Boxing Picks 2025- Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn II (Saturday 15th November)

In most cases, rematches are not really needed for the biggest fights and you can make a serious case to suggest having one for this one is unnecessary too.

There is clearly not the same interest in seeing Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn meet for a second time in 2025 after the former produced a decisive victory when they met at the end of April.

However, this is the money fight for the two and Turki Alalshikh had placed a two fight deal into the original contract which means the two fighters will head back to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for 'Unfinished Business'.

The tagline does not inspire very much considering business was clearly concluded when Chris Eubank Jr deservedly had his arm lifted in an Unanimous Decision.

Everything about this build up has been toned down compared with the original contest, but pride is still on the line and the fight made the most sense for Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn before perhaps chasing other avenues in 2026.

Riyadh Season is promoting the event, which means a decent enough undercard has been put together for the event in North London, but most fans may already be thinking ahead to next week when a huge show is broadcasted from Saudi Arabia.

November 22nd is a monster card from top to bottom and the 'Night of Champions' cannot fail to live up to the expectations around the event.

There are a couple of decent cards to get through this weekend, while we have had some solid fights announced for January already.

2025 has not really lived up to the promises, but 2026 looks like it could be a big year for Boxing fans and January is laying out a decent start to the season.

Everyone is still waiting to see if the rumoured Shakur Stevenson vs Teofimo Lopez fight is made official, while there are big hopes that Vergil Ortiz Jr and Jaron Ennis step into the ring in the first quarter of the year too.

However, recent trends in Boxing has seen in-ring face offs fail to materialise in an actual bout and rumours suggest both Ennis and Ortiz Jr could move in different directions before actually meeting later in the year.

In saying that, I do hope Danny Garcia and Errol Spence Jr are not those chosen to take on the young lions.

You cannot speak about Boxing this week and ignore the reports that Anthony Joshua has agreed a deal to fight Jake Paul in December.

There is a real expectation that this will actually happen and in a professional bout.

Credit has to be given to Jake Paul for wanting to take the fight, but it makes so little sense and Anthony Joshua will blitz him very quickly if he so wishes.

AJ and Eddie Hearn have targeted a big, big fight in 2026 in what could be the final year of his career, but you cannot blame him for taking the multi-millions on offer to beat an opponent he likely could with one hand tied behind his back. It may not be a great look for Boxing, and Paul could potentially get seriously hurt, but nothing surprises me in the sport and money talks.

Plenty of fans will choose not to tune in, but the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul exhibition showed plenty of others will and that is ultimately the reason it will happen, even if it is a complete and utter mismatch that would likely not be sanctioned in many places.

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn II

Back in April it felt like there was storyline after storyline around the original fight, but all of that is lacking when Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn meet for a second time in 2025.

The 'will he or won't he?' around father Chris Eubank Sr and whether he would be at fight night ended with the iconic entrance on the night, but this time Sr was sitting alongside his son at the final press conference.

We also had the drama of Chris Eubank Jr missing weight by an ounce or two on tge Friday before fight night, but this time he has actually come in below Conor Benn's weight.

And even the outcome of the first fight means there isn't much controversy to hang onto this time.

However, you cannot ignore the potential for 'bragging rights' between the Eubank and Benn names and there was plenty of excitement the first time around that will have fans tuning in for the rematch.

Conor Benn has put a bit more on and Chris Eubank Jr has come in slightly below his last couple of fights, although tellingly at the same weight he was when beating Liam Smith in the rematch of that clash. That was also under the guidance of BoMac, who is back in the Eubank Jr corner, and it will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments the winner will make.

He will certainly feel he was dragged into a fight that Conor Benn wanted- Eubank Jr looked the classier of the two when he got behind the jab, and he showed those qualities in the final three Rounds to close out the win.

You have to believe that will be the game plan in this one- BoMac will not chase the Knock Out, but he will want Chris Eubank Jr to do the fundamentals right and if the Stoppage is available to then turn it up a notch.

Rather than making this Round Thirteen, Chris Eubank Jr may choose to rely on his skills a bit more and make things a bit more comfortable all around.

Adjustments will also be made by Conor Benn- he is most certainly trying to be a much calmer figure all around this week compared with last time and Benn has blamed his emotions for getting away from himself. He perhaps gassed himself out in the first fight having invested a lot early, but Conor Benn has to take some encouragement from the fact that he did seemingly hurt his opponent a couple of times and now having put twelve more Rounds into the Eubank Jr body.

Looking back at the first fight, there are a couple of moments where Conor Benn has considerable success and looks to be ready to take Chris Eubank Jr out. His team do feel that Benn rushed his work when those moments came up and this may mean a slower than usual start from The Destroyer in a bid to keep the reserves that may be needed later on.

At the same time, Chris Eubank Jr will take a huge amount of encouragement out of the way the Twelfth Round went for him and the partnership with BoMac resulted in a Stoppage win over Liam Smith as he broke down his opponent on that night.

When they met back in April, the feeling was the Chris Eubank Jr may end the fight late on and there is a feeling that the Judges may not be needed this time.

