trojans @ Colorado Buffaloes Pick: You can never get too carried away about Rankings in September, but the Pac-12 Conference looks like it is going out with a bang in 2023.

Next year the Conference is going to have a very different feel, if it can survive the fact that only two schools are currently a part of the Pac-12 for 2024, but this looks to be a loaded one in 2023 and one that could potentially send two teams to the PlayOffs.

We are still a long way away from that outcome, but you also cannot ignore the fact that twelve teams are playing in the Pac-12 this season and five of them are unbeaten through the first month of the College Football regular season.

One of the teams that have fallen are the upstart Colorado Buffaloes (3-1) who had been unbeaten heading into Week 4 of the season before being thumped by the Oregon Ducks. Head Coach Deion Sanders won't be too downbeat about the loss, but he will also be looking for a reaction from his players, which will be challenging considering the USC Trojans (4-0) are coming to town.

The Trojans are lead by Caleb Williams, who many are tipping to be the Number 1 Overall Pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and he is the Quarter Back of a USC Offensive unit that is piling up the yards and points. They did need a big Fourth Quarter to avoid the upset when visiting the Arizona State Sun Devils in Week 4, but the feeling is that the Trojans would have been circling this game at the Buffaloes considering the noise around a team being led by Coach Prime.

It may have served as a distraction for the Trojans, but ultimately they did win by 14 points on the road and remain unbeaten for the season. There are some tough opponents to negotiate between now and the end of the season for USC if they are going to make the PlayOffs, which has to be the aim, but it does feel they are going into Boulder at the right time.

A 36 point loss at Oregon will have just tempered some of the enthusiasm which has built up around the Buffaloes, especially as this is very early into the project for the new Head Coach and his team. They have overachieved by moving into a 3-0 position, and the headlines generated by the Buffaloes have certainly gotten under the skin of other Head Coaches.

It will likely mean more are trying to run up the score on the Buffaloes and this feels like a big opportunity for the USC Trojans to have a very big Offensive day. Travis Hunter is a huge loss for the Colorado Buffaloes, who could also be without Shilo Sanders in Week 5 and it makes it very difficult to imagine a scenario in which Caleb Williams and the USC Offense is not able to have a big day.

The Offensive Line is opening up some big lanes for the Running Backs, and this Colorado Defensive Line is allowing 5.3 yards per carry, while the absence of Hunter and potentially Shilo Sanders is going to leave the Secondary vulnerable. The Buffaloes are already allowing almost 270 passing yards per game and Caleb Williams is likely to be given ample time to surpass that average in this game.

USC are averaging 55 points per game so the challenge for the Buffaloes is going to be trying to match them on the other side of the ball. Shedeur Sanders is the Quarter Back of the team and has some Draft talk around him, but Coach Prime is adamant that his son will not be heading to the NFL at the end of this season and instead should follow the Caleb Williams route of earning a bit more experience before perhaps moving up into the pros as the top Draft Pick.

As good as Shedeur Sanders has looked, he has been impacted by the absence of Travis Hunter, a two way player, and the fact he is playing behind a shaky Offensive Line. That Colorado Offensive Line has really struggled to do much in the run game all season and are unlikely to get much change out of this USC Defensive Line, but they have also struggled mightily in pass protection and that has led to way too many hits on Sanders at Quarter Back.

Seven Sacks were taken against the Oregon Ducks in the loss in Week 4 and the Trojans have a fierce pass rush which is only going to be emboldened if they are getting the Buffaloes into third and long situations. Shedeur Sanders will have some successes, but he is going to face plenty of pressure all day and it could be another tough day in the office for the Colorado Buffaloes, even if they have two more wins in 2023 than they managed in the whole of 2022.

In November 2022, the USC Trojans blew out the Colorado Buffaloes by 38 points at home, while the previous year they won by 23 points here in Boulder.

Lincoln Riley knows this will be a tough game for the Trojans, but they look to have a clear edge on both sides of the ball and USC can put a statement win on the board in this road game, which will have plenty of eyes tuning in.

Clemson Tigers @ Syracuse Orange Pick: It has felt like there was very little room for error for the Clemson Tigers (2-2) since the opening week upset to the Duke Blue Devils. Losing to the Florida State Seminoles in Week 4 will have really hurt considering the statistical edge that the Tigers had in that game and it has dropped Clemson to 0-2 within the Conference leaving them with a long road back to even make the Championship Game, never mind the PlayOff.

Losses to the Seminoles and Blue Devils makes it that much more difficult for the Clemson Tigers and they are facing another unbeaten Conference opponent in Week 5 of the season.

This time it is the Syracuse Orange (4-0), who have benefited from a largely weak schedule to open the season. Head Coach Dino Babers will be reminding his team that while the Clemson Tigers are 2-2, this is clearly the toughest test that Syracuse will have faced this year ahead of big games against the North Carolina Tar Heels and Florida State Seminoles.

Winning will certainly give the Orange confidence to take into those games, but they will have to be better than what we have seen this season if they are going to beat a team as good as the Clemson Tigers. The latter certainly have a Defensive unit that is capable of shutting down Syracuse and the game is likely to be decided in the trenches on this side of the ball.

While the Syracuse Offensive Line have helped the team rip off some big gains on the ground, the Clemson Tigers Defensive Line has been very good at clamping down on the run all season. This is going to be strength versus strength on this side of the ball, but the Tigers have been improving this season and the feeling is that they can win out and force Syracuse to beat them through the air.

Garrett Shrader has not played badly at Quarter Back, but you do have to consider the level of competition and this time he is playing a decent Clemson Secondary. He certainly should have some time to make his plays, although the Offensive Line might have to hold off the pass rush longer than usual if Clemson are able to lock down on the run and force the Orange to operate from third and long.

