Boxing Picks 2018- Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jose Pedraza (December 8th)

Any time I come back from a vacation it feels like months have passed when realistically it has only been days.

This time last week I was sitting in Los Angeles and just hours away from seeing one of my bucket list moments come true when watching two unbeaten Heavyweight Champions fight for the Number 1 position in the world.

It was amazing to be out in Los Angeles for the fight but even more so when you think of how dramatic it was and I can't wait to see Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder do it all over again.

The undercard was quality too with the opportunity to see Joe Joyce, Luis Ortiz and Jarrett Hurd in action.


Of course there was some controversy about the scoring in the Wilder-Fury main event which saw the Draw announced. My feeling is that the Draw wasn't the worst aspect of the scoring as some of the early Rounds were very close to call and it doesn't take a lot for those thinking Fury was a clear winner to have a draw on their own cards after the two Knock Downs in the 9th and 12th Round.

However it feels much like the first Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin fight when there was a card that felt WAY out of sync and in this case it was the 115-111 Wilder card. If we had seen two 113-113 scores and one 114-112 to Fury I don't think there would have been as much annoyance at the way the fight was eventually scored, but we will get a chance to see it all again in 2019.

Both will made adjustments and I am very interested to hear Wilder is looking to put on around 30-40 pounds of weight the next time he faces Fury. It could be work against him with his athleticism important, but the American believes it will be the key factor in turning around a fight many thought he had lost.

Tyson Fury was a winner regardless considering where he was mentally and physically twelve months ago and I am proud of the way he has come back. Don't ask me how he got up in the 12th Round though and the power of recovery was so impressive, while I also think he can only be improved the next time round.

I do think the rematch will be next for both Wilder and Fury, although where is the big question- I would love to see them do it in England, but I think the more realistic venues are either Vegas or New York and I think I could be tempted to make another trip across the pond for that one.

That's a matter for another day and we move onto another week when a pound for pound star makes his return to the ring on Saturday.

Vasyl Lomachenko is as good as it gets in Boxing and he will be ready for a Unification fight this weekend before looking for more big challenges in 2019. Also this weekend is the return of Kell Brook and I will have my thoughts on his fight as well as the mess being made by Amir Khan in setting up the fight we all want which can be read below.

Over the next month we have some more big fights to come to wrap up a quality year in the sport, but 2019 is shaping up nicely if the announced fights for the first few months of the year are anything to go by. More of those big fights will likely be set in stone before the end of the 2018 calendar year too and I don't think Boxing has been in a better place for a long time through the Divisions.

Kid Galahad vs Brayan Mairena

The Featherweight Division is loaded with some serious talent and the unbeaten Kid Galahad very much wants to be mixing with the top names in 2019.

This is seen as little more than tick along fight for the Sheffield man who will be out for the third time in 2018. He admitted himself that he wants to get into the ring four times in 2019 and is hoping Eddie Hearn can set him up with someone like the winner of the upcoming Josh Warrington-Carl Frampton fight to take place later this month.

Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Oscar Valdez and Gary Russell Jr are other top names in the Featherweight Division, but those names will all be out of reach if Kid Galahad is upset by Brayan Mairena on Saturday.

Mairena came over to the United Kingdom with a single loss from his previous fight having only been involved in bouts in Nicaragua. The defeat to Limber Ramirez has sparked a run of four consecutive losses for Mairena and his last three fights have taken place in the United Kingdom.

First up was the stoppage defeat to Gal Yafai who is recovering from the first loss of his career and Mairena has been little more than someone who is being paid to try and offer a few Rounds to British fighters. This is the fourth time Mairena is fighting since the beginning of September and I think Kid Galahad is likely going to get him out of there double quick.

You have to give Mairena credit for going the full Six Rounds with Reece Bellotti who had built a reputation for his punching power. However Yafai stopped him and felt he could have gotten Mairena out of there very early on if he had not suffered a bicep injury which limited the right hand.

Kid Galahad did see his run of six stoppages in a row come to an end in October at the TD Garden in October, but I expect him to return to that kind of form even against what looks a durable fighter in Mairena. Yafai got Mairena out of there in the Seventh Round but thought it would have been significantly earlier if he had not injured himself and I think Kid Galahad will be the able to do the same in the first half of this fight.

