World Grand Prix Darts Day 5 Picks 2026 (Friday 2nd October)

The last eight remain at the World Grand Prix and there are some top matches to look forward to as we move into the Quarter Final Round of this last World Ranking event.

Picking up big titles is a surefire way of bringing some momentum into the World Championships, which begin in a little over two months from now.

Of course that means having to get through a number of testing weeks, but the relatively early losses for Luke Littler at the last two Ranking events can only give the rest of the field real hope of becoming the first World Champion of the 2027 calendar year.

The tournament does conclude in early January, but the World Championship has always felt like the end of the season rather than opening up a new one and focus will soon turn to that event.

For now, the players remaining in this tournament can only be thinking about picking up a big title on Sunday and that means needing to play some top darts over this weekend.

The averages produced by some of those remaining will have impressed, but this format is all about making sure you hut the Doubles at the right time and it is those Checkout numbers that will mean most.

Nathan Aspinall to win & over 3.5 180s v Ryan Joyce: Two years ago, Ryan Joyce came through a tough match at the World Grand Prix against Nathan Aspinall and he is arguably more dangerous now.

There can be nothing but respect for Relentless, especially in this format, and Nathan Aspinall will know that he can ill afford a poor day at the Doubles.

However, The Asp can take a lot of confidence from the way he has been performing through the opening two matches at the 2026 World Grand Prix and the removal of Luke Littler from his section of the draw is something that Aspinall will want to exploit.

Big scoring saw him overwhelm Luke Woodhouse in the Second Round and that is going to be key for Nathan Aspinall again, although Ryan Joyce is not going to make anything easy.

You have to expect Joyce to get away almost immediately in every Leg, which builds pressure, while his finishing is as good as almost anyone on the Tour. The format does prevent players from overwhelming him with their scoring power, at least right out of the gate, and that makes Ryan Joyce tough to beat, but Nathan Aspinall has shown enough this week to believe he can turn the tables on that 2024 defeat and perhaps come through a decider himself.

Gerwyn Price-Jonny Clayton over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: These two good friends will put that to one side as they bid to make it through to the Semi Final at the World Grand Prix.

Both have come through a difficult moment or two, but also continue to play at a high level and that makes it tough to separate Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton.

You have to expect a few maximums will be shared out in a match that is unlikely to be won easily by either, although Price deserves to be favourite having won the 'bigger' matches through the course of 2026.

Jonny Clayton had been on a really poor run against his compatriot and so any wins he is producing over Gerwyn Price will have given him a boost, but the latter has just edged the consistency.

A Leg or two could be turned by a big Checkout, which may turn the momentum of the match and this Match Double looks the way to go in this last eight clash.

Luke Humphries to win & over 2.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout v Niels Zonneveld: A strong run at Players Championship 30 has carried over into the World Grand Prix and the two wins produced by Niels Zonneveld will have given him a lot of cofidence.

It may be an unfamiliar format, but Zonneveld has played with a lot of belief and two solid victories means he will need to be respected.

However, Luke Humphries looked a different player in the Second Round compared with the one that came through the First and he has thrived at the World Grand Prix over the last three years.

Luke Humphries is capable of finding a big Checkout or two to keep the pressure on the Dutchman and he did throw three maximums in the fourteen Legs played in the Second Round. This is not quite to the usual standard, but Humphries is capable of at least reaching that mark again in a win and he can add another 100+ Checkout to the two already produced at the 2026 World Grand Prix.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall to Win & Over 3.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price-Jonny Clayton Over 7.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Over 2.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 6-3, + 2.68 Units (9 Units Staked, + 29.78% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 4 Picks 2026 (Thursday 1st October)

The World Grand Prix Darts continue with the conclusion of the Second Round matches on Thursday and that does mean there are some good looking matches to be played.

Picks from two of the four Second Round matches can be read below.

Luke Humphries - 1.5 sets v Jermaine Wattimena: An admittance that the exit of Luke Littler has heaped more pressure on his shoulders is a concern for Luke Humphries fans.

However, getting through the First Round will have helped and Luke Humphries has enjoyed playing at the World Grand Prix in recent years.

He will have to be a lot better than the First Round if he is going to move through the Rounds to another Final, but Luke Humphries should have settled down by the time Thursday rolls around.

