Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 3rd February)

The start of the men's Final at the Australian Open would have certainly gotten fans to sit up and take notice and just for a brief moment it felt like Novak Djokovic was going to be on his way to creating history by winning a twenty-fifth Grand Slam title.

Credit has to be given to Carlos Alcaraz for not panicking after seeing almost everything go wrong in the first set and he very quickly took control of the Final.

This time even the multiple Break Points saved by Novak Djokovic were not enough to fend off the pressure created by the World Number 1.

On the day I did write on 'X' that the 4-4 game where Novak Djokovic had a Break Point in the fourth set could have perhaps been the key point and the former World Number 1 mentioned the same moment in the post-match presser. After saving a bunch of Break Points, Djokovic finally found a chance on the Alcaraz serve and breaking there may just have changed the momentum that had built up within the match.

Unlike Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz fought off that pressurised moment and eventually found another chance within the set to avoid having to dig in further.

With seven Grand Slam titles secured, Carlos Alcaraz is going to threaten the numbers that the Big Three created, although there are always going to be new faces ready to enter the Tour and create their own pathway on the Tour.

Right now it feels like the era of the 'Big Two', and Carlos Alcaraz looks to have moved a step ahead of Jannik Sinner- his record in his Grand Slam Finals is incredibly impressive already and the Spaniard is likely going to be set as the favourite at the next two Slams and possibly in New York City too.

We should see some of those big names back in action sooner than later with the Tour moving onto the big Middle East events this month and also having the first of the ATP 500 events being played.

The WTA Tour goes a step further with those same events in the Middle East down as 1000 events and with some of the top names on the entry lists at the time of writing.

Australian Open Champion Elena Rybakina had been on the list to play in Abu Dhabi this week, but it will surprise absolutely nobody that she has decided to skip the week after the brilliant tournament put together in Melbourne.

Four tournaments are being played this week, including the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi, but most of the biggest names are resting and recovering.

As the month progresses, more of those top players will be back in action ahead of the two Masters events coming up in March.

The Australian Open was a successful start to the year for the Tennis Picks, but it is a very long year and can only be considered a solid opening foundation laid.

Emma Navarro - 2.5 games v Hailey Baptiste: Two 24 year old American players meet in Abu Dhabi and neither made much of an impact at the Australian Open, which means there is some pressure to perform during this Middle East swing.

The last several months have been disappointing for Emma Navarro who had entered the top ten in the World Rankings, but is no edging out of the top 20.

She was beaten very early in Melbourne, but Navarro has won all three previous Tour matches against Hailey Baptiste and the latter has not really competed with the top 50 on the hard courts over the last twelve months.

In that time Hailey Baptiste has a 3-7 record in those matches and two of those wins were in Miami.

At her best Baptiste can be dangerous with a powerful game, but Emma Navarro has found a way to just neutralise her threat at key moments and that may be the same again in Abu Dhabi.

Anastasia Potapova - 5.5 games v Lucia Bronzetti: Reaching the Third Round at the Australian Open and given Aryna Sabalenka all she can handle will have given Anastasia Potapova a confidence boost.

However, she is the defending Champion in Cluj and that means there is some pressure to try and defend the World Ranking points with her live Ranking slipping back outside the top 80.

She can put everything into this week with the next tournament set to be Dubai when Anatasia Potapova is going to have to win some Qualifying matches to join the main draw. That is an additional pressure to deal with, but you have to expect Potapova to continue to get the better of this opponent.

All five previous meetings on the Tour have been won by Anastasia Potapova and that includes coming from a set down to beat Lucia Bronzetti in the Final here twelve months ago.

It has been a difficult few months for the Italian player who has dropped out of the top 100 of the World Rankings as the losses have piled up. Lucia Bronzetti was beaten in the final Round of Qualifying at the Australian Open and her serve is the more vulnerable of the two players in this First Round match in Cluj.

Asking Anastasia Potapova to cover this spread is never going to be straightforward, but she should have the Break Point opportunities to edge past the number.

Elena Gabriela Ruse - 4.5 games v Rebeka Masarova: The home favourite is playing an opponent who has failed to come through Qualifying at a couple of events Down Under and who is playing in the main draw for the first time this season.

Rebeka Masarova has dropped out of the top 100 of the World Rankings and she had a mixed year on the hard courts.

The first serve is more of a weapon than some may think, but there is a big drop off when the second serve is needed and Rebeka Masarova has struggled to get her teeth into return games. Last year she did upset Donna Vekic on the surface, but Elena Gabriela Ruse can use the home crowd to get on top of this match.

A strong run would see Elena Gabriela Ruse getting back up towards the top 50 in the World Rankings and this is another player who can get on top of points when the first serve is going in.

The higher Ranked player has had the stronger returning numbers over the last twelve months, while Elena Gabriela Ruse did beat Rebeka Masarova in the Semi Final here in Cluj three years ago.

On that day Elena Gabriela Ruse had the edge on the return of serve and although her overall record here is not the strongest, she was a Finalist in 2023 and the Romanian may have enough to get past this number set for the spread.

MY PICKS: Emma Navarro - 2.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Anastasia Potapova - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Elena Gabriela Ruse - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Season 2026: 37-23, + 16.30 Units (126 Units Staked, + 12.94% 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- Emanuel Navarrete vs Liam Wilson (February 3rd)

It feels like it has been a long time since we had a really good event in the United Kingdom as far as the Boxing goes, but the Anthony Yarde World Title challenge against Artur Beterbiev may be the start of a really good six months on these shores.

Of course we have already had the big Liam Smith win over Chris Eubank Jr, but the Beterbiev-Yarde top of the bill was truly a World level event.