A fourth fight in three months is tough on Mairena and I think a small interest on Kid Galahad putting in a strong performance and securing a first half of the fight stoppage is worth backing. It is only an Eight Round fight so the stoppage needs to come in the first Four Rounds, but I do think Kid Galahad can put it on Mairena and find a way to get it done before heading into 2019 chasing the really big fights.

Josh Kelly vs David Avanesyan

There are some bright prospects in the British Boxing scene at the moment and one of the leading names tipped for the very top of the sport is Josh Kelly.

The last time we saw Kelly it was dismissing Walter Fabian Castillo in the First Round on the undercard of the Oleksandr Usyk-Tony Bellew fight in November and this has to be seen as a big step up for him.

Kelly also has beaten Carlos Molina, a former Light Middleweight World Champion, but Molina has seen better days and David Avanesyan is a different sort of test. Unlike Molina, who was World Champion back in 2014, Avanesyan was a Welterweight World Title interim holder just last year when he was beaten on points by Lamont Peterson although he has since been stopped with some believing his best days are now behind him.

I expect him to be tough and determined, but Kelly is being tipped for much bigger things and I do believe he is going to showcase his talent by breaking down Avanesyan over the course of the fight. Making a statement and getting him out of there is going to be the goal, but Kelly showed in the win over Molina that he won't be too worried if he has to go the full way to beat a rugged opponent with the Rounds all adding to the experience he is earning in each passing fight.

A Ten Rounder does make it more difficult to push on and earn the stoppage, but I think the corner could sympathise with their man if Avanesyan is beginning to be peppered with shots. In the first half of the fight I think Kelly uses his speed to make sure he is hitting Avanesyan and knocking some of the fight out of him and I expect the British fighter to turn it on in the second half of the fight.

The Welterweight Division has long been one of the most glamorous in Boxing and there are some huge names that could be on Kelly's list in 2019. Winning the WBA International Title will move him up the Rankings and I think Kelly could be looking at someone like Jesse Vargas if he is able to win this fight.

Adam Booth won't let Kelly overlook anyone though and I think he puts in a statement kind of performance by breaking down Avanesyan and stopping him in the second half of this fight.

Kell Brook vs Michael Zerafa

Kell Brook is back this weekend as he fights for the second time in 2018 and there seems to be a new fire in the belly of the former World Champion. While I can't imagine he has overlooked Michael Zerafa, Brook has been speaking about rematches with current WBC Champion Shawn Porter as well as Errol Spence Jr who remains the IBF Champion after taking that belt from Brook at Bramall Lane last year.

There is also the potential Brook will move up to Light Middleweight for a shot at one of the big name Champions in that Division, especially as this fight is a final eliminator for a crack at Jarrett Hurd's WBA World Title.

Big things are ahead, but none of that will matter if Brook can't beat Australian Michael Zerafa who has not really mixed in the best company.

The best name on his record is Peter Quillan who was able to stop Zerafa in the Fifth Round in the Middleweight Division. This is the fourth fight down at Light Middleweight for the Australian, but it is a huge task for him against Kell Brook and I really don't think this is going to be a really long night for the Sheffield man.

You would like to think Brook would want to get some Rounds under his belt having had just a couple of Rounds against Siarhei Rabchanka since losing his World Title to Errol Spence in May 2017, but Brook looks in fantastic shape and he seems very comfortable with his team which should mean he can produce a big performance.

You know anyone coming from Australia is going to have heart and I expect that from Zerafa, but I can't see this getting into the second half of the fight and will be backing Brook to finish things early and make sure the other big names remember who he is.

I've mentioned some names that could be next for Kell Brook, but the one most wanted to see was Amir Khan who signed with Eddie Hearn earlier this year for a three fight deal. Most assumed it was the last major obstacle in the way of a grudge domestic fight which would have made both Khan and Brook significant money and arguably more than anything they could earn fighting anyone else.

Khan went life and death with Samuel Vargas but ultimately won the first two fights in his deal with Hearn and last month it seemed like some sort of agreement had been reach between the fighters.