Avoiding third and long will be the key for the Clemson Tigers too as they look to impose their will in the trenches on the Offensive side of the ball. The early season form of the Syracuse Defensive Line has been strong, but you cannot ignore the level of competition and this Clemson Offensive Line has shown it can bully opponents up front.

Cade Klubnik is showing that he can be very good at this level having thrown almost 300 yards with a passing Touchdown in the loss to the Florida State Seminoles. Fumbles were an issue for the Quarter Back in that defeat, but he looks like someone who will improve as this season goes on.

The Offensive Line has given Cade Klubnik time to make his plays and the numbers have followed. It has been a good start for the Syracuse Orange Secondary, but Klubnik will feel his Offensive team-mates have the edge over the Defenders and that could show up in this game.

Clemson might have a strong winning run to protect against the Orange, but the last couple of wins have been by a combined 9 points.

It does raise some doubt about the Tigers covering this spread mark, especially if Clemson are still trying to pick themselves up emotionally from the defeat to the Florida State Seminoles. The upcoming game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons is unlikely to be a distraction though and Syracuse may struggle to cope with the expectation of being unbeaten ahead of facing a tough Conference rival.

Nothing will come easy in this game, but the Clemson Tigers might do enough to win by a Touchdown to overcome the spread set.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Auburn Tigers Pick: Being successful in the College Football ranks means a high turnover of personnel from season to season as players choose to move onto the NFL.

That is the case for the Georgia Bulldogs (4-0), but the defending Champions are creating a dynasty around Athens and they have made another strong start to the season. Not many would be betting on the Bulldogs missing the College Football PlayOff, but Head Coach Kirby Smart will be keen to remind his players that tough tests are around every corner in the SEC.

The tough, tight win over the South Carolina Gamecocks in Week 3 will have just been an eye opener for the players and the Bulldogs will also know that every road game in the Conference will be challenging. This week they are facing the Auburn Tigers (3-1) who were dominated in their own opening SEC game against the Texas A&M Aggies last week as the Tigers ended up on the wrong side of a blowout loss.

It really doesn't help Auburn's cause that they are still not sure who should be the starting Quarter Back- last week they used three different players in that position. None of those players impressed enough to believe they have taken control of the Quarter Back position, but it does sound like Payton Thorne will begin this game.

No matter who gets the call, facing the Georgia Defensive unit is going to be a daunting task for Auburn's Quarter Back.

We have yet to see the Bulldogs get into the kind of form that would take them to a National Championship again, but they do match up pretty well with the Tigers. While the Auburn Offensive Line will want to control the clock by establishing the run, which also eases the pressure on Thorne at Quarter Back, the Georgia Defensive Line have been stout up front.

They have lost some key players on the Line who made big contributions as pass rushers last season and Georgia have yet to generate the same pressure up front, but this is a Secondary that has played the pass very well. If they can at least clamp down on the run up front, the Bulldogs will believe they can force a mistake or two from Payton Thorne and ultimately move into a position to set up short fields for their own Offensive unit.

It is important for Georgia as they continue to improve under the guidance of Carson Beck at Quarter Back having taken over as the starter. He played some snaps in the National Championship Game last season, and Beck has some strong passing numbers to start this year's push to win it all.

The whole Offensive unit had some difficult moments in the win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, but Carson Beck may be facing a weaker Defensive unit in this one. For starters the Quarter Back is likely to get some solid support from his Offensive Line as they grade the road for some big running plays and that should mean Carson Beck is playing in front of the chains.

Last week the Tigers could not contain the Texas A&M running attack and still gave up almost 200 passing yards in the contest. This could be an issue for the home team again in Week 5 and the defending Champions may end up cruising past Auburn, even on the road.

A big game against the Kentucky Wildcats is next on deck for the defending Champions, but they are still likely to put plenty of stock into beating Auburn. The Bulldogs have dominated Auburn in recent games between the schools and the last three wins have been in dominant fashion, something Georgia can do again in Week 5 of the 2023 season.

Michigan Wolverines @ Nebraska Cornhuskers Pick: Any slip in the Big Ten East is likely going to be costly for the top teams and last week the Ohio State Buckeyes got themselves out of a very difficult jam in winning at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

That might have focused their main rivals in the Conference, who happen to be in the same Division, and both the Penn State Nittany Lions and Michigan Wolverines (4-0) are big road favourites in Week 5.

Out of the two, the Michigan Wolverines are perhaps in a better position to cover, even if they are facing a Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-2) team that has won two in a row. Both of those wins have been in non-Conference games and the Cornhuskers remain a work in progress having already lost to Minnesota Golden Gophers in Big Ten play.

Jeff Sims missed out again at Quarter Back for the Cornhuskers and has missed both victories, and there is little doubt that this is going to be a much sterner test for Heinrich Haarberg. You have to expect the latter will get another opportunity having led the Cornhuskers to a couple of wins, but all of the pressure is going to feel like being on Haarberg's shoulders.

While the Cornhuskers Offensive Line have opened up some big running lanes this season, they have not faced a team like the Michigan Defensive unit. Through the four wins on the board, the Wolverines have dominated on this side of the ball and holding teams to fewer than 6 points on average, while shutting down the run and making it very difficult for Quarter Backs to find holes in the Secondary.

These are all factors that are likely to show up on Saturday and it will give the Michigan Wolverines an opportunity to cover.

However, there is a feeling that they need to find a bit more from the Offense if the Wolverines are going to be called up to compete in the College Football PlayOff again.