And Anthony Yarde did not disappoint.

There are ways to lose Boxing fights and some will raise your stock, something that I do feel has happened for Anthony Yarde. The Fifth Round was truly one to enjoy and there was a moment or two when I thought Yarde was going to pull off the upset, but Artur Beterbiev is one tough customer and ultimately deservedly came out on top.

It was really fun to be at Wembley Arena for a big show and fans of the sport should take advantage of some of the fights that have already been announced for the United Kingdom. I am really looking forward to the Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara fight in Nottingham, while April could be a month for the Heavyweights with Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce back on separate cards in London (AJ's fight yet to be announced but heavily rumoured), while there is still an outside chance of seeing the Heavyweight Unification between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium in the same month.

As fans we have to support the events simply to ensure we get to see more of them over here and I will definitely be trying to make at least two of those Heavyweight fights in London as long as tickets can be secured.

The first half of 2023 isn't just about the UK cards being announced, but we could have some huge fights across the pond too. David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant is a headline fight that both Boxers deserve a lot of credit for signing up to, while Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia looks to have taken a positive step forward to add to the loaded April schedule.

Canelo Alvarez is expected back and Dmitry Bivol could defend his Light Heavyweight World Title against Joshua Buatsi, while we should soon hear of the plans set for the likes of Terence Crawford and Errol Spence, who continue to dance around one another without actually signing a contract for the mega-fight at 147.

Of course we want to see the Super-Fights as much as possible, but I do like some of the cards that have been put together and the headline bouts we are hopefully going to see. It should set us up for a really good second half of the year and hopefully this will be a 'season' where the fans are rewarded for their patience when it comes to some of the biggest bouts that can be made.

However, it is Boxing and you can never get too excited about the potential fights and just enjoy those that are offered to us.

There are a couple of decent cards this weekend and the promoters have made a good decision to have one on Friday and one on Saturday to avoid clashes that have become a little too common. Sometimes it can't be helped, but other times it can be and this is one of those weekends where common sense has prevailed.

I won't have any Picks from the largely female card being promoted by Matchroom and DAZN this weekend- there are some quality fights being made on that side of the sport, but the prices are never as appealing as they could be with the two minute Rounds and the Ten Round limit making it that much harder to predict Knock Outs.

The layers know that and so Decision wins are priced up accordingly, while this weekend we have a number of strong favourites that are expected to win, notably Amanda Serrano and Alycia Baumgardner. Both of those Boxers could be in line for big fights next up if they can win their Undisputed bouts this weekend and I do think both will do so, and most likely with their hands raised after going through their Ten Rounder World Title contests.

My focus for the Boxing Picks this weekend will be on the Friday night card being promoted by Top Rank with the main event seeing a vacant World Title up for grabs that has been left behind by Shakur Stevenson.

Emanuel Navarrete vs Liam Wilson

He has always looked pretty big at his previous weight classes so it is no surprise to see Emanuel Navarrete up at Super Featherweight in a bid to win another World Title.

This will set up a big fight with Oscar Valdez, perhaps before the first half of 2023 comes to a conclusion, and I do think he is deservedly a big favourite in this fight.

You can't take anything away from Liam Wilson for taking an opportunity and Australian fighters are tough, but this is his first time outside of his own country and the stoppage loss to Joe Noynay is a concern. Liam Wilson avenged that defeat in the immediate rematch, but he faces another big puncher and this is a considerable step up in level, even if Emanuel Navarrete has not fought at 130 pounds before.

As I have mentioned, Navarrete looked big at the previous two weight classes, and it was long thought that he would have to move up- he has the longer reach in this one and I am not sure he is going to have to look too hard to find Liam Wilson inside this ring.

30 stoppages in 36 wins shows the kind of power that Emanuel Navarrete does possess and Liam Wilson was stopped by someone who has not been known for his own power. This is arguably going to be the biggest puncher that Wilson has ever faced and I do think the Mexican can come through an early fire fight with the bigger blows having been landed.

Emanuel Navarrete has been a methodical puncher that breaks down his opponent rather than one punch Knock Out power, although he certainly has that too. I can see him breaking through the Liam Wilson defences early and often in this one and I am not sure the Australian will have the pop to make Navarrete step back out of the phone box.

He can take a bit of time to warm up to his task, but I think Emanuel Navarrete will be looking to make a statement in this one and I do think he can get this done within the first half of the fight.

There are some of the brighter Top Rank prospects on the undercard as they continue their development as professional fighters.

One of the top younger names is Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of The Greatest Muhammad Ali, and he should be able to win his Six Rounder inside the first half of the fight.

He has been forced to go the distance twice, including in his first Six Rounder in October, but Ali Walsh has won his other five fights before the Fourth Round. He faces Eduardo Ayala who has been stopped twice in his two defeats and I think Nico Ali Walsh can make sure he wins early enough to be ready to get back out as soon as possible.

After needing Three Rounds last time out, Richard Torrez Jr should have a much earlier night in the office when taking on James Bryant.

The 37 year old did go a couple of Rounds in a losing effort against another heavy hitting unbeaten Sonny Conto, and James Bryant came out absolutely swinging in that one. I expect a similar approach in this one, and that should leave him open to Richard Torrez Jr's power and the young American can perhaps close the show a little quicker than Conto managed to do.

Richard Torrez Jr is a raw talent and a work in progress, but he hits hard and James Bryant may just be loose enough to fall into something early.

MY PICKS: Emanuel Navarrete to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 Bet365 (2 Units)

Nico Ali Walsh to Win Between 1-3 @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Richard Torrez Jr to Win in First Round @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Boxing Update 2023: 1-3, - 3.40 Units (7 Units Staked, - 48.57% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (February 2-4)

The congested nature of the 2020/21 season is being felt the most at this time of the campaign with games being played every few days until the end of February.