Since then other issues have arisen and I am now convinced Khan just simply does not want this fight. The talk is he has been offered a fight with Terence Crawford at Madison Square Garden in the first quarter of 2019, but it also sounds like it will be for less money than what he would earn fighting Brook.

Ultimately I think Khan just doesn't believe he can beat Brook and barring a huge U-turn, I would now be surprised if these two fighters ever get in the ring to face each other. Eddie Hearn has said if it doesn't happen next it won't happen and I very much tend to agree with him as the British public won't want to see it if either fighter was to lose again.

I don't think Khan is the fighter he once was so Crawford will be a huge favourite if that is the direction that the Bolton man goes. It is a shame if we don't get Brook and Khan and with both blaming each other for the failure to reach a deal I think the horse may already have bolted for this one.

Isaac Dogboe vs Emanuel Navarrete

He is from Ghana by birth, but Isaac Dogboe is one of the British World Champions although perhaps not as well known as some of the others out there. That may have something to do with the fact he is promoted by Bob Arum and have never fought on a card in the United Kingdom, but British Boxing fans will be proud of him.

Dogboe is a dual national with Ghana and Britain and both countries will be very pleased to see how he has moved through to the top of the Super Bantamweight Division. Two top performances in America with two stoppage wins behind him will have increased Dogboe's stock, particularly as one of them came against Jessie Magdaleno who had been an unbeaten home fighter before being stopped in the Eleventh Round in what was a good fight.

The other Champions will be on the mind of Dogboe going into 2019, but he must remain focused as he takes on Emanuel Navarrete who comes from Mexico and has a strong record on paper. This is the first time Navarrete will be fighting outside of his home country but Jaime Munguia showed that there are some seriously talented fighters from that country who may not quite have made their name outside of Mexico just yet.

Like Munguia, Navarrete does look tall for the Division and he has a strong Knock Out ratio which has to be respected, although unlike Munguia he does not have an unbeaten record.

It may take Dogboe some time to get to grips with the height of Navarrete and I would not be surprised if the early Rounds are a little difficult for the Champion. However Dogboe has plenty of power of his own and I will be looking for him to wear down Navarrete over the course of the Twelve Rounds and eventually begin to break him down in the second half of the fight.

This could be an interesting bout on the undercard of the main event at Madison Square Garden and I am looking forward to seeing Dogboe again. He can extend his run of six stoppages in a row and I will look for the World Champion to find the finish in the second half of the fight as he hurts Navarrete to the body and slows him down enough to put the finishing touches on him.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jose Pedraza

There will be a few names bandied about when you hear talk about the 'Pound for Pound' Number 1 in Boxing, but for me Vasyl Lomachenko should be top of the list.

The Ukrainian returns on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden after recovering from an injury suffered in the win over Jorge Linares and Lomachenko will be involved in his first Unification fight. It's more about legacy than World Titles for Lomachenko who is chasing the biggest names and who is willing to go up the Divisions to find them.

Not many have been able to stand with Lomachenko who is all rhythm and movement, while having enough pop to break the heart of so many who face him. The referee had to stop the last fight between Lomachenko and Linares, but prior to that four straight fighters had called it a day on their stool which is a remarkable sequence.

There have been some very strong names on the Lomachenko resume in that time too and I am not convinced Jose Pedraza is amongst those elite fighters even if he is the WBO Lightweight Champion. I have to credit Pedraza for recovering to this level having seen Gervonta Davis beat him up over Seven Rounds, but this is as tough a challenge for the Puerto Rican and I think it would be a morale victory if he is able to last the full Twelve Rounds.

It's going to be tough to do that and Lomachenko's comments in the lead up to the fight suggest he is feeling very healthy and is ready to put this fight to bed very quickly. He has compared it to his win over Miguel Marriaga and believes Pedraza's style is similar and Lomachenko was able to get the win in the Marriaga fight in Seven Rounds.

I feel this fight is going to reach the midway stage before Lomachenko is able to turn the screw and get the job done. I can see the early Rounds just seeing Lomachenko getting comfortable in the ring again having not fought since May, but by the Fourth he should be beginning to exert all control.