Jermaine Wattimena was not really pushed by Chris Dobey, but a lack of experience of the format has to be an issue.

Two solid runs at the Players Championship 29 and 30 events will have given Jermaine Wattimena a lot of confidence, but Luke Humphries showed he can handle what the Dutchman can throw at him at the World Series of Darts Finals. His Doubling will need to be better than in the First Round, but Humphries is capable and may lift his level against a dangerous opponent, which can lead to a win without getting into a deciding Set.

Gian van Veen - 1.5 sets v Ryan Searle: The Doubling power of Gian van Veen makes him a real threat at the World Grand Prix and that may be enough to see off Heavy Metal in a good looking Second Round match.

Gian van Veen backs up his finishing, and perhaps starting, with some heavy scoring as well and he has produced some very good looking numbers at the World Grand Prix in previous tournaments.

He did not need to be as impressive in the First Round here after Dirk van Duijvenbode began far too slowly, but Gian van Veen was solid enough and it may be enough to edge out Ryan Searle in this Set format.

Ryan Searle is perhaps fortunate to have gotten through the opening Round and so will need to be a lot better, but his recent record in the World Grand Prix has been pretty disappointing.

It is tough to see that change for Ryan Searle against a quality operator like Gian van Veen and that may end up showing up on the final scoreboard.

MY PICKS: Luke Humphries - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 5-2, + 3.02 Units (7 Units Staked, + 43.14% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 3 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 30th September)

The World Grand Prix moves into the Second Round and that means the format moves into a best of five Sets situation compared with the best of three opening Round matches.

It should give players a bit more time to warm into a match, but the Double In, Double Out format continues to throw up a number of surprises and that could be the case over the next few days.

Four matches are scheduled for Day 3 and the remaining Second Round matches will be completed on Thursday as all of the players left will be looking to take advantage of the exit of Luke Littler, even if some like Luke Humphries have been speaking about the extra pressure that can be placed on their shoulders.

Despite that, players have to recognise the opportunity that has come up for them with Littler being dumped out and winning a big Ranking event a couple of months before the World Championships begin can only be a positive.

Danny Noppert to win & over 1.5 180s v Ryan Joyce: All respect has to be given to Ryan Joyce and his level of performances on the Tour over the course of the season, while he is also someone who should be very familiar with the format.

The ability to hit Doubles always makes Ryan Joyce tough to beat and so the Double In, Double Out format should suit him.

It really helps that he comes from a part of England where the format is used much more than in other places and Ryan Joyce upset Michael van Gerwen in the First Round to underline how dangerous he can be.

The format should mean he is not overpowered on the scoring as can sometimes be the case, but Danny Noppert reached the Semi Final at the World Grand Prix last year and has a solid win under his belt.

If he had blown the second Set in the manner he did a month ago, Danny Noppert may no thave been able to rally as he did in the decider. He had looked on course to breeze past Niko Springer when winning the opening five Legs, but dropped that second Set before recovering mentally and Danny Noppert can use that to help him through with a couple more maximums added to his total at the tournament.

Nathan Aspinall to win & over 2.5 180s v Luke Woodhouse: Neither Luke Littler nor Luke Woodhouse were at their best in the First Round, but that means the latter deserves so much more credit for digging in and getting the job done.

He may have expected a lot more from Littler, which dragged his own level down, but Luke Woodhouse still had to find some big darts at key times and did come from a Set down in the race to two in order to beat the World Number 1.

Backing it up is the next challenge for Luke Woodhouse, who has enjoyed a strong year on the Tour, but he will need to be better than he was on Monday if he is going to beat Nathan Aspinall.

It looked for all of the world that Aspinall was going out in the First Round after dropping the opening Set and falling 0-2 behind in Legs in the second. Not only did he rally to force a decider, but Nathan Aspinall needed to break throw to stay in the tournament in the final Leg and this will have given him confidence considering the level that was being produced by Kevin Doets.

Everything is point to a keenly contested Second Round match, but the emotions invested by Luke Woodhouse to beat Luke Littler could have drained some of the energy.

Nathan Aspinall has not hit the heights as consistently as Luke Woodhouse this season, but the big match experience is with the former and he continues to nail plenty of maximums and those will be needed in a winning effort in this Second Round contest.