There will be more time for rest and recovery as we enter March and April, at least for the majority of the Premier League, but for now every team is in the same boat and managers are having to rotate players. That is not an ideal situation for us Fantasy Premier League players as we try and second guess what kind of teams will be selected, while also planning to get the very best out of our teams.

More on that below, but first my thoughts on the latest round of Premier League games to be played from Tuesday through Thursday. The latest Fantasy deadline comes on Tuesday afternoon so be aware of that.

Sheffield United v West Brom Pick: The term 'relegation six pointer' might be overused, but it is hard to think of Sheffield United versus West Brom as anything else.

The two teams currently prop up the rest of the Premier League and both Chris Wilder and Sam Allardyce can't afford to drop any points in this fixture. It should mean an attacking intent from both knowing a point doesn't really do anything for them long-term and that should produce a decent game of football.

Neither manager can really rely on the defence to keep a clean sheet and so it will be about scoring goals to win this game. When these teams met at The Hawthorns it was a remarkable game in which some huge chances were missed and you have to remain a little concerned by the lack of firepower we have sometimes seen from Sheffield United and West Brom.

However there have been some positive signs from both in recent weeks, at least when it comes to getting forward and creating chances. The last couple of League games at Bramall Lane have seen Sheffield United looking pretty threatening going forward, although the continued defensive vulnerabilities have prevented The Blades cutting a stronger path up the League table.

It is those vulnerabilities that Sam Allardyce will be targeting to exploit and his West Brom team have had to score a fair few goals to make up for their own defensive issues. West Brom have scored at least twice in 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions, but they have only won once in that time and needed three goals to win at Wolves.

The lack of wins comes down to the fact that West Brom have conceded at least twice in their last 7 games in all competitions including in their last 6 Premier League games.

Chances have been created against West Brom at an alarming rate, but in the more winnable games in that run The Baggies have threatened at the other end. That is going to be key here and I do think the layers may be underestimating the chance of seeing goals.

Neither team can allow the game to drift and I expect plenty of effort from both, but the defensive problems for both clubs will likely see chances created.

4 of the last 5 between these clubs at Bramall Lane have ended with at least three goals shared out, while the game earlier this season saw a massive amount of chances created by both. Better finishing will be important, but I also expect this game to be chased to the final minute and it should leave spaces to exploit.

Wolves v Arsenal Pick: Things have changed massively for both Wolves and Arsenal since they met at the Emirates Stadium at the end of November in a game that Wolves won 1-2.

That was the fourth win in 7 games for Wolves in the Premier League, while it was a result in the middle of Arsenal's 7 game run without a League win during which time they lost 5 times.

Back then Nuno Espirito Santo would have been comfortable and Mikel Arteta was under immense pressure, but it was also the fixture in which Raul Jimenez suffered a serious injury. The fractured skull has meant Wolves have been without their talisman number nine, and the form in the Premier League has been really poor since then.

Wolves have won 1 of their last 11 Premier League games since the win in North London and they have struggled for goals. Defensively they can still be very stubborn, but Wolves haven't even been able to rely on that side of their game in recent weeks with the manager changing a system and dealing with plenty of other injuries outside of Jimenez.

The side have conceded five goals in their last 2 Premier League games at home and now face an Arsenal team which has been improving. The form has been turned out just when it felt like Arteta was about to be relieved of his role as manager of the club and Arsenal have only conceded two goals in 7 Premier League games.

Arsenal have won 3 away League games in a row for the first time since October 2018 and this is a team playing with a decent balance as the young players being called upon have thrived.

Injuries are an issue for Arsenal too with key players like Kieran Tierney, Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all potentially missing. So far the side have still managed to keep the points ticking over, but you do have to wonder if Arsenal create enough chances to keep getting the better of games.

With the recent form of both clubs, I would not be surprised if one of the teams fail to find the net. However the layers feel the same and the better approach may be looking for this fixture to have two or fewer goals shared out.

Both have shown they can be pretty solid defensively and I do think some of the attacking players that could be absent on Tuesday will help the defences out a little more.

An early goal could open things up and that is always the concern, but the longer this is tight, the less chance we will see a massive tactical rethink from either manager. I think both will want to keep it as tight as possible and punish any mistakes they find from the other and this could lead to a relatively low-scoring fixture.

Manchester United v Southampton Pick: This is a really intriguing game and that is largely because both Manchester United and Southampton have played well at times in the 2020/21 season, but have perhaps not been in the best form of late.

The Southampton slump has been evident for a bit longer than Manchester United's, but they will believe anything like the performance on Saturday against Aston Villa will see results turn around sooner rather than later.

However it is also impossible to ignore how stretched the squad feels at the moment and Southampton have just been regressing to the mean in the final third. Earlier this season they were being very clinical in front of goal, but recently Southampton have not been taking advantage of the chances they have been creating.

The regression comes from the fact that Southampton were perhaps scoring more than they deserved earlier in the season and now they face a Manchester United team who have looked a little better defensively.

Individual mistakes and some sloppiness cost Manchester United against Sheffield United, but they have been largely restricting what opponents have been able to produce over the last month. That has seen the clean sheets pick up and Manchester United have also looked pretty threatening going forward.

Poor finishing from Edinson Cavani cost two points on Saturday at Arsenal, but Manchester Unite will believe they can create more opportunities against the defence they are facing in midweek. The recovery time is not ideal as well as the travel, but Southampton will be feeling the same and there is no doubt that Manchester United have the superior squad on paper at least.