The resilience and pride of the fighter's will not allow them to quit in this one, but a this could be a slower start, which means a bit more left in the tank to find the power late on to force the referee to intervene.

After the gruelling fight just a few months ago, some of the resilience will have been lessened and both were in a bit of bother in the second half of the first fight.

Both fighters will have a new respect for one another having gone through Twelve Rounds against one another, but this may be a rematch that ends much more decisively, especially if we end up seeing both plant their feet and trade again.

The undercard is quite mixed in terms of fighters looking to move onto World level and others just hoping to kick careers further forward.

Richard Riakporhe is now operating in the Heavyweight Division and faces Tommy Welch, son of Scott who won British and Commonwealth Titles in the Division in the mid-90s and who fought for the WBO World Title.

This is a big step in level for Tommy Welch who has been fighting at Cruiserweight or Bridgerweight classes, while there is nothing on his record that will suggest he is ready to take on The Midnight Train.

At 35 years old, Richard Riakporhe does not have time on his side as he prepares for his second bout at Heavyweight, but the Stoppage win over Kevin Espindola will have gotten some attention seeing as the latter went all Six Rounds with heavy-handed Moses Itauma.

In the fight with Riakporhe, Espindola was withdrawn at the end of the Fourth Round and this could be another relatively early win for the former Cruiserweight World Title challenger before he looks for bigger fights in 2026.

The British and Commonwealth Light Middleweight Titles are on the line when Sam Gilley takes on Ishmael Davis and the latter has been very active over the last twelve months.

This may give him the edge, as will the experience he has picked up in fights against opponents of a higher level than Sam Gilley.

The vacant British Title and the fight being at the home of Tottenham Hotspur is going to offer plenty of inspiration for Sam Gilley and he is a fighter that will not shy away from having a scrap.

This should make this a fun addition to the undercard, but Davis is looking to take advantage of the opportunities that have come up and he may just do enough to wear down this opponent having allowed his fight against Caoimhin Agyarko to slip away.

His team are likely going to want Ishmael Davis to stay strong and to win Rounds well and that may also see him through for a late Stoppage.

The two chief support bouts on the undercard both look appealing.

Adam Azim's original opponent has withdrawn, but Kurt Scoby has arrived to make his presence known and he is unlikely to take a backwards step.

It should be fun for as long as it lasts, but this is a good chance for Adam Azim to show why he is so highly rated and his quicker hands and stronger footwork are likely going to see him prevail and inside the distance too.

The problem for the American is that he is stepping up levels, while Adam Azim has been in with former World Title competing opponents.

He needs to be more active in 2026, but Azim is on a good path and he can get this one done before the bell for the Seventh Round.

In the other chief support, Jack Catterall and Ekow Essuman meet in a real crossroads contest.

Both have wins over Josh Taylor, but this is a more natural weight class for the The Engine.

However, his style should also suit Catterall who will have opportunities to counter and this may mean a better watch, which has been a criticism of Jack Catterall in the past.

We did see Josh Taylor having plenty of early success against Essuman without being able to sustain it- this time Jack Catterall may be able to go longer and he may just do enough to take this on the cards, even if Ekow Essuman is coming on strong at the end.

He came up levels to beat Taylor, but Jack Catterall still looks to have a bit more left in the tank and has operated at a higher level, which can show up across the likely Twelve Rounds needed.

Over in Mexico, we do have a second decent card headlined by a World Title defence.

Richard Torrez Jr may be the leading up and coming Heavyweight from the United States and he is in a showcase spot with bigger fights expected in 2026.

The chief support is a bout between Lindolfo Delgado and Gabriel Valenzuela and this is seen as a chance for the former to show he is ready to take the next level in his career.

His team will be hoping that they are catching Valenzuela on the slide, but Lindolfo Delgado looks plenty short and there is every chance the odds and the unbeaten fighter can be upset.

Main eventing is Rafael Espinoza who was expected to depart the Featherweight Division- he is a huge fighter for the weight class and remains unbeaten, but failing to get one of the other Champions into the ring may have meant his time was up.

However, Espinoza has at least one more fight with his WBO World Title on the line and he is expected to be too strong for Arnold Khegai.

The latter has never been Stopped, but was beaten by Stephen Fulton at Super-Bantamweight and this is a significant step up in level for the 33 year old.

Rafael Espinoza carries plenty of power and he should be able to breakdown this opponent and become the first to end the contest inside the distance against Khegai somewhere in the middle of the scheduled Twelve Rounds.

MY PICKS: Chris Eubank Jr-Conor Benn Either Fighter to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Richard Riakporhe to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Ishmael Davis to Win Between 7-12 @ 4.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Adam Azim to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.62 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jack Catterall to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Rafael Espinoza to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.10 William Hill (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 23-68, - 40.02 Units (115 Units Staked, - 34.80% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez (February 3rd)

The calendar has ticked around to February and it is perhaps a surprise that there hasn't been a real push to promote the World Heavyweight Undisputed Title fight coming up in two weeks time.