MY PICKS: Danny Noppert to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Over 2.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 4-1, + 3.07 Units (5 Units Staked, + 61.40% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 2 Picks 2026 (Tuesday 29th September)

The upset suffered by Luke Littler may just have given the rest of the field the confidence to believe that the big Ranking tournaments may not be dominated by the World Number 1 as so many have come to expect.

Luke Littler will go into most tournaments as the strong favourite even after losing to Luke Woodhouse in the First Round at this event, but breaking the aura is important for the players who take on the World Number 1.

It has certainly been an upset that has opened up this event and everyone remaining in the draw is going to be heading to the stage with that much more confidence. The top player is out, but Michael van Gerwen is another who has fallen at the first hurdle and that may put more pressure on those heading out on Day 2 knowing the kind of opportunity that may have come up.

One of those is the World Number 2 Luke Humphries, who finished Runner Up here last year, but the key for the players is to remain focused on the task at hand and that is simply moving through to the Second Round.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Joe Cullen: Losing at the World Grand Prix against Joe Cullen twelve months ago could play on the James Wade mind, but the higher Ranked player has been in the much stronger form of the two players.

The format is one that can see matches run away from any player if they are not hitting the Doubles, but James Wade should have the superior confidence on the oche.

Joe Cullen has not played since losing another opening match on the European Tour earlier this month, but Rockstar is dangerous when at his best.

He does tend to be inspired when facing the stronger players on the Tour, but Cullen's form coupled with that shown by James Wade suggests revenge is more likely than repeat when these two meet in the First Round in 2026.

Gian van Veen to win & over 3.5 match 180s v Dirk van Duijvenbode: These two compatriots had a very good match at the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend and both are in the kind of form to believe this could be another high quality contest.

The edge here has to be Gian van Veen with his Doubling ability, even if there has been a suggestion from players that Doubling In is much different to Doubling Out.

Gian van Veen has lost in the opening Round in each of the last two seasons at the World Grand Prix, but it has taken huge performances from Ross Smith and Luke Littler to get the better of him.

Another is likely to be needed and Dirk van Duijvenbode has the power scoring to be a threat against anyone.

However, it is the superior Doubling that Gian van Veen produces which may end up being the difference when all is said and done and the higher Ranked Dutchman can move through to the Second Round for the first time.

MY PICKS: James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gian van Veen to Win & Over 3.5 Match 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Grand Prix Update: 3-0, + 2.92 Units (3 Units Staked, + 97.33% Yield)

World Grand Prix Darts Day 1 Picks 2026 (Monday 28th September)

The PDC Tour is moving into the final three months of the season and that means there are a lot of big Ranking events to be played before the World Championship begins on Friday 11th December.

This is also going to be a time when those chasing spots in the Premier League will really want to impress the most, while the two year World Ranking approach used by the PDC means there can be big changes made to the positions, which could lead to more opportunities in 2027.

Most of the tournaments have the same kind of format with the length of the match the biggest difference from week to week- the floor events and opening Rounds of the European Tour events are all played in best of eleven Leg format, while there are a couple of tournaments that use Set play rather than Legs to determine winners.

With all that being said, the World Grand Prix is the standalone tournament on the calendar.

It is played in a Set format, but this is also the only tournament that has a 'Double In, Double Out' setting and that does make it very different to the other events played throughout the year.

This does give players more opportunities to try and earn the upsets, although it should also be said that Luke Humphries and Luke Littler have won the World Grand Prix in the last three seasons. The outlier in that time is Mike De Dekker, who has never really reached those heights again, but Rob Thornton and Daryl Gurney are other surprising winners of the tournaments since 2015, while Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price have all won the title pretty recently too.

Luke Littler will always be the strong favourite in any tournament he enters, while the tournament being played in the United Kingdom is another positive for him after dealing with the boo boys at the World Series of Darts Finals.

He has a pretty awkward opening draw, but not many would write off Luke Littler, even if the hopes of sweeping all of the Majors in 2026 ended with the defeat in Amsterdam last week.

You would probably be more comfortable backing Luke Humphries from the bottom half of the draw, but there is so much to like about how Ross Smith has been getting on.

A tough path has to be trodden if Smith is going all of the way, but this is a player in form having won the last Ranking event and who looks a definite contender at the World Championship with the right draw in front of him.

At the World Grand Prix, Ross Smith is expected to be tested right out of the gate, which could make it tough.