Games between these clubs have been competitive since Ralph Hasenhuttl took over at St Mary's and I have no doubt Southampton will cause some problems in this one too. They have energy and intensity which has to be respected and if they are underestimated Southampton will punish their hosts in this game.

After the defeat to Sheffield United I would be extremely disappointed if we don't see an all around better Manchester United who created some very good chances at Arsenal. I think those will eventually start being converted into goals and with plenty of time before facing Everton, I think a strong Manchester United may have too much for a Southampton team who have been just struggling of late.

The away team could play a part if Manchester United give the ball away in the final third as they have been doing at times, but for the main I do think United will be too good. With the quality in the final third, I think Manchester United will be able to get after a Southampton team that could be without a couple of key players in defensive areas and it will result in a more comfortable scoreline than the actual ninety minutes will be.

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace Pick: Both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have earned important wins for Steve Bruce and Roy Hodgson this past weekend and both earned clean sheets too which will really make the managers smile.

Now they meet each other as another round of Premier League fixtures quickly comes around and both clubs will be targeting a positive result which will maintain a healthy gap to the bottom three.

Both teams have a similar style- they would love to be organised defensively and then look for the magic from the wide players to create something going the other way. Callum Wilson is the best forward so will give Newcastle United hope, but Wilfred Zaha and Eberechi Eze arguably give Crystal Palace a better balance in the wide areas than Newcastle United can rely upon.

It does make for a competitive fixture and both teams will be looking to cover up for defensive absentees which may leave them vulnerable.

There are similarities and that is perhaps why games between Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have been as competitive as they have been. Nothing much has separated the teams in recent times and the last four games between them have seen both win twice.

Goals have been hard to come by and there have been just nine goals in total from the last 8 between the clubs. Only one of those games has seen both teams move the scoreboard and I do think this is going to be another tight, competitive fixture with nothing much between them.

It might lead to at least one clean sheet on Tuesday, although you do have to wonder about the run of quick fixtures and whether some tiredness leads to more mistakes than we would normally see. Even then I think these two teams rely on some real magic to break the door down in the final third and both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace will believe they have the schemes to close down the other.

With a lack of goals between these clubs in recent times, I think the trend may continue on Tuesday.

Burnley v Manchester City Pick: The games come thick and fast in the Premier League at the moment and February is looking like another incredibly busy month for teams in the top flight.

With that in mind rotation is going to be important, but it is much more difficult for those in the lower half to do that and maintain standards compared with those in the top half.

Sean Dyche might have a busy summer with the new investment at Burnley, but for now he has to focus on his team and making sure they are at their best in each passing game. With that in mind you do think they will avoid risking players that may be carrying knocks knowing there is a much more 'important' League game to come this weekend against fellow relegation rivals Brighton.

Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood should both miss out and I do think that will only aid Manchester City who have dominated Burnley over the last few seasons.

Pep Guardiola made a number of changes to his first eleven in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, but that means the likes of John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are well rested. I expect those four to play on Wednesday, although the manager will also have one eye on the big Sunday fixture at Anfield which could see Manchester City take complete control of the destiny of the Premier League title.

Changes will be made, but Manchester City have found the system which has given them strong balance between attack and defence. They continue to offer up very little in their own final third, while creating chances going forward and I think we will see yet another game where Manchester City keep a clean sheet.

6 of the last 7 against Burnley have ended with a win to nil for Manchester City including both played this season.

They have only conceded 1 goal in their last 3 visits to Turf Moor and that was an 89th minute consolation in a 1-4 win here.

With Burnley perhaps focused on the big fixtures coming up, Manchester City should be able to take control and keep the clean sheets coming in another victory.

Fulham v Leicester City Pick: This is an important game at the top and bottom of the Premier League between two clubs who have suffered poor results this past weekend. Fulham will feel they dropped two points in their draw at West Brom, which leaves them stuck in the bottom three, while Leicester City blew a 1-0 lead in their 1-3 home defeat to Leeds United.

Both Scott Parker and Brendan Rodgers will be looking for much better on Wednesday evening with the quick return to Premier League action. At least Fulham have had twenty-four hours longer to prepare, but Parker has to be concerned with the amount of chances Fulham continue to give their opponents.

They were fortunate to draw at Brighton last week, but Fulham have been punished in home losses to Chelsea, Manchester United and Burnley. They have given up plenty of opportunities in those defeats and Fulham will likely feel some pressure from a Leicester City team looking for a reaction to a couple of bad results.

Brendan Rodgers will note his team have had the better of the chances against Everton and Leeds United, but he will also be hoping to see more composure in the final third. Jamie Vardy is still missing, but that can't be an excuse for some of the poor finishing we have seen.

However he will be encouraged by the chances created and Leicester City earn a measure of revenge for the home loss to Fulham earlier this season.

As poor as Fulham have been at the back in recent games, they are also not creating as many chances as Scott Parker would hope. The injuries in the Leicester City defensive areas will be something Parker will feel his team can exploit, but I think there is a real gap in quality here and Leicester City can underline that.

The Foxes have been very good away from home all season and Fulham have faced five of the current top ten in the Premier League and lost 4 of those games with the draw coming against Liverpool. I expect Leicester City to have the best moments in this one over ninety minutes and they can become the latest of the top clubs to win at Craven Cottage while plunging Fulham into further relegation trouble.

Leeds United v Everton Pick: On the face of things you have to expect there will be goals when Leeds United host Everton and that is largely down to the manner in which the home team approach games. Leeds United love pushing forward in numbers, but that can leave them open to the counter attack and so the layers are not going to take risks in the prices for goals.