Some may feel the fight will sell itself, while others are perhaps not worried about spending a lot of money promoting a bout that will have a massive paycheque for both fighters secured thanks to the site free offered by Saudi Arabia.

Either way, it is still a surprise that we have not heard more from Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk and certainly that we have not got more coverage of the build up to the event. There is little doubt that both will be preparing very well, but that extra touch would bring in a few more eyes, yet instead we are having a pretty quiet run up to the biggest Heavyweight Fight in this generation.

Jaime Munguia produced a solid win over John Ryder last week and he has certainly leapt near to the front of the line as the boxer most fight fans would want to see go in against Canelo Alvarez.

David Benavidez still leads the way, but both Super Middleweights could be out of luck if reports are to be beleieved.

The suggestion is that Jermall Charlo will be the first opponent for Canelo in 2024 as he looks to avenge the one-sided loss suffered by Jermell, while there is a suggestion that Terence Crawford will then moving up from Welterweight to become the next Challenger.

It would be a disappointment for the fans, but the hope is that Benavidez vs Munguia is a potential fight to see this season, while David Morrell and the winner of the rumoured Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title fight may also be someone that David Benavidez could target.

So even without the Canelo bouts, there are some considerable options out there in and around the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Divisions, even if none of those bouts will offer the same kind of financial reward as taking on the 'face of Boxing'.

There is a big Light-Heavyweight bout headlining in London this weekend and the winner is likely going to be a Number 1 contender to the winner of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol bout that is rumoured to take place in June.

It is a local derby between the headliners, while we also have the likes of Adam Azim taking the next step in his push towards World honours.

Over in the United States, Conor Benn continues his controversial return to the sport having still been denied the right to fight in the United Kingdom. This ended any hope of facing Chris Eubank Jr as planned and the situation is pretty embarrassing for the fighter and his promoter, although the entire team continues to push ahead with their own plans.

This post was ready to go, but the news that the Fury-Usyk fight has been postponed has only just broken.

It is a huge disappointment to say the least and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the card is handled- with a big card coming up on March 8th, assuming no injuries, some of the bouts scheduled could be moved onto that date. Other reports suggest Team Usyk are looking at Filip Hrgovic as a potential late replacement where the Champion can clear his IBF mandatory, but the news is so fresh that changing plans will likely be revealed in the days ahead.

Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez

Boxxer and Sky Sports felt they had made a massive coup by enticing Joshua Buatsi over to join the team after spending his career with Matchroom.

A court case is going to take place to determine whether Buatsi was asked to breach his contract, but Ben Shalom and company have signed him with this bout in mind.

Even before signing up with Boxxer, Joshua Buatsi has been highly Ranked with a number of the Boxing organisations and he was criticised for not taking an opportunity to fight for a World Title against Dmitry Bivol.

The career has stalled somewhat with Joshua Buatsi only heading out into the ring once in both 2022 and 2023, although this bout was delayed a couple of months after an injury to Dan Azeez.

The British Light Heavyweight Champion will feel he has been operating under Buatsi's shadow for much of his life and Dan Azeez has admitted that he has been influenced by the successes his rival has had.

They were friends, but this is business and a big chance for the unbeaten Dan Azeez to move ahead to World level- he is highly Ranked too, but this feels a considerable step up compared with previous opponents. He has been a lot more active though and that may be a factor in this one with Dan Azeez having won the European Light Heavyweight Title last year and having a tick-along Eight Round win in July.

Dan Azeez will be looking to make things tough by working hard and pushing Joshua Buatsi for every second they share the ring.

However, you do have to give Joshua Buatsi a massive experience edge having earned wins over the likes of Craig Richards and the 30 year old has shown he can wear down opponents with his power and skills.

You have to believe this will be a fight that should gel well, even if the fighters are familiar with the kind of threat the other poses. Sometimes that familiarity can make for a cautious fight, one that feels more like another sparring session rather than a competitive outing, and that has to be a concern.

In saying that, there is a smouldering intensity growing between the fighters as we head towards the bout and both are expected to leave plenty in the ring.

The feeling is that Dan Azeez will make this very competitive, but Joshua Buatsi will be the stronger, more skilled fighter and can take control after halfway.

Joshau Buatsi has shown he has finishing power late in contests and he will know how to get to Dan Azeez, which may really show up in the second half of the contest. This is where Buatsi may just turn the screw to end any discussion about this rivalry and he can find a Stoppage before turning his attention to the World Champions, or potentially Anthony Yarde in a monster domestic clash.

There are a number of fighters on the undercard who will be hoping to develop into headline acts in the coming years.

Big things are expected from flamboyant Ben Whittaker who is going to be taking on his sixth professional fight. Injury has perhaps slowed the progress, but at 26 years old he does have time on his side and this is his fourth outing in nine months as he looks to move his career forward.

He is facing a veteran in Khalid Graidia who will be looking to survive from the opening bell- while Whittaker can take a bit of time to showboat for the crowd, he should eventually push through the gears and look to surpass Dan Azeez who needed the cards to beat Graidia last year.