The ending may come a little after that and I can see Lomachenko surpassing Gervonta Davis and perhaps getting rid of Pedraza a Round or two earlier. Backing the Ukrainian star to finish this fight between the Fifth and Eighth looks about right to me and I will look for Lomachenko to do that, perhaps with another 'NoMasChenko' moment.

MY PICKS: Kid Galahad to Win Between 1-4 @ 4.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Josh Kelly to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.37 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Kell Brook to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Isaac Dogboe to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Vasyl Lomachenko to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2018- Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz (March 3rd)

We all love Boxing and so it can be heartbreaking when you hear of some of the terrible injuries that can come out of this sport.

This past week Scott Westgarth sadly passed away hours after winning his Light-Heavyweight bout in Doncaster and the whole Boxing world did come together. His post-fight interview highlighted what Boxing can mean to the fighters and the fans with Westgarth openly admitting he continues fighting for the love of the sport rather than chasing World Titles.

It's the reason I can't stomach people describing Boxers as 'cowards' or battering them on social media when they come up short of expectations. No one who steps into a Boxing ring and is willing to take punches to the face can be a 'coward' and you can only hope the Westgarth family will be able to grieve and then celebrate the life of Scott.


It is a hard sport where terrible injuries can occur, but the love for this sport can be hard to put aside even in the light of horrible incidents. Boxing gives so much to so many and Westgarth's love for the sport shined through his final interview, the same love everyone involved in the sport either as participants or spectators will speak about.


This weekend we have a huge number of pivotal fights with the main event coming from the Heavyweight Division as Deontay Wilder defends his WBC belt against Luis Ortiz.

I just hope everyone is healthy at the end of the night as we look forward to some tremendous fights.

The Boxing of interest begins in Sheffield before shifting to New York where Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center hosts two separate cards of real note. All of the top fights this weekend could open the door for even bigger ones later in 2018 as long as the 'names' can all come through with wins which is far from guaranteed.


I didn't have any success with the two Boxing Picks made last weekend, but 2018 has been a good year so far and on Saturday I have a number of selections from a very busy, and fun looking night across three venues.

Lenroy Thomas vs David Allen

The two main undercard bouts on the Sheffield bill topped by the return of Kell Brook both look fascinating for different reasons.

Gamal Yafai vs Gavin McDonnell provides the chief support in what is a very close fight and certainly closer than the layers are indicating. I was close to picking McDonnell to win that fight with his experience getting the better of the younger Yafai brother, but I think there are enough doubts about how much McDonnell has left in the tank to leave that alone.

However I will have a selection from the Heavyweight rematch between Lenroy Thomas and David Allen for the Commonwealth Heavyweight Title. Back in May 2017 it was Thomas who got the better of Allen in a Split Decision win, but Allen has got his request from Eddie Hearn to have a rematch.

Allen was criticised by Hearn for some of the preparation for the first fight, but has looked in much better shape in the build to this one. He looks like he will be lighter and more focused on a fight which may be a defining one for Allen and one where a loss could see him retire even at this young age.

Hearn was close to losing all faith in Allen but has given him this opportunity and I do think Allen will take it. However Thomas showed enough slickness and resilience when they fought at Bramall Lane to think he can cause problems for the one-dimensional Allen in this one and I would not be surprised to see the cards read again.

Thomas is the better boxer and so he may do enough to earn the Decision again, but I think beating Allen on the cards will be as difficult as it was last May when Thomas was given a Split Decision in a fight most thought he won comfortably. I was close to picking that to be the outcome of this one, but I think Allen's focus looks better and he might just bully his way to the win.

Finding a stoppage may be difficult for both men- I don't think Allen is very good and Thomas is slick enough to stay out of trouble for the distance of the fight. On the other hand Allen is a very tough man and so being stopped is not something I envision for a fighter who went the distance with Dillian Whyte and was stopped very late, and on his feet, by Luis Ortiz.

The layers tend to agree that the cards will be needed and I will back that to be the outcome of this one.

Kell Brook vs Sergey Rabchenko

Everything about the Sheffield card has been built around the return of Kell Brook who has suffered two devastating defeats.

There is no disgrace in losing to either Gennady Golovkin or Errol Spence Jr, but fracturing both eye sockets, first the right and then the left, in those losses is a difficult place to come back from.