That is the main expectation of neutrals whenever Leeds United play, but it is perhaps down to the performances Marcelo Bielsa's team have had against the top clubs. Those fixtures linger longer in the memories for most football fans, but I think there is every chance that goals are not as free-flowing as some may believe.

Both Rodrigo and Raphinha could miss out and Patrick Bamford is also a doubt which would remove some key attacking players for Leeds United. It also should be noted that Leeds United have had 9 home League games this season and 5 of those have finished with two or fewer goals produced, while Elland Road's playing surface did not look the best in the 0-1 home defeat to Brighton in the last fixture played here.

Everton have played well away from home so they will be expecting to bounce back having scored just two goals in their last 2 Premier League games, both played at Goodison Park. Defensively they have looked decent in recent games too, although Newcastle United found considerable success attacking Everton on Saturday.

3 of the last 5 Everton away games have finished with less than three goals scored and this is a team that haven't been creating a lot of chances in recent games. The results have perhaps covered up those shortcomings and the best avenue to success for Everton in this one may come from the quality they produce from set pieces.

Everton have struggled for good chances in their last 6 Premier League games and I would not be surprised if one of the two teams fail to score. Teams have had more successes going forward against Everton in that time, but Leeds United might be without key attacking players which will just reduce their threat somewhat.

Most will be expecting goals and an early one will spark this fixture, but I think the value is looking for this to be a low-scoring game. It has happened more than some may think in recent Leeds United and Everton home/away games respectively and the game at Goodison Park saw plenty of chances created but only a single goal scored on the day.

With potential fatigue building in both camps and squads stretched, I think goals may be in shorter supply than expected.

Aston Villa v West Ham United Pick: There will be some disappointment and hurt around the London Stadium after the poor performance in the 1-3 home loss to Liverpool, but David Moyes will be looking to pick his players up and steady themselves for the big games ahead.

This will be a real test for West Ham United who will still think they are good enough to earn a European berth through their final League position. The Champions League is likely going to be beyond them, but West Ham United can only focus on things one game at a time and Moyes will feel his team have enough to challenge Aston Villa.

That will especially be the case if Aston Villa are as porous defensively as they were on Saturday. A clean sheet might argue against that, but VAR really did come down on Aston Villa's side having disallowed a Southampton goal for the tightest of offside decisions and also bafflingly not awarding the home team a Penalty in the first half.

Southampton created a lot of chances against Aston Villa and this West Ham United have been very productive in the final third which should make them dangerous. Prior to the defeat to Liverpool, West Ham United had largely been defending pretty well with the limited chances being offered out to opponents and that sparked their 6 game winning run in all competitions.

Keeping Aston Villa quiet is not an easy task with the quality and confidence in the home squad and I do think this is going to be a really good game to watch. Both Dean Smith and David Moyes will believe their team have enough attacking threat to produce the goals to win this game and I can see these teams sharing out at least three goals between them for the second time this season.

This corresponding fixture ended goalless last season, but both Aston Villa and West Ham United are playing with a real attacking threat. Both have been creating a lot of chances and this game may be sparked by an early goal as two teams chasing European places become involved in an entertaining game.

Liverpool v Brighton Pick: The momentum looks to be back behind Liverpool after 1-3 wins at Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, but they will be looking to snap the poor form at Anfield. Confidence has been restored behind the wins in the capital though and Liverpool are now taking advantage of the chances they have been creating.

It will be a challenge against this Brighton team who have been well organised in recent games and who have earned 3 clean sheets in succession in the Premier League. During that time Brighton have earned 7 points from a possible 9 to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three, but the games are coming at a rapid rate at the moment and Graham Potter may choose to make some changes.

You wouldn't really blame him if he did that because Brighton put in a huge effort to beat Tottenham Hotspur at home on Sunday evening. They have a trip to Burnley to come this weekend too and that has to be the priority as a fixture against a relegation rival and so Graham Potter and his players could easily look beyond this one.

Liverpool do have a huge game on deck themselves when they host Manchester City, but the 4 point gap to the leaders is one they cannot allow to get out of hand. Manchester City also have a game in hand so it is imperative for Liverpool to put some wins together and see if the pressure can cause their title rivals to crack even a little bit, while Jurgen Klopp will also look for a third win in a row to give the team confidence before the big game on Sunday.

They haven't always had it easy against Brighton and I do think the visitors can make things awkward if they choose to sit in and hit Liverpool on the counter attack. Defensively there are still some questions for Liverpool to answer, but they have looked more secure in the last two League games and they did restrict the amount of chances Spurs and West Ham could create.

Brighton could use set pieces to hurt their hosts, but Liverpool should have the edge and I expect them to beat this opponent at Anfield again.

The last 2 between these teams at this ground have been tight, but I think Liverpool are playing well enough to break down Brighton even if it takes some time to do so. Sadio Mane's absence could hurt, but Liverpool managed without him on Sunday and I think they will likely win this one by a couple of goals on the night.

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Pick: Both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea will feel failure to return to the Champions League would make this a hugely unsuccessful season. Even a League Cup success for Spurs would not improve the mood too much, despite the long wait for silverware at the club, and so there is some pressure on Jose Mourinho to turn things around.

He does have two routes back into the Champions League with the other being the Europa League. Jose Mourinho did the League Cup/Europa League double in his first season as manager of Manchester United so there is previous if that is the best avenue for Tottenham Hotspur to return to the Champions League.

For now Mourinho will not want to lose any more ground on the top four teams in the Premier League having seen Tottenham Hotspur suffer back to back defeats to Liverpool and Brighton. They have created very little in those defeats which will be a real worry for Mourinho, while defensively Tottenham Hotspur have been sloppy to say the least.