If there are big expectations on the shoulders of Ben Whittaker, it can be argued that even more of a burden is being carried by Adam Azim who has made no secret of the kind of level he wants to reach before the end of the year.

Winning a World title in the Light-Welterweight Division will be the first ambition, but Azim is also young enough to believe he will grow and become a multiple weight World Champion.

He won the European Light-Welterweight Belt in November and promised to defend it against Enock Poulsen, which serves as the chief support at Wembley Arena.

Adam Azim will be well backed from his supporters and he can show that he is ready to move on his career from European level by breaking down the unbeaten Dane.

Enock Poulsen just does not look to have enough pop to deter Azim from coming forward and he is going to be fighting outside of Denmark for the first time, while also facing an opponent much better than what he has seen in his previous fourteen wins.

They share a common opponent in Franck Petitjean, but it was Azim who showed the level difference against the Frenchman and is likely going to force another Stoppage just after halfway.

Over in the United States, Matchroom have stuck with the February 3rd date for Conor Benn's next fight.

The hope was that it would be a major fight back in the United Kingdom, but a deal could not be struck with Chris Eubank Jr and the British Board of Control have yet to have their hearing with Benn after the failed tests in September 2022.

I know I am not the only one that is a little fed up of the saga, while Benn's 'victim' feeling seems completely out of sync with the fact he failed a couple of tests. That's not anything to do with the 'why' he failed, but the simple fact is that he did fail and expecting everyone to just forgive and forget without needing to explain himself seems a massively entitled stance to take.

So without a British licence, Conor Benn is fighting in the United States again after securing a Points win back in September against an opponent who ironically failed a test of his own after the bout. He did not look as good as he was prior to the failed tests, which will raise questions, but Conor Benn looks to be fighting someone against whom he is expected to look strong on Saturday.

Peter Dobson is saying the right things and he is unbeaten, but the record has not exactly been built on top quality names.

He also has not fought since June 2022 and the 33 year old American may struggle to deal with a considerable step up in class. This is designed for Conor Benn to produce a big win and then call out some of the top Welterweight names from the United States, and the expectation is that he gets ready of this overmatched opponent in the first half of the contest.

The undercard will feature Austin Williams in the chief support position, although his original opponent has withdrawn with an injury.

He will be expected to take care of Armel Mbumba-Yassa, an unbeaten fighter who is making his living in Germany.

However, this is a considerable step up for Mbumba-Yassa who has only been scheduled in a Ten Rounder once before and who has yet to hear the bell for the Seventh Round. He will say that underlines his qualities, but only two of his previous ten opponents have had a winning record entering the contest and Armel Mbumba-Yassa was last taking a Decision against someone with a 19-26-1 record.

Fighting outside of Europe for the first time will be a change, and he has not been out since September so this feels like a good showcase fight for the favourite.

The Romford Bull will be travelling with a strong support for the first time and Johnny Fisher is looking forward to announcing himself to the American audience.

He has shown flashes in his relatively young career, but Fisher is also going to have to be matched up very well as he continues his development.

This looks a good opportunity to produce a flashy finish against Dmytro Bezus who was brutally Knocked Out by David Adelaye in February 2023.

Heavyweight Boxing can change in an instant, but it would be a surprise if Bezus is getting his hand raised at the end of this one. Johnny Fisher tends to come out very fast and he might have enough power to finish this one very early to make it a very positive first visit to Las Vegas.

MY PICKS: Joshua Buatsi to Win Between 7-12 @ 6.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Adam Azim to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Conor Benn to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Johnny Fisher to Win Between 1-2 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 4-4, + 7.06 Units (11 Units Staked, + 64.18% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2023- Nick Ball vs Isaac Dogboe (November 18th)

There was much excitement on Wednesday with the announcement of a deep card in Saudi Arabia to take place a couple of days before Christmas, but the reality is that it is a card filled with favourites that are expected to win and move onto bigger and better things in 2024.

On Thursday it was different.

Every single Boxing fan has been clamouring for the big boys to finally have an Undisputed Bout to determine a single Champion and on Saturday 17th February, we will have our answer.

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk has finally been signed off in what is expected to be the first of two fights and the fans are going to be the winners.

The press conferences are likely to be one-sided with Fury dominating the exchanges, but Oleksandr Usyk is not interested in the verbals, while English not being his primary language means the Ukrainian can simply allow Tyson Fury to get on with things.

Understandably Tyson Fury is going to be the favourite, but he is a much bigger price than those taking part on the 23rd December and it is a bout that everyone should be looking forward to.

It has been a tough year for the Boxing Picks after the winning 2022 and it will be something that needs to be improved in 2024.

There are still some big weekends to get through before the end of the calendar year and some top fights to come, so any improvement needs to begin now.

This weekend three cards with some real prospects take place and there are also a number of fighters who are ready to move onto the World level. The Magnificent Seven card run by Queensberry looks a lot of fun, while Diego Pacheco is back in action and this is a serious looking fighter who will be involved in a lot of big fights over the next couple of years.