Instead there could be some value in backing James Wade for a run- he has not really enjoyed the format in recent years, but that would be ignoring the fact he has won the World Grand Prix twice before, and Wade could be tough to stop if he can earn a revenge victory over Joe Cullen who beat him in the First Round last year.

Danny Noppert to win & both over 0.5 180s v Niko Springer: The 'Double In, Double Out' format does have an impact on the maximum hitting markets, but you would still expect Danny Noppert and Niko Springer to hit one each considering their abilities around the treble 20.

All of the top players know what kind of threat Niko Springer brings to the oche and the German is someone who will step up his level against the better players he faces.

However, Springer has not really brought that form into events played over the last month and so you have to believe Danny Noppert has too much for him.

You would not really say that Noppert is in great form of his own or anything like that, but he did put a few wins together at Players Championship 29 played last week. The 6-4 loss to Luke Littler at the World Series of Darts Finals will have given the Dutchman some belief, while he had a couple of solid wins at a couple of European Tour events played earlier this month.

Danny Noppert had suffered a couple of hard luck losses at the World Grand Prix, but broke through to reach the Semi Final last year and can edge to a victory in the First Round in 2026.

Ross Smith to win & over 1.5 180s & Cameron Menzies over 0.5 180s: These two were set for a big match at the World Matchplay, but it lasted just three Legs before Cameron Menzies felt too ill to continue.

He will be hoping to challenge Ross Smith for much longer than that in the First Round at the World Grand Prix and Cameron Menzies picked up a win at Players Championship 29 to boost confidence ahead of this Ranking event.

Cameron Menzies has plenty of ability and will be dangerous, but Ross Smith should be very familiar with the format and winning the World Series of Darts Finals to add to the considerable success on the floor and on the European Tour Stage will have given Smudger a huge amount of belief.

Ross Smith has simply put in so many wins of late that the confidence will be surging and although his recent record at this event is disappointing, the favourite can add a couple of maximums to go with at least one from his opponent on the way through to the Second Round in 2026.

Wessel Nijman v Rob Cross: There is no doubt that Rob Cross has enjoyed the format at the World Grand Prix and even beat Luke Littler at the event two years ago.

Last year he overcame Wessel Nijman in a three Set battle in the First Round, but Rob Cross will know he needs to be a lot better if he is going to do the same again.

Twelve months on, Wessel Nijman is a much stronger player than he was and he has earned a bit of revenge over Rob Cross by beating him in the final of a European Tour event at the end of June.

Wessel Nijman remains the more consistent scorer, as he was in the loss to Rob Cross here last year, and he can just do enough to edge past the former World Champion and reverse the result from 2025.

MY PICKS: Danny Noppert to Win & Both Players Over 0.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith to Win & Smith Over 1.5 180s & Cameron Menzies Over 0.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Wessel Nijman @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 136-170, - 21.70 Units (305 Units Staked, - 7.11% Yield)

NFL Week 3 Picks 2026 (Thursday 24th September-Monday 28th September)

Playing two games out of a seventeen game schedule is not going be a time when you can declare one team a Super Bowl contender nor another being one that is on the brink of elimination, but those starting at 0-2 will be feeling some pressure.

A team like the Miami Dolphins have very low expectations and so the record is not as important as developing young players and then looking to add important names in the next NFL Draft.

However, for others like the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, the 0-2 start is a big disappointment and there will be some pressure building on them as they have failed to meet the kind of expectations that so many had for them. The Chargers have very few excuses having lost to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders and something will need to change pretty quickly for a team that plays in the same Division as the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

Injuries will also dictate how fans feel about their team- the Washington Commanders losing Jayden Daniels to another serious looking injury means the 0-2 position feels that much worse.

Much like last season, injuries have dominated the NFL headlines over the last week with a number of starting Quarter Backs expected to miss time, although the defending Champions Seattle Mariners could have Sam Darnold back behind Center in Week 3 having escaped what had the potential of being a serious injury in Week 1.