The Wolverines Offensive Line will be tested in the run game more than they have for much of the season and that will mean the best Michigan player, Blake Corum, could be limited. There is not a team out there that you would expect to completely contain Corum, but the Cornhuskers may feel they can get enough of a push up front to prevent the Running Back from dominating and also putting pressure on JJ McCarthy at Quarter Back.

JJ McCarthy does not have bad numbers with almost 1000 passing yards already under his belt this season with an 8-3 Touchdown-Interception ratio. He will be throwing into a Nebraska Secondary that has had issues when attacked through the air and McCarthy is likely to be well protected when he does step back to throw as Nebraska perhaps focus on closing down the run.

Despite the record and the positives around Michigan, the team are averaging just shy of 32 points per game so there is room for improvement Offensively. We may not see it all this week, but the Defensive unit are capable of doing enough to just keep the foot down on Nebraska and help Michigan cover here.

MY PICKS: USC Trojans - 21.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)
Clemson Tigers - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs - 14.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 17 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 16 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Maryland Terrapins - 14.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oregon Ducks - 27 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

South Carolina Gamecocks + 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 14 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Week 4: 3-5-2, - 2.33 Units (10 Units Staked, - 23.30% Yield)

Week 3: 4-7, - 3.33 Units (11 Units Staked, - 30.27% Yield)

NFL Week 4 Picks 2023 (September 28-October 2)

SEVENTY POINTS!!!

Where else can you start when thinking back to Week 3 than with my Miami Dolphins after an unbelievable Offensive effort as they completely embarrassed the Denver Broncos to move to 3-0.

There is no doubt that this is the most exciting time being a Dolphins fan in what feels like forever- some may say perhaps the most exciting time since the Super Bowl team of 1984 led by Dan Marino in his sophomore year in the League.

Overreaction is going to be a thing every Monday/Tuesday after the NFL Week is completed, but you do have to believe the Miami Dolphins are about as good as any team in the League right now. Unfortunately the Super Bowl is not played right now and there is still a long season to negotiate, while the Dolphins are still an injury to Tua Tagovailoa away from being a good, not great, team.

A big game is coming up for Miami in Week 4 as they visit the Buffalo Bills, where the 2022 season came to an end in the PlayOffs without Tagovailoa at Quarter Back. The Bills also won big this past week and moved up to 2-1 for the season and it does feel like Buffalo and Miami will be fighting it out for the AFC East crown after injury to Aaron Rodgers knocked the Jets out of contention in their current form.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be another contender in the AFC, while you have to believe the Cincinnati Bengals will be turning around their early season results much as they did last season.

At this moment it is clear that I am trying to keep my cool about the Dolphins can do, but it has been a generation since a team as good as this one has been playing in Miami colours.

The likes of the Dolphins, Bills and Chiefs were winning big this week, but there were some upsets around the NFL.

Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens losing home games to the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts respectively would have made bigger headlines if not for the Dallas Cowboys losing to the Arizona Cardinals.

America's Team will always generate the stories that people want to read and there will be some that once again point to Dak Prescott and believe the Quarter Back is holding back the Cowboys. A poor Interception in the Arizona End Zone as time was ticking down in the Fourth Quarter was massively costly for the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott will have something to prove when facing the New England Patriots and then San Francisco 49ers over the next couple of weeks.

Personally it has felt like the Cowboys could have moved on from the Quarter Back in previous years, but Prescott is also capable of producing a string of starts where he plays flawless Football.

If he can put that together in January you just never know with this Dallas team, although the injury to Trevon Diggs is a big blow in the Secondary.

It also does feel that the loss to the Arizona Cardinals is just one of those early season losses that teams will take and Dallas can certainly bounce back. However, a loss on Sunday in Week 4 will really put some early pressure on the Cowboys who always seem to be a defeat away from a crisis these days.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers Pick: With Aaron Rodgers leaving the NFC North, the Detroit Lions (2-1) have been the pick to win the Division for most in the 2023 season and little has happened to change the minds of those who have backed them to do so.

A home loss to the Seattle Seahawks was a disappointment, but the Lions have a winning record and it helps they are playing in a Division containing both the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, two teams who might already be thinking ahead to the 2024 NFL Draft after losing all six combined games.

The biggest challenger to the Detroit Lions winning the Division looks to be Aaron Rodgers' old team, the Green Bay Packers (2-1), who also have a winning record through three weeks of the season. It is not easy to judge the Packers on their first three games considering they have beaten a bad Chicago Bears team, blown a big lead against the Atlanta Falcons in a road loss and then coming back from 17-0 behind to win the home opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Green Bay would have put considerable effort into the win over the Saints and they are now playing this Thursday Night Football game on a short week. A number of key players were missing on Sunday and it is very difficult to imagine that the likes of Jaire Alexander, David Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones or Christian Watson will be ready to go even if this is an important game for the home team.

Even if a player as good as Aaron Jones was available, it might have been a tough ask for him and AJ Dillon to establish the run against this Detroit Defensive Line. The Packers are not going to shy away from the run in a bid to put Jordan Love in the best possible spot at the Quarter Back position, but the Lions should be ready to clamp down on the run up front and force the Packers to try and move the chains through the air.

That is where the absence of Jones will hurt as he can be a threat leaking out of the backfield, although Jordan Love will be glad that he has been given some early protection from the Offensive Line when stepping back to throw. A team missing David Bakhtiari will be tested by the Lions pass rush led by Aiden Hutchinson, who picked up two Sacks in the win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3.

Pressure up front can just make things that much more difficult for the Green Bay Packers to move the ball consistently and another factor to add is the relatively up and down nature of Jordan Love's early performances. He has yet to put a full game together and had issues against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3 and now Love has to face another tough Defensive unit.