Nick Ball vs Isaac Dogboe

He has only lost three times at the very elite level and Isaac Dogboe is in a rare situation where he will be the taller fighter, but keeping Nick Ball away is not going to be easy.

Ultimately it feels like a top headliner on the Magnificent Seven card in Manchester with the expectation that Ball and Dogboe are going to be involved in a firefight.

Isaac Dogboe has shown plenty of toughness in going the distance with Emanuel Navarrete before being Stopped in the Twelfth Round in the rematch. He won four in a row, albeit never convincingly with two Majority Decisions and a Split Decision, before Dogboe was put down in the Twelfth Round and ultimately beaten widely on the cards by Robeisy Ramirez.

Those losses are against quality opponents so this is a big step up for Nick Ball, who is a super prospect as far as his promoters are concerned.

The winner is going to be in line for a World Title shot in 2024 so there is plenty on the line, while Ball will be plenty confident that he can wear down Isaac Dogboe.

Two of the last three wins have been with a Twelfth Round Stoppage that underlines the fact that Nick Ball will carry his power late on and you have to factor in the wars that Isaac Dogboe has already had in his career.

Nick Ball is likely going to have to weather some big shots, but the feeling he can land plenty of his own and stopping a former World Champion and World Title Challenger will be a huge achievement. We have seen Isaac Dogboe show plenty of resiliency in the past and against big hitters, but Nick Ball can just push forward enough to break down this opponent and secure another Knock Out, while making a statement to the rest of the Division.

Solomon Dacres should be able to find a Stoppage against unbeaten Michael Webster in an English Heavyweight Title bout, while Nathaniel Collins can secure another relatively early defence of his British Featherweight Title.

After a stunning finish of Jason Cunningham, Liam Davies faces an unbeaten Italian in defence of his EBU European Super Bantamweight Title. Vincenzo La Femina will be confident, but over the distance, you have to believe Davies can break down and secure another Stoppage as he continues to build towards a World Title.

The chief support in Manchester is a British Middleweight Title clash between Denzel Bentley and Nathan Heaney.

There is much to admire about Heaney and he is going to be supported by a huge amount of people, but this is also a considerable step up.

Denzel Bentley may have lost his World Title fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly, but it was a really close fight that went the distance against the 'bogeyman' of the Middleweight Division. The latter has gone on to Unify a couple of World Titles, but Bentley feels he deserves to belong at that level and he will come out looking to make a point.

He hits very, very hard and the feeling is that Denzel Bentley can go through the gears early and have Nathan Heaney out of there before the bell rings for the Seventh Round.

Franck Petitjean vs Adam Azim

After the big news conferences coming out this week to announce two big cards in Saudi Arabia, it was noticeable that Boxxer were not involved.

Matchroom and Queensberry have not seen eye to eye very often, but both were represented and so there will feel like a gap has developed between those promotions and Boxxer who have a card featuring on Sky Sports this weekend.

A fighter like Adam Azim can bridge that gap as he looks to continue his development as a professional. The last couple of fights have been tougher than expected, but Azim is stepping up his level of competition and will be looking to win the European Title this weekend.

Franck Petitjean is an experienced veteran, and has only ever been Stopped once, but the feeling is that he has struggled to get down to the weight this time.

It will be an opportunity for Adam Azim to make a statement by getting back to winning by Stoppage and he can do that by turning things on in the second half of this one with plenty of body work expected.

Another Boxxer fighter who might have been thinking he could be called up for the Saudi Arabian card is Richard Riakporhe who returns this weekend looking to get his career moving.

Criticism has been levelled at Riakporhe for not taking up an opportunity to face Jai Opetaia for the right to be called the top Cruiserweight in the world, while he has not built on his crushing win over Glowacki back in January.

He is expected to stop Dylan Bregeon, but Richard Riakporhe may have to wait until he gets into the second half of this contest. The opponent has been the full Twelve Rounds with Chris Billam-Smith and a full Eight Rounds against Isaac Chamberlain, so the feeling is that Richard Riakporhe may have to be patient before showing off the power to break Bregeon down.

Tyler Denny will be looking to send the home fans happy by winning the European Middleweight Title, but veteran Champion Matteo Signani could still be a threat.

Ultimately Denny should be too fresh for a 44 year old, although the prices are plenty short.

Over in the United States, Matchroom have put together a card featuring two very highly touted prospects.

Marc Castro is fighting for a second time in 2023 and he can get the better of Gonzalo Fuenzalida in the first half of a scheduled Ten Rounder.

There is so much excitement around Diego Pacheco who is a very big Super Middleweight and making rapid rises up the World Ranking. He might be the best of the young talent coming through under the Matchroom banner, but they do want to see him tested.

Veteran Marcelo Coceres has been given the call up and he has pushed some prospects even in losing efforts. He put down Edgar Berlanga in the Ninth Round and looked to have gotten the better of Billy Joe Saunders before being Stopped in the Eleventh Round, but Diego Pacheco may be better than both of those fighters.