The key for teams is steering clear of the injuries that can severely disrupt a season, while there have also been plenty of upsets over the first couple of weeks of the season that suggest the 2026 season could potentially play out similar to 2025.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins Pick: All eyes were on Patrick Mahomes as he returned to action in Week 1 following a serious injury at the end of the 2025 season,

184 passing yards with a couple of Touchdowns and an Interception would not have impressed, but the Quarter Back led the Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) to a win and has followed up by dissecting the Indianapolis Colts to keep his team unbeaten. Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards in the Week 2 win over the Colts and added 3 Touchdowns without throwing an Interception and Kansas City did what they had to do to remain unbeaten and looking like one of the real contenders to bounce back and earn a Playoff spot the season after missing out completely.

An early Bye Week is coming up for the Kansas City Chiefs who have opened the 2026 season with two home wins, but now have to play back to back games on the road.

Overlooking the Miami Dolphins (0-2) after coming through an Overtime victory may be the biggest obstacle for the Kansas City Chiefs to overcome- they do have to play the surprising Las Vegas Raiders on the road in Week 4 who are a Divisional rival and one that is also sitting at 2-0. That can be a problem for teams, even this early in the season, but it feels like something drastic will have had to change for both the Chiefs and Dolphins for this to be anything other than a road win.

The layers feel the same with the Chiefs being asked to lay a lot of points on the road, but it cannot be a surprise considering Miami have lost both games by double digits and have looked every bit as bad a team as many anticipated they would be.

The Dolphins have shifted some of the big contracts, but that has meant having to deal with dead money on the salary cap and also a change in philosophy with a young group being asked to try and lift the fanbase. In reality Miami will be targeting a very high selection in the next NFL Draft and the early performances suggest they could be the prime contender to pick up the Number 1 selection.

Malik Willis has been signed to play Quarter Back, but the Offensive Line have really had a hard time making any plays for Willis or for Running Back De'Von Achane and that has made it very tough for the Dolphins all around. Running the ball would have been the main ambition for the Dolphins as they look to make use of the best Offensive player left on the roster, but the Offensive Line have not had much success early and now face a Chiefs Defensive Line that have opened 2026 looking strong up front.

Playing from behind the chains has made things tough for Malik Willis, but it also should be said that he does not have the best supporting cast in the skill positions. This has perhaps been part of the reason Willis has been holding onto the ball longer than would be expected and that has led to the Sacks piling up and the Miami Dolphins showing very little consistency when it comes to moving the chains.

The heat of South Florida can be a leveller and that may help the Dolphins if the pass rush is slowed by increasing fatigue, but it is perhaps asking a lot of this Miami team to pile up enough points to earn the upset, despite the number of those already seen in the NFL.

It will be that much tougher to score enough points if the Kansas City Chiefs pick up from where they left off in Week 2 as a balanced Offensive unit takes to the field.

Kenneth Walker III earned the Super Bowl MVP before leaving Seattle to sign with the Chiefs and he has been part of a team that have been rushing for 5.6 yards per carry early in the season. Two games is a small sample, but the Chiefs are making use of having a Running Back that teams will respect and especially one playing behind a Quarter Back like Patrick Mahomes.

The Quarter Back is capable of moving the ball with his legs too and he will be pretty happy with the early season form shown by the Offensive Line when it comes to pass protection as well as run blocking. Patrick Mahomes is facing a Miami team that have struggled to get any pressure up front, which has exposed the inexperienced Secondary, and you have to believe Kansas City will be able to do what they like when they do have the ball.

The Chiefs beat Miami twice in the 2023 season, including in the Playoffs, while they also won on their last trip to Miami back in December 2020.

Laying this kind of number with a road favourite is never a great position to be in, but Miami could be a team that struggles to win more than once this season and the Kansas City Chiefs have the momentum that could see them pull clear in the second half.

Carolina Panthers @ Cleveland Browns Pick: Both of these teams enter this non-Conference game in Week 3 with the same 1-1 record having bounced back from Week 1 losses.

The Carolina Panthers (1-1) really impressed by going into Atlanta and crushing the NFC South rivals, while the Cleveland Browns (1-1) upset the odds as a big underdog when beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. These wins are impressive considering the way the Panthers and Browns were beaten in Week 1 and Cleveland will be looking to build on the success in the home opener.

That brings motivation, but the Browns have to make sure they are focused and not thinking to the Week 4 game against AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers, which is set to be played on Thursday Night Football.