He will still have some successes from what we have seen from the Packers through the first three weeks of the season, but it also should be noted how banged up they are on the Offensive side of the ball.

And the reality is that the Green Bay Packers are going to need a strong full game performance from Jordan Love to stay with the Detroit Lions, who have picked up from where they left off in the 2022 season.

Jared Goff has found a real home in Detroit since arriving here in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams and he could benefit from a bit more support on the ground in this Week 4 game. David Montgomery could miss out again and the Offensive Line picked up another injury in the win over the Atlanta Falcons, but the Lions could benefit from giving Jahmyr Gibbs more touches of the ball in the backfield.

The Packers Defensive Line have played the run pretty well this season, but this has been a long-term weakness of the team and the Lions may use Gibbs to make sure they are not behind the chains. Despite the injuries on the Offensive Line, Detroit have remained pretty good when it comes to pass protection and they have given Jared Goff time to make his plays down the field and may be able to at least play with the knowledge that the Packers pass rush may not have the same kind of impact as they have had for much of the season.

Injuries in the Secondary could be exploited by this Detroit Lions Offensive unit and Jared Goff may be ready to lead the Lions to a fourth straight win over this Divisional rival.

In recent years it has been tough for the Lions to win games at Lambeau Field, but they did in January as a four point underdog. The situation is different this season with the Lions down as the narrow favourites, and that can play a factor in the mindset of teams, but Detroit are not the Division Champions and Dan Campbell will be looking for his team to put a statement win on the board.

They did that as a big underdog in Week 1 at the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Lions look much healthier than the Green Bay Packers for this short week meeting and that can help Detroit win and cover on the road.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons Pick: The annual game in London is going to be a little different for the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) as they will be playing here twice in a row.

The Jaguars have to be hoping that the change in venue, and country, can help them bounce back after dropping back to back games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. The loss to the Texans was very disappointing, but Jacksonville will feel they only have themselves to blame and they need to get back on the horse in Week 4.

They are facing the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) who also suffered a loss in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions to end their unbeaten start to the season.

Unlike the Jaguars, the Atlanta Falcons will be heading back to the United States following this game and they will be hoping the Offense can get back on track after a difficult outing against the Lions. The problem for the Falcons is that they don't seem to match up that well with the Jaguars on this side of the ball and there could be pressure on Desmond Ridder to make the plays to keep the chains moving.

The sophomore Quarter Back has really been a game manager in his time at the helm for the Atlanta Falcons and Ridder has been able to rely on the Offensive Line and the strong running game they can put on the field. A problem develops when the Falcons are not able to establish the run, as we saw in the loss to the Lions, and this could be another challenging day for them despite the talent in the backfield.

Jacksonville's Defensive Line have been pretty good at containing the run up front and they will be focused on locking down Bijan Robinson and making sure the Falcons are relying on Desmond Ridder to move the chains with his arm.

The Quarter Back has some big time Receiving options and this might be a good chance for Ridder to have a strong day considering the issues that the Jaguars have in the Secondary. He might find himself with a bit more time in the pocket despite being harassed all day by the Lions pass rush last week and that is because Jacksonville have yet to really find the pressure they would have liked up front.

Desmond Ridder will need to have a strong outing, although the Falcons are likely to be given a chance by their Defense, which has been playing well for much of the season.

The Falcons might struggle to get the run going, but Jacksonville should have a chance to establish Travis Etienne and that will be important for the entire team. They will be given a chance to find the Offensive balance that can keep the Falcons guessing about what is coming and establishing the run just makes things a bit easier for Trevor Lawrence.

This is a bounce back spot for Lawrence who finished with a single Touchdown pass and an Interception in the Week 3 loss to the Houston Texans at home. Running the ball will open up play-action, but Trevor Lawrence is expected to have time in the pocket and there is no doubting the quality that Jacksonville have brought in to surround their Quarter Back.

Atlanta's Secondary have played well, but this is a revenge spot for Calvin Ridley against his former team and he is backed up by Evan Engram and Christian Kirk. With time in the pocket, Trevor Lawrence is expected to find those Receivers for some big gains.

You cannot discount the experience that the Jaguars have in playing these London games compared to most others, although they have lost three of their last four games played in the Great Britain Capital. All three of the losses have been at Wembley Stadium, where this Week 4 game will be played, but the Jacksonville Jaguars can bounce back from consecutive losses against the Falcons.

It might be a lower scoring game where the edge has to be with Trevor Lawrence to make one or two more plays compared with Desmond Ridder.

Last weekend continued Jacksonville's poor record as a home favourite and this will feel like a home game in London. However, they can use the advantage at the Quarter Back position to do just enough to cover this number before preparing to 'host' the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 at Tottenham Hotspur.

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: Losses for the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders (2-1) have left the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) all on their own as an unbeaten team in the NFC East. The defending NFC Champions are beginning to look a bit more like the team that reached the Super Bowl last season and they were comfortable winners on the road at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.

They had some flu issues inside the camp, but the Eagles have had a few more days to recover from the illness and the Eagles fans would have likely circled this game against this Divisional rival.

It was the Washington Commanders who were the first team to beat the Philadelphia Eagles who had been 8-0 at the time.

That result also means Washington have won two of their last three visits to Philadelphia, but this Eagles team looks very strong at all levels.

The game plan should be pretty clear for the Eagles when they have the fall and that will be to pound the run against the Commanders Defensive Line which has been allowing 4.8 yards per carry early in the season. There is no doubting the power of the Philadelphia Offensive Line and Jalen Hurts is also capable of making plays with his legs from the Quarter Back position.