This has the makings of a tactical game between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea with the visitors being led into the fixture by Thomas Tuchel. The Blues won for the first time under their German manager on Sunday, but there is still a feeling out process between the players and Tuchel and Chelsea didn't create a lot of chances despite the dominance of the ball.

It was the same story against Wolves, but in that fixture Chelsea were not able to break the door down.

At least defensively they have been stronger and this does feel like a game that might be tight and competitive. Both teams will want to stifle the other and then exploit gaps, but it won't be the first fixture between those clubs expecting top four finishes to end up lacking some goalmouth action.

The edge has to be given to Chelsea simply because of Tottenham Hotspur's current form, and especially with Harry Kane absent, but I would not be surprised to see a reaction from the home team. At the same time Chelsea are hard to trust to win here as they are still learning the methods of a new manager at the helm and games between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have been tight.

Both fixtures this season have seen two or fewer goals shared out and the last 3 games hosted by Spurs have failed to see three or more goals scored. This has the makings of another low-scoring game on Thursday with the potential of a draw quite high, a result that may not be nay good to either team in the long run.

MY PICKS: Sheffield United-West Brom Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Manchester United & Over 1.5 Goals

Newcastle United-Crystal Palace Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City Win to Nil

Leicester City

Leeds United-Everton Under 2.5 Goals

Aston Villa-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur-Chelsea Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 22

I can't really complain with the return from the latest GameWeek in the Fantasy Football season, but I still feel I am leaving some points out there which is creating frustration.

The decision to bring in Harvey Barnes worked out well enough with a goal this weekend, but Lucas Digne and Everton largely disappointed. However the feeling is that Everton vs Manchester City will produce a Double GameWeek sooner rather than later, assuming Manchester City beat Swansea City in the FA Cup Fifth Round, and that will make those assets valuable.

Guessing the Manchester City rotations will be difficult though as they look to balance the FA Cup with Premier League and Champions League commitments this month and that was the case in GW21. The likes of Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are popular assets that were rested against Sheffield United and you would imagine some changes will be made whenever Manchester City play and especially with the loaded February schedule to come.

I do think they will have at least two extra games this month, once again assuming Manchester City will be too good for a Championship team in the FA Cup, and that is why I am holding the players I have. There has been some consideration about how to best arrange the squad for what is likely to be a very busy GW26 as fixtures are made up from the early postponements and with the upcoming FA Cup Quarter Finals also seeing some Premier League games needing to be moved from GW29, but the Manchester City assets stay for now as they are.

That GW26 does look like being a loaded one, although I am a little surprised the Premier League have not decided to at least re-arrange some of the earlier postponed games. The Covid-19 cases being picked up by the League have reduced in each passing week since the high of early January, but you can't rule out further outbreaks which would really restrict spaces in the calendar and so I was expecting more fixtures to be played when they could.

UEFA have already given the green light for Leagues to re-arrange games on nights reserved for their big European competitions and so there are spaces for Aston Villa and Everton to have their games made up before GW26, but for now the Premier League is perhaps waiting to see how the FA Cup Fifth Round shakes up.

They have previously re-arranged games at short notice so that won't be a surprise if they do that again, but that lack of clarity is making it that much harder to prepare than we would usually have in a 'normal' League season.

In the last GameWeek I mentioned I would love to roll a transfer over, but I feel that is impossible after Hakim Ziyech was left out of the Chelsea squad in their 2-0 win over Burnley. It has been suggested that he was rested having hit the 'red zone' but I am not sure where Thomas Tuchel stands with his team and the transfer was made before Frank Lampard was Sacked.

At his price range I feel I am carrying Ziyech at the moment despite the good looking fixtures in front of Chelsea and I can't count on him from week to week. With rotation at a high level at this time of the season, I do think you need a full bench to fall back upon just in case and so it is an easy decision to move Ziyech from the squad.

My focus has fallen on Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Everton as the best teams to use to cover for Ziyech.

It is hard to trust Crystal Palace despite the good looking schedule in front of them and it is mainly down to the fact they have not created a lot of chances. However you would have to say that both Wilfred Zaha and Ebrechi Eze are most likely to be involved in any goals they score and there is a possibility of being covered with an additional player expected to play twice in DGW26.

Both Aston Villa and Everton have a high chance of being asked to play twice in that week and both have other fixtures that also need to be re-arranged. The latter is more likely to be involved in an early Double which is tempting, but Aston Villa have been creating more chances and I think they are the best team to look to when adding a midfielder to the squad.

That is especially the case with money to be saved by removing Ziyech for one of their players and both Ross Barkley and Bertrand Traore do offer some value in my opinion. They both have decent underlying numbers over the last few weeks and playing in an attack minded team helps, while the two players are involved in set pieces too.

Jack Grealish is the best player and his numbers are pretty hard to ignore, but using Barkley or Traore does open the door for the squad to be improved in other areas in the weeks ahead. It will also give me some more options as I think about what to do with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Che Adams who continue to disappoint more than they should.

Both players will be given an opportunity to turn it around, but we are now at the stage of the season where you don't want to to wait too long for players to fulfil their potential and instead need to make sure your squad is performing as it should be.

Tennis Picks 2020 (February 3rd)

There will be a much fuller thread for the Tuesday Tennis matches as the ATP Tour moves past the Australian Open with three events being played this week.

Unsurprisingly most of the big names are going to be resting following their exploits in Melbourne, but for many others this represents a week in which they can try and put some strong Ranking points on the board and also build some confidence for bigger tournaments to come later this month and beyond in the 2020 season.

We don't have a long list of First Round matches on Monday, but I don't have the time to write out full analysis for these matches and will just place my Tennis Picks below.