Deshaun Watson remains the starter for the Cleveland Browns, but the Quarter Back will be aware that there are plenty of critics ready to call for him to be removed as soon as he hits a rough patch. In the win over the Buccaneers, Watson had almost 240 passing yards to go with the 2 Touchdowns thrown, while avoiding an Interception is a huge positive for the Quarter Back and the Cleveland Browns.

He will be confident heading into the first home game of the 2026 season, but Deshaun Watson will be keen to see the Offensive Line pick up their play and start opening up significant running lanes to keep him in positive field position. An injury on the Line does not help, but Cleveland are facing a Panthers Defensive Line that had been gashed in Week 1 and that will offer them some encouragement.

It will help Deshaun Watson, who is going to be facing a Carolina Secondary that have performed pretty well through the opening two weeks.

They have been helped by the pass rush pressure that the Panthers have been able to generate and the Cleveland Offensive Line have struggled when it comes to giving Watson the time he may need at the Quarter Back position. This is going to be important for the Panthers as they bid to get the ball in the hands of Bryce Young and an Offensive unit that has impressed through the opening two games, even if the record says those games have been split.

Balance is the key for the Carolina Panthers and they have found that Offensively with the team able to run the ball as well as Bryce Young has been able to throw the ball.

The Carolina Offensive Line will believe they can impose themselves on this Browns Defensive Line and keeping the Quarter Back in third and manageable spots will give the Panthers the edge. It will mean slowing down any pass rush that the Cleveland Browns can generate and Bryce Young has shown that he has grown into the system with his own performance in the opening two games having helped the Panthers into the Playoffs last season.

Cleveland could be without a couple of key Secondary performers if they do not want to risk those with issues ahead of a Thursday Night Football, and that should give Bryce Young an opportunity to continue his strong start to the year.

Conditions should be comfortable for the Carolina Panthers and the added balance on the Offensive side of the ball should be the key to giving the road team the edge.

The Panthers have not always been the best on the road with Bryce Young under Center, but the win last week in Atlanta should have given them plenty of momentum and they may do enough Offensively to give Deshaun Watson and the Browns too much to do.

MY PICKS: Kansas City Chiefs - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers - 2 Points @ 1.85 Coral (1 Unit)

Houston Texans - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Seattle Seahawks - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 8.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Week 2: 3-4, - 1.31 Units (7 Units Staked, - 18.71% Yield)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Johnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton (Saturday 26th September)

After the back and forth over a number of weeks and months, an announcement was made that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua would finally be meeting in the ring in Cardiff on December 11th.

However, just like the journey to get the two best British Heavyweights of their generation signed to fight has had many twists and turns, yet another one may put a kibosh on everything.

In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, Eddie Hearn made it pretty clear that the 'collaboration' with Dana White was against what was written in the Anthony Joshua contract and it was a situation that had to be cleared up.

Reports leading into the weekend suggest the main event is still very much in doubt with Hearn and Joshua digging in to have Dana White's association removed from the event, at least as far as the main event is concerned.

With Zuffa Boxing having an event in London this weekend, Dana White is likely going to be asked by the media to clear things up, but something is going to have to give and even now there is a serious doubt that the long awaited Fury vs AJ fight goes ahead.

It has been another busy month for Boxing fans with some big nights in the books, but there are still plenty of good looking events coming up between now and the conclusion of the calendar year.

This weekend is perhaps not the most appealing to the casual fan, but a couple of solid cards in the United Kingdom will be followed by the latest offering from Japan on Sunday.

Over the last couple of years, those events held in Japan have featured some very strong fighters in the lower weight classes, headed up by Naoya Inoue.

It is brother Takuma defending his World Titles this weekend when facing Tenshin Nasukawa for a second time after a very good main event between the two last year and it should be very interesting to see how both have developed having won big fights in the time since the first fight in November 2025.

Zuffa Boxing 11 and a solid Queensberry card make up the Saturday night action first and then we have a run of fight nights that should appeal to the hardcore and the more casual supporters over the weeks ahead.

Johnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton

The first fight against David Allen may officially go down as a draw, but most felt Johnny Fisher had been beaten that day before an emphatic defeat to the same opponent put a ceiling on where many believe The Romford Bull can go in the sport.

He has a pretty good fanbase and is likeable, which means being marketable, and Johnny Fisher has been given a healthy paycheque to leave Matchroom and sign with Zuffa Boxing.