Being in front of the chains should help the Eagles in pass protection, which has been a surprising vulnerability early in the season. For a long time the Commanders have been able to send a strong pass rush onto the field, but it will be hard to get into the backfield if the Eagles are operating in short down and distance more often than not, while Jalen Hurts is going to be throwing to the likes of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith who are capable of beating opponents all across the field.

The expectation has to be that the Eagles will be able to move the ball effectively in this one and that is going to put pressure on the Washington Commanders who are coming into Week 4 off a blowout loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. The wins over Arizona and Denver do not look that good when you think of how good those two opponents have looked and Philadelphia are definitely more Buffalo than Denver.

Playing from behind is going to be tough for Washington and falling two scores behind would make it very hard for Sam Howell to bounce back after being roughed about by the Bills last week. The Commanders do not want Howell to be in a position where he needs to throw too many times, but Washington may struggle to establish the run against the Philadelphia Defensive Line and that means the Quarter Back will have to perhaps do more than the road team would like.

Sam Howell may find some holes to exploit in the Eagles Secondary, but he will need to avoid being in third and long situations. Last week he was not able to get away from the Buffalo pass rush and the Eagles are capable of cracking into the backfield if the Commanders Offensive Line has not sorted out their problems.

The Commanders have given up 19 Sacks already this season and Sam Howell will have a tough time allowing plays to develop if the Line is breaking down around him.

Washington do have a couple of quality Receivers who will find some routes to get open, but it is hard to imagine the Commanders having a lot of time Offensively and Sam Howell could be forced into a couple of mistakes. Interceptions were a major issue against the best Defensive unit that Sam Howell faced last week and Philadelphia might be able to get in front of some of the throws.

Backing the underdog has been very rewarding in this Divisional Series in recent times, but the Eagles have looked a strong team as they build the chemistry between the new Offensive Co-Ordinator and Jalen Hurts.

The revenge factor for the home loss in 2022 could be at play here- Washington covered as an 11 point underdog in winning outright at the Eagles last year, but this time it feels like Philadelphia can make enough plays on the Defensive side of the ball to give their Offense a chance to cover the spread set.

Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills Pick: An almost historic performance from the Miami Dolphins (3-0) in Week 3 of the regular season saw them put up 70 points against the Denver Broncos and just three points short of matching the NFL record. Only Mike McDaniels decision to take a knee rather than kick a Field Goal ended the humiliating day in the office for the Broncos and there are many out there who are now considering the Miami Dolphins as the best team in the NFL.

You have to credit the team for the three wins secured and the Dolphins are certainly incredibly dangerous and creative Offensively, but this is a tough test for them against the Buffalo Bills (2-1), the recent dominant team in the AFC East.

This is a big rivalry game and the Miami Dolphins should be plenty motivated as they look to earn some revenge for the PlayOff loss to the Bills last season. That was in a game where Tua Tagovailoa was injured and missing, while the backup Teddy Bridgewater was also out injured which meant needing to use Skylar Thompson at Quarter Back.

Even then, the Miami Dolphins came closer than expected to upsetting the Buffalo Bills in a 3 point loss and they were also beaten by just 3 points in the regular season. Tua Tagovailoa was able to play in the regular season defeat in this Stadium and the Miami Dolphins will be back to full strength in the Receiving position with Jayden Waddle out of concussion protocol.

A key to the Dolphins early season success is the fact they are getting a lot more out of the running game and that has allowed the Dolphins to create some very good plays for their Quarter Back. The speed of the team makes them very dangerous, but Miami cannot be expected to pile up the points as they did against Denver every time they step out on the field.

The Broncos have a Defense that has been struggling, but in Week 4 the Dolphins have to face a Buffalo Defensive unit that is playing at a very high level.

One area that may be of concern is stopping the run and the Bills could have issues with this Miami Offensive Line and their current level of play. Buffalo have given up an average of 110 yards per game on the ground, but the concern will be that those have been picked up at 5.9 yards per carry.

The Bills cannot sell out to stop the run considering the quality we have seen from the Miami passing game, but Buffalo will believe in their Secondary and the ability to at least try and slow down Jayden Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Both Receivers have speed and intelligence to find the soft spots in the coverage, but Miami will have to make sure they don't move away from the run in order to keep Tua Tagovailoa from having the Bills pass rush get into his face.

Miami fans will believe in the Offensive power of the team, but it could be tough to pile up the numbers as they have been. You also have to consider the few issues Miami had when playing the New England Patriots, the best Defensive unit faced this season, and Buffalo will certainly believe they can match Miami on the other side of the ball too.

Vic Fangio has made an early impact with the Miami Defense, but he is going to be tested by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Offense, especially as the Quarter Back has dominated the Dolphins since being Drafted by the Bills. Like Miami, Buffalo will look to use the run to keep the high-powered opponents on the sidelines and James Cook will be able to put up some solid numbers behind this Offensive Line.

The Dolphins are giving up 4.6 yards per carry this season and will also have to account for the running ability of Josh Allen out of the Quarter Back position.

Establishing the run is going to be a key part of the game plan for the Bills as they look to control the clock and it will ease the pass rush that Miami have been able to generate. It will also allow Josh Allen to make quicker passes and the Quarter Back can make the plays to keep the First Downs ticking over and give the Bills every chance of winning this big game.

Miami covered in all three games against Buffalo in the 2022 season, but this is the shortest line between the teams in a long time, which just underlines the improvement being made by the Dolphins.

Wins at Los Angeles Chargers and New England have backed up those improved levels considering Miami lost at both Stadiums last season. However, Buffalo have been incredibly strong at home in recent years and Sean McDermott and his team will feel they are being overshadowed after what the Dolphins did in Week 3, which will not sit right for the three time defending AFC East Champions.