Kell Brook has decided to move up to the 154 limit in the Light-Middleweight Division having struggled to make 147 for some time, but not wanting to give up the IBF World Title he worked so hard to win. Spence ripped that away from Brook at Bramall Lane and the Sheffield native admitted he regretted draining his body to make that weight again, especially after coming back down from Middleweight having challenged Golovkin.

It is an interesting time for the move up considering long time rival Amir Khan has joined the Matchroom stable and potentially opened up the chance for him and Brook to finally get it on. That's still not out of the question, but Brook has to prove himself immediately in a tough Division where the World Champions look like quality operators.

Of course the promotion of the card will speak about how difficult Sergey Rabchenko should be as an opponent and he is well enough known in Boxing circles in the United Kingdom to push that forward. However Rabchenko was stopped by Tony Harrison 2016 and also lost to Anthony Mudine on a Decision when he has stepped his level of opponents.

Prior to the injury issues, Brook would have been considered a step above this kind of level of competition and I do think he is going to come in and show there is something left in the tank. I won't be surprised if Rabchenko demonstrates toughness and Brook may have to come through some sticky moments as he shakes off the ring rust of being out of the ring for ten months.

Eventually I would expect to see Brook beginning to find some timing with his patented 'chocolate brownies' and I can see him producing enough big shots to find a stoppage in the second half of this fight. Fighting for the WBC Silver Belt in this bout will also mean Brook is immediately placed in a strong position in the World Rankings at this weight with a win, although I am convinced Eddie Hearn's aim is to get him and Amir Khan to produce a couple of wins before setting up a grudge fight potentially at the end of 2018.

Brook can do his part and I will back him to stop Rabchenko in the second half of this fight. His opponent will likely get some Rounds under Brook's belt with his toughness, but I can see the Brook power wearing down Rabchenko for the stoppage either via corner or through the referee.

Josh Taylor vs Winston Campos

There is a lot of excitement around Josh Taylor and many are expecting him to move up to World level in the Light-Welterweight Division which has something of a vacuum to fill at the very top.

Terence Crawford unified the Division before making his move up to Welterweight to chase some of the big names in Boxing, while Mikey Garcia is having his first fight in this weight class next week but still has unfinished business in the Lightweight ranks.

Some of those World Titles that were vacated by Crawford will be in the hands of fighters in the weeks ahead, including potentially Terry Flanagan from Manchester, but for now Taylor will continue what has been a big rise since turning pro in 2015.

There is much warranted hype around Taylor and I am a big fan.

Becoming the first man to stop Miguel Vazquez in another step up in level of competition highlighted what many expect from Taylor and that is a World Champion in the making.

This weekend he has to take on a replacement in Winston Campos who comes in after Humberto Sato was injured.

Campos may not have lost since back in 2013, but this is a big step up from the recent level of opponents he has faced. He has been fighting back in Nicaragua against opponents way short of what Taylor brings to the table and travelling abroad to take on a talent like this is a big ask for Campos.

Being a southpaw means he could be awkward, but two of the three losses Campos has suffered have come by stoppage including his last loss to Ismael Barroso who is perhaps best known in the United Kingdom for losing to Anthony Crolla after beating Kevin Mitchell.

Taylor has power and I expect him to turn on the style against the kind of opponent I would expect him to dismiss. He might take a couple of Rounds to find his range against the southpaw, but I would think Taylor is able to get Campos out of there somewhere around the Fourth or Fifth Round. Backing Taylor to win this one between somewhere from the Fourth Round to the Sixth Round looks the call and worthy of an interest.

Dmitry Bivol vs Sullivan Barrera

There are many who are tipping Dmitry Bivol to take over as 'the man' in the Light-Heavyweight Division but there is no doubt what a stacked Division this is.

This may be the biggest test Bivol has had as he faces Sullivan Barrera who still has just the sole loss on his resume which came against Andre Ward. Barrera has since won his last four fights in a row and his wins over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Joe Smith look decent enough on paper.

However Barrera was knocked down in both of those wins and he is now facing an opponent who has been blessed with power and who has not been taken beyond the Fourth Round in any of his last four wins. Bivol has ten KO's in his twelve wins, but Barrera has plenty of experience which will test the WBA Light-Heavyweight Champion and see exactly how true the hype around him really is.