It still may take a little longer than we have become used to seeing from Diego Pacheco, but eventually his pressure should tell.

A small interest on Diego Pacheco getting this done at around halfway looks the play against a canny veteran.

MY PICKS: Nick Ball to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.40 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Solomon Dacres to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Nathaniel Collins to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 William Hill (2 Units)

Liam Davies to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

Denzel Bentley to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.87 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Adam Azim to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Richard Riakporhe to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.10 Bet365 (2 Units)
Marc Castro to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Diego Pacheco to Win Between 5-6 @ 6.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2023: 53-96, - 28.77 Units (275 Units Staked, - 10.46% Yield) 

Boxing Picks 2023- Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr II (September 2nd)

There is no doubt that Queensberry and Daniel Dubois will have been very glad that there was some controversy at the conclusion of his Unification World Title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, if only to control some of the narrative around the fight.

A borderline body shot in the Fifth Round was quickly ruled a low blow and Oleksandr Usyk was given plenty of time to recover- on first look it would have felt Daniel Dubois had perhaps been unfortunate with the call made by the referee, but ultimately it was a low shot and the right decision was made.

Of course the Dubois team and promoter were going to make a massive deal out of being 'robbed' and plenty in the United Kingdom have bought into that storyline.

However, my feeling was that Oleksandr Usyk would have been able to get up if it was ruled a legal blow and it is hard to shift the image of Daniel Dubois calling it a day on his knee for a second time in his career. Many gave him sympathy for doing that against Joe Joyce with a busted orbital bone, but the decision to stay down last week is hard to accept, even if all boxers deserve a lot of credit for merely stepping through the ropes.

Inside the industry it will have been something noted and Daniel Dubois is going to have to answer some major questions at some point about whether he has the heart compete when the going gets tough. For the majority of his career it has not been tough and opponents have crumbled under his power, but on two high-profile occasions he has chosen to stay on a knee and it is hard to fathom.

At 25 years old he has time on his side, but Dubois likely needs a couple of confident building wins and then has to step up his level. It may not mean having a World Title fight, but it does mean he needs to be put in with someone very live, if only for the promoters and the fighter to see if he has what it takes to take the leap into World level consistently going forward.

On the same night in the United States, Jared Anderson was back in his Knock Out form when getting rid of a veteran and he is another who is going to be looking to step up his level of opponent. He has been built nicely and is very young, but Anderson is already in the World Rankings and it may be tough to contain his steep climb.

Perhaps the idea will be to put Anderson in with Efe Ajagba, who won on the undercard, as the next step in his career before moving onto fringe World level.

With the top of the Heavyweight Division ageing, both Daniel Dubois and Jared Anderson could fill the void, although the excitement will definitely be behind the American.

September looks to be a genuinely strong month for Boxing fans and it will be concluded with the big fight between Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo for all of the straps in the Super Middleweight Division.

There are some big names and some big fights also due out this month and it should be a fun time to be a fan of the sport.

First up is the rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr that has seemingly been delayed a couple of times as they renew hostilities back in Manchester. The undercard is decent to the main event too, but most will be looking forward to seeing how Eubank Jr responds to the biggest setback of his career so far.

Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr II

There have been plenty of memorable moments for boxing fans throughout 2023 and some of those have been at the world level, but a lot of fans from the United Kingdom may point to the first meeting between Liam Smith and Chris Eubanks Jr as being top of the list.

It only lasted Four Rounds when they met in Manchester in January, but the conclusion was as shocking as any fight that has taken place in the United Kingdom this year.

At the time, the feeling was that Chris Eubank Jr would be the bigger and naturally stronger fighter, but that Liam Smith had the opportunity of earning the upset behind the technically sounder boxing.

Very few would have predicted the granite chinned Chris Eubank Jr to have been stopped in the fashion he was, even if he subsequently claimed an errant elbow had been the shot that had begun his downfall.

There were some factors at play that perhaps were not considered as much as they should have been- Chris Eubank Jr played up to the fans by completing his weight cut and hitting the target that was set for the eventually cancelled bout with Conor Benn and that might have just taken some of his legs away when fighting Liam Smith a couple of months later.

However, Smith was confident he could hurt Chris Eubank Jr prior to the fight having done so in previous sparring sessions and it is hard to look past a repeat victory.

Some may feel Chris Eubank Jr linking up with Bomac can just change things for him, especially considering the job the trainer has done with Terence Crawford, but Eubank Jr is not one of the pound for pound best fighters in the world. And he has not been working long enough with Bomac to really believe that the trainer would have imprinted himself on the fighter.

You do have to believe that Bomac feels he can add something to Chris Eubank Jr, else he would not have taken the task on, but the time together may not have been long enough.

It is certainly tough when you think of the comfort level Liam Smith will have with his team and the Liverpudlian has looked very confident in the build up to the rematch. An 'old injury' that delayed the bout a couple of months is perhaps a slight concern, but Smith is talking about chasing Middleweight Titles going forward and he certainly knows he has all of the tools to win this fight.