The public look to be behind my Miami Dolphins, but the Buffalo Defensive unit might just be able to slow down the Offense for long enough to allow Josh Allen to make some late plays to help the Bills win this one at home.

MY PICKS: Detroit Lions - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jacksonville Jaguars - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 2.5 Points @ 1.83 Coral (1 Unit)

Cleveland Browns - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indianapolis Colts + 1 Point @ 1.85 Coral (1 Unit)

New England Patriots + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Kansas City Chiefs - 8.5 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 3: 4-4, + 0.43 Units (9 Units Staked, + 4.78% Yield)

Week 2: 3-4-2, - 1.36 Units (12 Units Staked, - 11.33% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.51 Units (7 Units Staked, + 35.86% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2023- Zhilei Zhang vs Joe Joyce II (September 23rd)

The controversy surrounding Conor Benn shows little sign of dissipating, despite the hopes of the fighter and his promotional team who have continued to shout about their innocence after two positive tests were provided in two separate months last year.

At this stage there is little doubt that anyone associated with Benn will ever admit the error made by Conor, but it just doesn't seem right that there is this continued insistence that he is 'innocent' having tried to blame everyone and everything over the last fifteen months.

My feeling has long been that Benn has been serving a ban that Matchroom have not wanted to get into the public light, although the leaks around this case would suggest I am wrong. You would have expected someone to have evidence of a backdated ban having been served if that was the case, and the BBBC have continued to state that Benn has not been fully cleared right now with an appeal over the last outcome set to be heard.

It has been a long, drawn out experience for Conor Benn, which is not fair either, but he will be back this weekend and Eddie Hearn and Matchroom will be hoping that they can push on for the fight with Chris Eubank Jr that was postponed last year.

Chris Eubank Jr is back in business after his win over Liam Smith in a rematch earlier this month and it is up to Joe Joyce to try and do the same to get back on track.

There was a feeling that Eubank Jr's career was on the line in the rematch with Smith and the same can eb said for Joe Joyce. You would struggle to think where he would be able to go at 38 years old with two losses on his resume to Zhilei Zhang, although Joyce has to prove he has learned from the first time around.

The undercard has some decent names on it, but largely in one-sided bouts, while there is also the card in Orlando that will be broadcasted by DAZN.

And a big month is going to be wrapped up next week when Jermell Charlo moves up two Divisions to challenge Canelo Alvarez for the Undisputed Super Middleweight crown with a solid looking undercard to keep things ticking along.

Zhilei Zhang vs Joe Joyce II

It was almost remarkable what we were seeing when these two met earlier in the year- a solid amateur, it was quite surprising to see Joe Joyce move his head very little and be completely bamboozled by the southpaw stance of Zhilei Zhang.

Big Bang could barely miss his left hand and ultimately the lack of head movement cost Joyce as his eye swelled up and forced the doctor's hand as the bout was stopped in the Sixth Round.

Looking back at my pre-fight thoughts ahead of the first bout, I did mention the fast hands that Zhang has, while also speaking about how much Joyce is going to be tested, especially early on. In saying all that, the feeling was the Joe Joyce would begin to take control of the fight after the first Four Rounds and eventually break down his opponent.

I also mentioned that Joe Joyce had come in surprisingly light, but he is much heavier for the rematch and you have to believe the British fighter has been concentrating on getting out of the way of that left hand that caused some much damage when they met in April.

Once again you have to believe that Zhilei Zhang will make a fast start and he will be dangerous early. There were some signs of him slowing down in the Sixth Round when the fight was stopped the first time around, but Joe Joyce can only really have a chance to turn the screw if he has avoided some of the damage that was caused in the initial bout.

The eye injury was a bad one and it is going to be targeted by Big Bang again, but the feeling was that Joe Joyce would have the stamina to outlast him the first time around. With some changes to the game plan, Joyce should show a bit better this time and overcome what was a bad day in the office, especially with a bit more weight that we have been used to seeing Joe Joyce bring into the ring.

You have to give Zhilei Zhang a lot of credit for the way he upset the odds in April, but it does feel like the layers are putting too much stock into that fight. There were a few things that looked off for Joe Joyce and the feeling is that he can follow Chris Eubank Jr in earning revenge for a surprising defeat earlier in the year.

A number of the Queensberry promoted fighters will get a chance to shake off some of the cobwebs on the undercard of the fight to take place at Wembley Arena.

One of those is Zach Parker who returns to the ring for the first time since breaking his hand and having to retire on his stool against John Ryder last November. That meant missing out on a big payday against Canelo Alvarez, while also seeing Parker give up his unbeaten record, but this is a chance to get back on the horse.

He should have too much for Khalid Graidia, but the 40 year old has gone the distance against the likes of Karol Itauma and Dan Azeez in 2023 and will be having his fifth bout of the calendar year.

As strong as the Zach Parker performances had been before the injury suffered against John Ryder, he might need a bit of time to break down Khalid Graidia who has only been Stopped once before in twelve losses.

Coming off an injury, Parker will have to shake off some of the ring rust and Khalid Graidia might be able to show off his veteran wiles by making sure he reaches the scorecards.

It is also good to have Anthony Yarde back out in the ring, although it does feel like he has not built on the momentum from the efforts against Artur Beterbiev as most would have liked. There are some big domestic Light Heavyweight fights that could be arranged after this tick-along bout, but Yarde has proven he deserves to be at World level.

The long lay-off is a bit of a concern, but the hope is Yarde can put a couple more fights on the resume before the end of the calendar year. The question will be how does he move forward after this relatively straight-forward contest- he should really be targeting Dmitry Bivol who has been without a dance partner and with World Titles on the line, especially as most in and around Anthony Yarde look to be tied up for the foreseeable future.