It won't be a surprise that this is the toughest fight Bivol will have had in what will be his thirteenth professional bout. So far he has managed the step up in levels effectively and I do think he has the power to hurt Barrera and, importantly, complete the stoppage when he does get him in trouble.

Those early Knock Downs against Shabranskyy and Smith are a concern for Barrera especially as Bivol will look to get after him early, but I also think the latter is a capable boxer who can bide his time.

He may need to do that if Barrera decides to try and take Bivol into the second half of the fight and test his stamina, but I think Bivol will be comfortable in the fight and can show a different side to the way he approaches things in the ring. Being able to start outboxing a Cuban like Andre Ward did in his Unanimous Decision over Barrera will certainly show there is more to Bivol than simply a 'search and destroy' attitude.

Ultimately though I do think the power will end up being a telling factor in the second half of the fight as Bivol is able to break down the older Barrera. The Cuban has been down too often for my liking and I think Bivol will end up finishing the job to become the first man to stop Barrera, although it may come after taking away the heart of his opponent.

Backing Bivol to force another stoppage looks the way to go, but I think it may come in the second half of this World Title fight as he first outboxes and then powers through Barrera.

Andre Dirrell vs Jose Uzcategui

This is a rematch of a fight that took place back in May 2017.

Oh, it's a rematch between Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui and not Dirrell's uncle and Uzcategui just to be clear.

A controversial ending to the first fight was made all the more memorable when Dirrell's uncle landed a couple of sucker punches on Uzcategui after the fight had ended in response to the Colombian being disqualified for hitting Dirrell after the bell in the Eighth Round.

Uzcategui was ahead on the cards at the time and looked to be the stronger boxer and that is why he comes into the rematch as a pretty strong favourite to win the fight.

I've never been a fan of Dirrell but he is a slick boxer and I think working with Virgil Hunter would have been good for him. Hunter has a winning attitude that should get the best out of Dirrell who has perhaps underachieved in his career despite some high profile fights he has been involved in.

His only two professional losses have come at the hands of Brits Carl Froch and James DeGale and Dirrell may feel he was on the short end of a couple of bad cards in those fights. Even then the failure to win a World Title would have hurt Dirrell more and this is his chance to at least get that part right in a tough Super-Middleweight Division where some big fights could await for the winner.

Most had to have been impressed with the way Uzcategui fought the first time out and I think he can be disappointed that he didn't win the fight which could easily have ended on a Technical Decision rather than the disqualification. I imagine he will look to put the pressure on Dirrell from the off in this one too, but I think the American would have learned a lot from the last fight and having Virgil Hunter in his corner should be a positive.

Dirrell should be able to know how to better deal with Uzcategui in this rematch and I think he will end up boxing his way to a success and taking the IBF World Title at the end of the bout. Having a small interest on Dirrell to find a way to a points win as the underdog is my selection from the chief support on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card.

Sergey Kovalev vs Igor Mikhalkin

Everything about the card in Madison Square Garden is to try and set up a huge Light-Heavyweight Unification fight at the end of 2018 and the headline act is the former kingpin of this Division Sergey Kovalev.

No matter how you feel about his two defeats to Andre Ward (I thought Kovalev sneaked the first fight and was on his way to a loss in the second before the controversial ending) this is all about rebuilding for Kovalev.

He remains a big draw in this Division and Kovalev was able to pick up one of the belts lost to Ward in his last fight after the belts were all vacated by the American heading into retirement. Kovalev defends the WBO World Title against Igor Mikhalkin having dismissed the challenge of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy very easily in his first fight after the Ward duo.

Kovalev didn't face a lot of resistance that night as he crushed Shabranskyy in a couple of Rounds, but Mikhalkin is supposed to bring in more durability.

Mikhalkin has only been beaten once professionally, and he has a couple of decent recent wins which will be pushed forward. However I don't think he is a legitimate threat to Krusher and I very much think Kovalev breaks him down and forces the stoppage in this fight.