My feeling is that it will go longer, but there are some real mental demons to exorcise for Chris Eubank Jr and the worry is that his punch resistance is significantly weaker than at his peak. Liam Smith will move forward and look to throw a lot of leather and it feels like it will be a matter of time before Eubank Jr reverts to type and tries to dig in and trade with his opponent.

I expect him to come out a little more cautious and behind the jab, but technically there are issues and Liam Smith showed he can work around that punch and really get close to Eubank Jr.

The first three Rounds of the first meeting between the fighters were close and competitive and this one is likely to be very similar. The suggestion is that Liam Smith will get closer by Round Four again, but this time Chris Eubank Jr works to a plan until the first big punch lands on him.

He looks like he has just lost a bit of a step and the engine is not able to run as long as previously and that means Chris Eubank Jr has to plant his feet and trade, which only works to Liam Smith's favour. Both of these men know that Liam Smith has the finishing power and this could be a virtual repeat of the first fight with Smith ending it without the need to hear the cards.

The undercard in Manchester has some recognisable names ready to compete, but perhaps not in the most taxing of fights.

Florian Marku is back in front of the television cameras on a Boxxer card and he continues to be well matched- I can't help think he will be exposed when he truly steps up a level, but Marku sells tickets and has charisma, while the vulnerability makes him fun to watch.

Despite the record, his opponent Dylan Moran is not expected to provide the step up that some will be hoping to see Florian Marku take and the Albanian can get this one done inside the distance.

You have to expect Mark Heffron to do the same when facing Jack Cullen for the British Super Middleweight Title. Both of the fighters have been Stopped a number of times, but the Champion has built some momentum since moving up from Middleweight, while Cullen has lost two of his last three fights and may have very little left in the tank.

Plenty of people like David Allen, but many of those would have hoped he had stayed retired. Instead he is in a very tough fight against Frazer Clarke and not many are buying Allen's confidence in winning this fight.

Frazer Clarke has to get the job done inside the distance and he should be too fresh for Allen who has been fighting once a year since 2020.

The inactivity coupled with the fact that Allen has already retired once should mean Frazer Clarke can turn on the style pretty early in this one and not allow a dangerous opponent to setting into the contest.

The chief support on the card sees Adam Azim back in action and he is highly motivated to perform in memory of his grandfather who recently passed away.

His opponent has a solid looking record, but Aram Fanilian does not seem to possess the biggest of punches and that should allow Azim to get forward and swarm him early.

The Ukrainian might be shocked by the speed and power of the younger fighter and Adam Azim can earn a victory in an early night.

MY PICKS: Liam Smith to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.50 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Florian Marku to Win Between 1-5 @ 4.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Mark Heffron to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Frazer Clarke to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Adam Azim to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing Update 2023: 39-70, - 20.72 Units (204 Units Staked, - 10.16% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2022- Jesse Rodriguez vs Wisaksil Wangek (June 25th)

There really isn't anything more you can say about THAT Artur Beterbiev performance that hasn't already been said over the last week.

I think many would have predicted that Beterbiev's power will eventually prevail against Joe Smith Jr, but the latter is teak-tough so to see him obliterated in two Rounds is stunning to say the least. You have to believe that Artur Beterbiev will be moving up the pound for pound list, while he reminded everyone that he is still the man to beat in the Light Heavyweight Division even after Dmitry Bivol's strong win against Canelo Alvarez.

Unlike Bivol, Artur Beterbiev crushed a legitimate Light Heavyweight Champion and I would still favour him over Dmitry Bivol, although any Undisputed Title clash looks to have to wait until 2023 at the very least.

Both Russian fighters will likely be heading to the United Kingdom before the end of the calendar year to clear away some mandatories and Dmitry Bivol may still be in line for a rematch with Canelo, a much more lucrative fight than risking it all against Artur Beterbiev. We will see how it all shakes up with those fighters over the course of the next twelve months, but I will say that all British fans should be looking to see the two Light Heavyweight Champions if they do end up on these shores.

This weekend we have an absolutely stacked card coming out of Texas where three World Titles are on the line (would have been four, but for an injury to Julio Cesar Martinez) and the top of the bill looks like a really good fight.

We also have a card in the United Kingdom earlier in the night which is headed up by Sam Eggington and Adam Azim as Sky Sports and Boxxer continue to build the profile of their new look stable.

Jesse Rodriguez vs Wisaksil Wangek

A few months ago, Wisaksil Wangnek had to withdraw from the latest fight between four in the Super Flyweight Division who have given the fans plenty of entertainment over the years.

That opened the door for Jesse Rodriguez to not only move up in weight, but on short notice and the 22 year old became the youngest active World Champion when beating Carlos Cuadras on the cards.

He knocked him down on his way to that victory and it has meant Jesse Rodriguez has decided to stay at this weight and defend the World Title he won in February. Some may have opted to take an easier test, but Jesse Rodriguez has underlined his character by giving Sor Rungvisai his shot that was missed a few months back.