While the DAZN broadcasters will likely be focusing on the return of Conor Benn, the rest of the card in Orlando deserves to be given plenty of respect.

Sandy Ryan is going to be facing Jessica McCaskill in a big World Title fight and some may feel it is coming too soon for the British fighter.

There is no doubt that Jessica McCaskill has the edge in terms of experience, but she has been out of the ring for almost twelve months following a loss to Chantelle Cameron. That was a World Title bid in which the American dropped down a Division to take on Cameron before losing a tight Decision on the cards, but at 39 years old you do have to wonder how much Jessica McCaskill has in the tank.

Sandy Ryan has bounced back from an upset loss and this does feel like a crossroads fight with Ryan improving and McCaskill perhaps having had her best days.

It is a 'pick 'em' contest, but Sandy Ryan can do enough to edge this one on the cards before targeting a domestic Unification against Natasha Jonas.

But talking about the aforementioned Benn, there is going to be a lot of pressure on him on his return to the ring.

In recent years, Matchroom and other promoters in Britain have mistakingly chosen to fight Mexican fighters that have not been well known in the United Kingdom and seen some of their biggest names come unstuck. This is unlikely to be the case on Saturday when Rodolfo Orozco steps in with Conor Benn with the 24 year old Mexican having never fought outside of his own country and with very limited experience of anything near the level he will be going in with in this bout.

A couple of Rounds may be needed to shift the ring rust, but Conor Benn will be asked to look explosive to set up the potential clash with Chris Eubank Jr later this year and he can get this one done in the first half of the scheduled Ten Rounds.

Although I doubt that will leave a good taste in the mouth for many.

MY PICKS: Joe Joyce to Win @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Zach Parker to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Sandy Ryan to Win @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Conor Benn to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.72 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2023: 40-74, - 22.72 Units (214 Units Staked, - 10.62% Yield)

College Football Week 4 Picks 2023 (September 23rd)

The first month of the College Football season usually sees teams from the Power 5 Conferences picking on some of the other schools in the FBS and FCS, but there have already been plenty of upsets in inter-Conference games that has changed the PlayOff picture.

Week 4 promises to be another good one with big games between the Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes. The former is a big one that could end up seeing the Seminoles become a genuine PlayOff capable team, although the Tigers will have plenty to say about that, while the latter is a game between two unbeaten teams who will feel a win will give them a big name to put on the resume.

Conference play looks to be getting going around the College Football world in Week 4 too and we will soon start to get a really good picture of what the PlayOff could look like before the expanded post-season at the end of the 2024 season.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Cincinnati Bearcats Pick: Joining the Big 12 Conference will give the Cincinnati Bearcats (2-1) an opportunity to return to the College Football PlayOffs in the years ahead. They will be hosting their first Conference game of the 2023 season in Week 4 of the College Football season, but the Bearcats will only have a very short Conference rivalry with their opponent, the Oklahoma Sooners (3-0).

In the years ahead, the Sooners will be a SEC team, but they look like a team that is capable of leaving the Big 12 with a bang having made a strong start to the season. Most will generally come to expect a strong Oklahoma Sooners Offensive unit, but they have impressed on the Defensive side of the ball early on and maintaining early standards would make the Sooners tough to beat.

We have seen the Bearcats pile up the yards early on this season on the Offensive side of the ball, but this is also a team that has not faced the quality of the Sooners. The Week 3 loss to the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks will have stung, although that may have been down to the fact that the Bearcats were looking ahead to this game with the Sooners in the Big 12.

They will need Emory Jones to get the Offensive unit working with some efficiency if the Bearcats are going to earn the home upset and his dual-threat ability from the Quarter Back position could be important. He has helped the Bearcats in putting up some solid rushing numbers, but Cincinnati have to accept that this going to be a much tougher challenge to establish the run against an Oklahoma Defensive Line that has been restricting limited opponents to just 2.3 yards per carry.

This has allowed the Sooners to build up some pass rush pressure, but they will have to pay attention to Jones in case he chooses to tuck the ball and make plays with his legs. Emory Jones has some solid passing numbers too, although he will be testing a Secondary that has found a way to get in front of those passes and picking up a number of Interceptions already.

Cincinnati will feel they can have some success Offensively, but the bigger question for the Bearcats is whether they can become the first team to give Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma Offensive unit something to think about. Previously, Dillon Gabriel struggled to beat the Bearcats when playing for the UCF Knights, but he is playing with stronger team-mates in this one and has opened the season with 11 Touchdown passes to go alongside a single Interception.

This Bearcats Secondary have been playing well, but again against limited opponents, while Dillon Gabriel is likely to be backed up by a stronger Offensive Line and a rushing game that should keep him in third and manageable spots. The Sooners will need to run the ball well in order to slow down what has been a decent Cincinnati pass rush early in the season, but doing so should also open up the playbook for their Quarter Back who has been shining through the first month of the regular season.

Playing a first road game of the season is always tough for College Football teams, even if they have the qualities of the Sooners.

Covering two Touchdown spreads is a big ask, but Gabriel and the Sooners Offensive unit are well backed on the other side of the ball and they can make an early statement about their intentions for the season.

We are a couple of weeks away from the big rivalry game between the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns, but that should not be a distraction for Oklahoma right now. A close first half could be replaced with the Sooners exerting more pressure in the second half as they pull away for a relatively wide win.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs @ Nebraska Cornhuskers Pick: Matt Rhule will understand that it is going to take some time for his Coaching to get the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-2) back to the National Championship levels they were once playing at. A first win of the season and in his time as Head Coach will certainly give the Cornhuskers something to build upon, although the win over the Northern Illinois Huskies came at a cost with injuries to two of the top three Running Backs on the roster.