Much like the deal to sign Conor Benn, it feels this has been a move designed to irritate Eddie Hearn as much as it has been about building up Fisher under a new promoter.

Regardless, he fights for the second time since the Knock Out loss to David Allen and Johnny Fisher is expected to be too quick for Michael Pirotton.

The Belgian has not really stepped up his level, not even to the one that Johnny Fisher represents.

He does have a big opportunity- if Michael Pirotton can upset the home fighter, he will likely sign up with Zuffa Boxing and earn the fights that have been reported to have been readied for Johnny Fisher if he can win this one.

That should motivate Michael Pirotton, but Johnny Fisher can come out firing very early and he has the power and speed to bulldoze past this opponent before the bell for the Sixth Round is sounded.

Over in Birmingham, Liam Davies and Nathaniel Collins face off for the European Title in the Featherweight Division and it feels like something of a crossroads fight.

The winner can look to move towards a World Title opportunity, but the loser will take a significant step backwards and that raises the stakes.

Nathaniel Collins came up short when trying to win the European Title, but Liam Davies made no mistake when his own opportunity came up and these two fighters are expected to gel together very effectively.

Both have shown they can put the power punches together to finish an opponent inside the distance, but fans of Nathaniel Collins have to be a little concerned about his last two performances. He looked to be running out of steam and not having the same output as we have been accustomed to seeing and you do have to wonder if that is going to change in this bout.

If it doesn't, Nathaniel Collins will be giving Liam Davies the edge and the local fighter may not have to look too hard to find a home for his punches.

A Stoppage is possible for Liam Davies if he can build up some momentum, although Collins will make this a fun contest for however long it lasts.

On the undercard, Luke McCormack is expected to be fresh enough and fighting with the momentum to pick up the British Title in the Light-Welterweight Division.

The less experienced fighter may want to be getting out more than twice per year, but he is facing Kay Prospere who has fought once since December 2024 and can be outworked.

Credit has to be given to Prospere for only having two losses on the record and one of those was against Sandor Martin, but 'Special K' is perhaps fortunate to be in a position to fight for this vacant British Title and Luke McCormack can wear him down for a late Stoppage.

Bradley Goldsmith can also earn a Stoppage to back up the solid win over Brad Pauls and he is going to be the naturally bigger man when stepping into the ring with once beaten Amir Abubaker.

The latter has earned plenty of Knock Out wins, but was Stopped in the Light-Middleweight Division and the step up may be one too far in this contest.

Last November, Takuma Inoue beat Tenshin Nasukawa to earn the WBC World Bantamweight Title.

After both have wins over veterans with solid names, they meet again on Sunday and Inoue looks capable of making sure repeat, rather than revenge, is what is spoken about.

He does not have the power of brother Naoya, but Takuma Inoue has solid fundamentals and it would take a huge improvement from Tenshin Nasukawa to win this World Title.

The impressive win over veteran Juan Francisco Estrada will have given Tenshin a lot of confidence, but the Mexican looked a faded force before being put down for good as he retired on his stool.

This is a much tougher fight and Takuma Inoue looks capable of doing what is necessary on the cards again.

The Japanese cards always try and put a solid undercard together and it is no different this weekend.

The standout fight looks to be Sam Goodman taking on home hope Ryosuke Nishida with the Interim IBF World Title on the line.

Winning could see that fighter leap to the front of the queue to take on Naoya Inoue, who is the king in the Bantamweight Division.

Being at home gives Nishida the edge, but he is moving up in weight class, while Sam Goodman is coming back down.

Concerns about the drop in weight have been raised after Goodman's team asked for an earlier weigh in on the day of the fight as per IBF rules. However, the home fighter's representatives are demanding the usual time is kept with the feeling that it will prevent the Australian from rehydrating to make the size and strength count.

It has the makings of a fascinating fight, but Sam Goodman looks a little overpriced to find a way to win his first bout outside of Australia.

His power could be the difference on the night and Sam Goodman has enough skill about him to edge to a victory.

MY PICKS: Johnny Fisher to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Liam Davies to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Luke McCormack to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.25 Coral (1 Unit)

Bradley Goldsmith to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Takuma Inoue to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Sam Goodman to Win @ 2.62 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 24-42, - 13.76 Units (104 Units Staked, - 13.23% Yield)