MY PICKS: Salvatore Caruso - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Pablo Carreno Busta - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Lorenzo Sonego - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Super Bowl LIII NFL Picks 2019 (February 3rd)

Super Bowl LIII- New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams

We could have got a very different Super Bowl if the officials in the NFC Championship Game had an idea on how to enforce the rules which cost the New Orleans Saints to ice the game against the Los Angeles Rams before being beaten in Overtime. The Kansas City Chiefs also came very close to knocking off the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game with the key moment being Dee Ford lining up offside in a play that ended with a Tom Brady pick that would have won the game for the Chiefs.

Instead the Patriots and the Rams got the ball back in both cases and were able to go on and win in Overtime to set up this Super Bowl.

Let's begin with this- I don't like the New England Patriots, which isn't a surprise considering I am a Miami Dolphins fan, while I am very bored of seeing this team find their way into the Super Bowl. This is the third year in a row that the Patriots are representing the AFC and they are 1-1 in the last couple of years, while the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick connection have made it through to a ninth Super Bowl which began with a win over the Rams in 2001.

On that day the Patriots were the underdog against the 'Greatest Show on Turf' but the win for New England began a dynasty in Boston while the Rams suffered through some miserable years. They've moved to Los Angeles since that 2001 game and the Rams are now looking like a team on the up with Head Coach Sean McVay receiving a lot of plaudits for the work done from an Offensive point of view.

Los Angeles have come through a tough path to make the Super Bowl with the win in New Orleans very impressive. They have a strong roster, but the Rams have to make sure they are not predictable on both sides of the ball. You know Belichick is going to have schemed things in a way to try and take away not only weapons from the Los Angeles Rams, but he is going to want to make sure they are not able to open up the play-action which has been a key for them.

CJ Anderson and Todd Gurley are both expected to earn a lot of touches in this game and they are going to be facing a New England Defensive Line that has shown improvement in each passing week of the season. The Patriots have been dominant in the Play Offs having held both the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs to 41 yards or fewer and they have given up those yards at 2.7 yards per carry.

It is going to be important for New England to be stout up front again as it will disrupt a lot of what the Rams want to do. McVay has proven to be someone who does want to make big plays out of the play-action, but restricting the Rams on the ground will perhaps make them a little predictable. Los Angeles can try and open things up by using Gurley as a pass catcher on first and second Downs and then pound the ball against the Patriots but it does feel like an important battle in the trenches.

Forcing teams into obvious passing situations has seen the New England Secondary also vastly improve their play. It should be no surprise after seeing this for many a season, but Bill Belichick has taken young players and moulded them into valuable starters and doing it in a way where he can replace them and bring someone else in to do a stellar job like the Patriots have been doing once again down the stretch.

The pass rush has come alive for the Patriots, but Jared Goff is someone who has shown he can get the ball out of his hands quick enough. However the biggest benefit for the young Quarter Back is having his Head Coach essentially decipher Defenses for him at the line and also being protected by a strong Offensive Line which will give him enough time to make his plays through the air.

That should mean Los Angeles are able to have success throwing the ball, but much depends on the run and the exact same thing can be said for the New England Patriots.

For all the points scored by the New England Patriots and for all the credit that deserves to be given to Quarter Back Tom Brady it has to be noted that his has thrown just two Touchdown passes in the Play Offs. That is down to the Patriots going back to a power running play calling and Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White have all had successes with the ball in their hands.

All three Running Backs are going to have their opportunities in this game and over the course of the season this would have been the right play against the Los Angeles Rams. The Defensive Line have some top names on it, but the Rams had not been able to stop the run, but that has changed in the Play Offs as they have held the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints to 2.3 yards per carry.

Containing the likes of Ezekiel Elliot, Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram will set Los Angeles up to be very confident in stopping the Patriots and once again the trenches are going to be a key for the two teams. If the Rams can stop the run they will believe the front four can put a lot of pressure on Brady when he steps back to throw and that has been the successful formula to knock this Quarter Back off his game in the post-season.

Aaron Donald could create huge match up problems right up front and getting into Brady's face may lead to some errant throws and stalled drives.

You would still think the Patriots can move the chains with the way they can scheme mismatches against what may be a pretty predictable base Defense run by Wade Phillips.

The Rams Secondary have not been able to stop teams, but they are playing a 'bend, don't break' system and it may need New England to play out some long drives to get into a position to produce points. What that does is suggest this could be a game that is shortened by the the two teams having long, time consuming drives with both looking to run the ball and create short passes for their Quarter Back which keeps the clock running.

In recent years the Super Bowl has been a high-scoring game and especially higher than the layers have anticipated, while the underdog has been the team to back. However I think this could be far too many points in a game where these two teams may have long drives to score points and barring a number of short field turnovers I do think we could see an 'under' in this game.

I considered backing the underdog in this one with my lean towards the Los Angeles Rams, but I do think going with the total points line is the best play in this Super Bowl.

It could be another close game as we have tended to see in the majority of Super Bowls played recently and Overtime would be a killer for my selection.


But even with that in mind I am going to play the 'under' in this one.

MY PICK: New England Patriots-Los Angeles Rams Under 55.5 Total Points @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2018- Murat Gassiev vs Yunier Dorticos (February 3rd)

Anyone who loves Boxing had to be fascinated by the brilliant fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Mairis Breidis in the opener of the World Boxing Super Series Semi Final bouts to take place over the month.

It was an incredibly close fight and Breidis showed tremendous heart in the middle of the fight when it looked like Usyk was about to take over.

I do think the right boxer progressed to the Cruiserweight Final, but both Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos are going to feel it is a winnable fight against Usky in May. I still think Usyk will go in as the favourite in the Final, but the odds are likely to be much closer than they would have been eight days ago and could be even tighter if the second Semi Final is decided spectacularly.