It is a bitter blow for a team that will be spending 2023 learning from a new Head Coach, but the Cornhuskers are still a pretty strong favourite to win this Week 4 game and get back up to 0.500 for the season.

They could be boosted by a potentially returning Quarter Back in Jeff Sims, while the fans will arrive with a bit more confidence after a strong win in Week 3. Nebraska are also facing another team they should be beating in the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2-2) and Matt Rhule will be looking for his players to stay disciplined and focused and not worry too much about the upcoming game against the Michigan Wolverines.

Louisiana Tech did put up 37 points in a losing effort in Week 3 and they will believe the have the Offensive talent to score in this one, although it will not be easy. One of the biggest issues for the Bulldogs will be establishing the run against a strong Nebraska Defensive Line and becoming one-dimensional with the play-calling is very difficult for a big underdog.

While the Bulldogs will feel the passing game will have some success, they will also have to deal with a powerful Nebraska pass rush from potentially third and long situations and this is going to make it tough to consistently make plays.

Despite the injuries to key players in the Running Back corps, Nebraska should have fewer issues in establishing the run in this game. The Cornhuskers will likely rip off some very big gains on the ground and a potentially returning Jeff Sims should have a relatively comfortable game from the Quarter Back position.

We have yet to see the Cornhuskers throw the ball around as they would perhaps like, but the play-action could be open in this one with the team expected to pound the rock effectively.

Interceptions have been a problem early, but this is where the ability to rip off big ground gains should really help. It will mean the Bulldogs have to try and bring the Linebackers up a little bit to help the Defensive Line and it could mean Sims, or Heinrich Haarberg, has a solid game at Quarter Back. Heinrich Haarberg had a strong outing on the ground and made some decent plays throwing from the Quarter Back position in the win over Northern Illinois in Week 3 and this looks a game that he could thrive in if he has to start ahead of Jeff Sims.

These schools met in 2006 in what ended up being a big win for Nebraska- the Cornhuskers will be made to work harder in this one, but can produce back to back home wins for the first time in two years. Covering the spread will not be easy, but there looks to be a strong chance that Nebraska can control the clock and make a few plays through the air on the Defensive side of the ball to get over the top of the line.

Maryland Terrapins @ Michigan State Spartans Pick: Both of these teams will be playing their first Big Ten Conference game of the season in Week 4 of the 2023 season, but it does feel like the confidence and focus of the two teams will be pretty different.

The Maryland Terrapins (3-0) have been a big favourite in each of their first three games this season and they have managed to win all of those. However, they will also be well aware that they are going into the Big Ten East schedule, which is about as tough as it comes, and road games have tended to be problematic for them.

In a couple of weeks the Terrapins will be heading on the road to face the Ohio State Buckeyes, who could be the best team in the Conference, but first up is a trip to the Michigan State Spartans (2-1) who feel like are in disarray.

Last week the Spartans were embarrassed in a blowout loss to the Washington Huskies and that was just days after Head Coach Mel Tucker had been informed that he was being let go. Mel Tucker has been dealing with sexual harassment allegations and it did feel like the players were distracted in the heavy home loss in Week 3.

The response is going to be very interesting to watch in Week 4 against a talented Maryland team, but College Football is different to the NFL. This time players might be wondering about whether they need to transfer or whether they just want to look after their bodies as the perhaps prepare to play at the next level, and the distractions like the one that the Spartans are dealing with can lead to a lost season.

Michigan State are facing a Maryland team that have not really been the same when they have had to travel, although in 2023 it may be different for the Terrapins. Noah Kim is expected to have a better game at Quarter Back after a poor game against the Huskies, like many of his team-mates, and he is going to be key for the Spartans.

Running the ball has been a challenge for the Spartans this season and they are facing a Maryland Defensive Line which has been operating pretty well to open the season. This is the toughest test they would have faced, but Michigan State's Offensive Line have not been opening big running lanes, although been much better in pass protection.

That should help Noah Kim, but the Spartans have to be much more focused as they prepare to face Taulia Tagovailoa and the Maryland Offensive unit.

While his brother is really beginning to show his qualities in the NFL, Taulia Tagovailoa has to show that he can bring his home form into a road game and that is going to be key as to how far the Maryland Terrapins can go this season. Like the Terrapins Defensive Line, the Michigan State Spartans have played the run pretty well this season, although the Secondary could not stop the Washington Huskies in the Week 3 blowout.

Doing the same is not going to be easy for Tagovailoa, who has not played as well on the road as mentioned, but the Quarter Back should be playing in a relatively clean pocket and that should help. Last season Taulia Tagovailoa did throw for over 300 yards in a big home win over the Michigan State Spartans, which is going to give their Quarter Back some confidence ahead of this one.

It is going to be tough on the road, but Tagovailoa can at least have similar success to last season against this Michigan State Secondary. If the Spartans are still not sure about what is going on off the field, they could lose their focus and it may end up being a rare occasion in which the Terrapins not only win on the road, but win by double digits.

Maryland have some big games to come and this is the hardest game they will have played this season, but the Terrapins can find some big plays in the second half on both sides of the ball and that will give them a chance of a win and cover in the road favourite spot.

MY PICKS: Oklahoma Sooners - 14 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Syracuse Orange - 13 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Auburn Tigers + 9 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Kentucky Wildcats - 13.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Nebraska Cornhuskers - 20.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Maryland Terrapins - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

Arizona Wildcats - 13 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Baylor Bears + 17 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Minnesota Golden Gophers - 11 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

North Carolina Tar Heels - 7 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Week 3: 4-7, - 3.33 Units (11 Units Staked, - 30.27% Yield)