A former World Champion, Wisaksil Wangek has the big wins over Roman Gonzalez that brought him to prominence and also holds a victory over Juan Francisco Estrada. He did lose the rematch with the Mexican having made a strange decision to box from the orthodox stance, but it was a close fight and three relatively easy wins have been earned at a lower level since then.

He is 35 years old now and you do have to wonder how much is left in the tank, but this does feel a big step up for Jesse Rodriguez.

The win over Carlos Cuadras is a respectable one, but there were other factors to consider- for starters he had not been in the ring for sixteen months since being stopped for the first time in his career by Juan Francisco Estrada. He had also been beaten in half of his previous six fights and I think Sor Rungvisai would have done a pretty strong number on him if they had faced off as scheduled.

In saying that, it is a win that will have given Jesse Rodriguez confidence and another win here will set him up for some more huge fights in the months ahead. He may see the Estrada win over Wangek as the blueprint to follow, but I would be surprised if the veteran gets his tactics as badly wrong as he did that day and instead I think he will go back to the tried and tested methods which saw him win a World Title against a future Hall of Famer and defending it very well too.

Bam Bam is going to be a force for years to come in and around this Division, but I still think Sor Rungvisai has something to say in the Super Flyweight ranks. His experience could be key and his physicality will be something that Rodriguez has not faced before and I just feel the former World Champion is being dismissed a bit too easily for my liking, at least by the oddsmakers.

We should see Jessica McCaskill retain her World Titles, but there isn't much in the prices that makes anything appealing. The likelihood is she will win a Unanimous Decision on the cards, but the layers have priced that up very short and instead my focus is on the World Titles being defended in the Super Bantamweight Division.

Murodjon Akhmadaliev is defending his World Titles against Ronny Rios, who has only been beaten by the best, and MJ is looking for a win that may set up an Undisputed bout at this level against Stephen Fulton.

We have seen him called out by Fulton following the American's win over Daniel Roman, but Murodjon Akhmadaliev has to focus on himself and make sure he remains a World Champion.

MJ took the World Title from the aforementioned Daniel Roman, and I do think he will have too much power for Ronny Rios.

The latter has won four in a row since being stopped by Azat Hovhannisyan and it is perhaps the win over unbeaten Diego De La Hoya which has pushed him back into this position. However, Ronny Rios has been beaten when stepping up to this kind of level and has twice been stopped, while the 32 year old may not have the resistance he once did.

I don't want to dismiss Ronny Rios easily, but I do think Akhmadaliev will be able to produce a statement win to put himself in a position to call out Stephen Fulton behind a win someway around the middle of this fight.

We have a number of younger fighters on the card in Coventry on Saturday night and many of the fights are expected to be one-sided, showcase short of deals.

Adam Azim has a big reputation and is expected to win another bout in impressive style as he continues his climb in the professional ranks, but the layers are expecting a very early night too.

His opponent looked like he couldn't wait to get this fight over and done with and I think you can back Azim to win very early and start to fulfil Shane McGuigan's hopes of seeing his talented fighter put a streak of KOs together.

Further Picks from this card will come from Dylan Cheema and Sam Eggington headlined bouts.

After winning the Boxxer Tournament and signing up with the promotion and Sky Sports, Dylan Cheema is ready to really get his career going. He is going to be well backed by the promotion, but also the Sikh and Punjabi community and there is an excitement about what and where Cheema can go.

He is fighting Stu Greener who has lost eight of his twelve pro bouts, although 'Little Canelo' is coming in off a victory. Three of the eight defeats have been in stoppages in the first two Rounds and that includes losses to unbeaten Mark Chamberlain and Adam Azim.

We don't really know the kind of power that Dylan Cheema possesses with a single stoppage in five wins, but he is spiteful enough and I think Greener has been picked as someone he can physically impose himself on.

With a build towards a huge domestic fight with Azim likely being set up, I think it is worth a small interest in backing Dylan Cheema to win this one in the Second Round to match The Assassin's win over Greener.

I also like Sam Eggington's chances of beating an unbeaten opponent who has never fought outside Poland and who will not be used to the kind of output and stamina that Eggington will put on him from Round One.

Przemyslaw Zsyk has only been Ten Rounds once before and this fight has been scheduled for Twelve Rounds- I am not sure he will be ready to deal with the pressure that Eggington can put on opponents and I think the 28 year old can win this one inside the distance.

His up and down career makes it hard to fully know how much Sam Eggington will have left if he does get up to the World level, but I think he is going to be given every chance to do that. I expect his all-action pressure to break down Zsyk and a Stoppage can be earned.

MY PICKS: Wisaksil Wangek to Win @ 5.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Murodjon Akhmadaliev to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.75 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Adam Azim to Win in the First Round @ 2.37 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Dylan Cheema to Win in the Second Round @ 5.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Sam Eggington to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing 2022 Update: 25-38, + 19.86 Units (114 Units Staked, + 17.42% Yield)