On Saturday we also have a decent card at the O2 Arena which is headlined by Lawrence Okolie and Isaac Chamberlain in a long standing 'British Beef'. The two Cruiserweight boxers may not be at the level of those competing in the World Boxing Super Series, but the winner will take the next step in his career as they look to get to that level.

With the likes of Usyk, Breidis and Gassiev all perhaps looking up at the Heavyweight Ranks in the near future, there will be a void to fill at the top of the Cruiserweight Ranks and the winner of Okolie versus Chamberlain will feel they can get to that level to do that.

Ted Cheeseman vs Carson Jones

There is a lot of potential in Ted Cheeseman and this is the kind of fight that will determine how quickly he is going to reach what most expect of him.

The 22 year old is in for the toughest test of his career when he comes up against veteran Carson Jones who should be familiar to most British boxing fans.

Jones has stopped Brian Rose on these shores in an upset and also narrowly lost to Kell Brook in their first bout while unbeaten Ben Hall was also stopped by the American. Brook did stop Jones in the second fight and Rose came back to beat Jones on points in their second bout, but there is no doubt that Cheeseman is in for a really tough bout to show where he stands.

It is going to be a learning curve and I think most would expect Jones to cause problems during the fight, although the younger fighter should be able to out-work Jones over the distance.

One issue for Jones is the lack of activity over the last fifteen months since beating Hall with his one fight ending in a Technical Decision in Mexico as Jones was controversially beaten by Antonio Margarito.

How far has Jones slipped in that time? He is saying all the right things and I don't think he is going to be as 'old and slow' as Cheeseman has suggested. There is still some fire burning inside of Jones and he has shown coming over to Britain and being anything but an easy day in the office is something that he clearly enjoys.

I do like Cheeseman though and I think he is going to out work Jones over the distance. There will be some tough moments when Cheeseman will have to show what kind of heart and character he has, but I think he is ready to take the next step in his career with the most notable win on his resume.

Stopping Jones is not easy with only three of his twelve defeats coming in that manner. Backing Cheeseman to win this one on a Decision is the call.

Lawrence Okolie vs Isaac Chamberlain

This has been a fight that has been brewing for a while with two unbeaten British prospects from London clearly wanting to prove they are better than the other.

Both Lawrence Okolie and Isaac Chamberlain will feel this is the biggest test of their professional careers and I think the losing fighter has every chance of coming again. However neither Okolie or Chamberlain are thinking about losing with this much pride on the line and the fighter that deals with the emotions the best is going to come out with the win.

From the outside it does feel like Chamberlain is perhaps the calmer of the two fighters, but I think the situation has not changed.

Okolie has the power and the feeling is he can blow past Chamberlain very early... Failing to do that will likely see the momentum shift to Chamberlain who is arguably the better boxer and could get into a position to take this fight on a Decision or a late stoppage if Okolie begins to get a little tired.

The former Olympian Okolie has to make sure he is not exerting too much energy too early and needs to pick his shots, but it is his power versus the boxing skills of Chamberlain that will be on show here.

I am leaning towards the power proving to be the difference maker- Chamberlain has to try and stay away from Okolie at least early in the fight, but I am not sure that he isn't able to keep himself away from a dust up if he is caught by the power of Okolie.

Chamberlain is still learning his craft and the lack of experience may be an issue if dragged into a fight and I do think Okolie will be willing to take a shot to give a shot in this one. He is very dangerous early in the fight and while there are some questions for both men to answer, I think Okolie can use his power to get this done early.

It will have to be early as Chamberlain's confidence will grow if he can get out of the first three Rounds without being tagged, but Okolie looks like a man who is destined for bigger things. The stories about the way sparring has gone suggests Okolie is very ready for this one and even the confidence of Chamberlain this week is not enough to sway me towards the underdog.

I think a small interest in Okolie getting Chamberlain out here in the first half of the fight is worth taking.

Murat Gassiev vs Yunier Dorticos

War.

The second World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Semi Final promises to be an all out war with both Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos convinced their power makes the difference in this fight.

You can't blame either fighter for that belief with Knock Outs a huge part of their unbeaten resume, but trying to work out which one of these men can stand up to the power of the other is more difficult.

The stand out wins have come from Gassiev, but Dorticos was expected to be exposed some time ago and instead has continued knocking out every one who gets into the ring with him.

Unsurprisingly the layers are expecting another stoppage in this one, although the favourite is Gassiev who has shown the better technique and perhaps even a sturdier chin. He also has the more recognisable wins on the resume, but that takes nothing away from Dorticos who has tremendous power.

While it would be a surprise to see this fight go the distance with the way Dorticos approaches things, I would say that Gassiev is likely to get the better of the bout if it comes down to points. However I think Gassiev is also the more likely to secure the stoppage most people are expecting in this fight simply because of the better technique and the better shot absorbing ability.

That is where I think the home fighter will find the difference and he has the finishing ability to put Dorticos away especially as the Cuban will not be afraid to keep swinging even if he has been hurt.

It really is a fight that could finish at any time, but I like Gassiev to come through. Dorticos has to be respected with the punching power he has demonstrated throughout his career, but his one failure to get a stoppage was against Edison Miranda and I just think that could be telling.

'Iron' Murat Gassiev might be the toughest opponent Dorticos has faced and I like the Russian to come out with a stoppage at some point.

MY PICKS: Ted Cheeseman to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 William Hill (2 Units)

Lawrence Okolie to Win Between 1-5 @ 4.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Murat Gassiev to Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing Update 2018: 2-1, + 2.80 Units (6 Units Staked, + 46.67% Yield)