That is what Kovalev did to the durable Canadian Jean Pascal having stopped him in the Seventh and Eighth Round in his two fights against him. Comparing Pascal to Mikhalkin is wrong perhaps, but I do think the latter is going up a couple of levels compared with previous opponents and I also feel he has been given to Kovalev to showcase the latter and have him headline a huge Unification in the Light-Heavyweight Division later this year.

You have to respect what Kovalev is able to do and his power is still there which means the end of this fight could come very early if Mikhalkin's durability is overstated. He simply hasn't fought someone who can hit anything like as hard as Kovalev, although the southpaw stance may jus take a couple of Rounds for the favourite to figure out.

Once Kovalev figures it out I expect his punishing style being too much for Mikhalkin and another stoppage to be added to the record. I am looking for Kovalev to get this done in the mid-Rounds of this one and backing him to win anywhere from the Fifth to the Eighth Round looks about right.

Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz

It has been described as the biggest Heavyweight fight on American soil since Lennox Lewis last defended his World Title against Vitali Klitschko back in 2003.

I have to agree with two of the top four/five Heavyweight fighters on the planet meeting in Brooklyn for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.

Deontay Wilder has long been criticised for a lacklustre resume, but I like the brash American and I think he has not always been dealt a good hand. Having a couple of live contenders fall out of bouts after failing drugs tests is not his problem and Wilder has managed to dismiss any other challenger without too much fuss.

One of those who ended a potential fight with a failure of a drugs test is Luis Ortiz, although his explanation has been good enough to get him back into a position to fight for the World Title months later.

No matter how this fight goes, I just hope everyone is willing to give Wilder his credit for getting with someone as dangerous as Ortiz especially when he didn't have to do this. Everyone is quick to downplay achievements from boxers after the fact, but there is no doubt what a threat Ortiz is considering the number of people out there picking him to win.

Ortiz has looked in great shape, but rumours of a hand injury will be a concern for the Cuban.

From a technical point of view you have to feel Ortiz is going to be capable of outboxing Wilder and the counter punching ability will make him a threat in this bout. He is tough, but Wilder should have the edge when it comes to athleticism and speed, while I also very much believe in the one shot power the American possesses.

I do think Wilder is going to approach this like he did when he first fought Bermane Stiverne- Wilder showcased his boxing ability and avoided being dragged into a fight to win by a comfortable margin on the cards. While he won't be able to completely outbox Ortiz the same way, I do think Wilder is not going to want to get in and blast the Cuban from the ring like he did the second time Stiverne stood in front of him.

The bottom line is Ortiz is dangerous and I expect Wilder to take his time and try and drain the energy out of a fighter that is allegedly a few years older than the 38 listed. Ortiz is dangerous and I am not buying the poorer recent performances as I question is motivation in those fights.

In this one he is highly motivated and there was a time where I thought Ortiz was the man in the Heavyweight Division after Tyson Fury deposed Wladimir Klitschko and then had his own troubles. Two years ago you may even have favoured Ortiz in this fight, but I don't like the inactivity for this older fighter and I also believe Wilder has improved.

I am looking for Wilder to show all of the experience he has learned and steer clear of early exchanges and try and drain the Ortiz energy before teeing off later as the fight develops. He might not earn the highlight reel stoppage like he did in the win over Stiverne, but I can see Wilder just overwhelming a tired Ortiz late in the fight.

It'll either be the late stoppage or a 116-112 kind of decision for Wilder who can then go back to calling out Anthony Joshua even if I don't believe that fight is going to happen before 2019. I fancy a referee or corner stoppage in the Championship Rounds as Ortiz begins to ship a little too much punishment and Wilder can claim the biggest win of his professional career.

King Kong came to New York and gave a decent account of himself before being cornered and seeing fatigue end his resistance. I expect that to happen here and backing Wilder late is the call in a fight that many decent boxing brains see an upset occurring.

Just don't be 'that guy' who claims Ortiz was over-rated if Wilder does win the fight.

MY PICKS: Lenroy Thomas-David Allen Fight Go the Distance @ 2.00 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Kell Brook to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Josh Taylor to Win Between 4-6 @ 2.87 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Dmitry Bivol to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.50 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Andre Dirrell to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Sergey Kovalev to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.75 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Deontay Wilder to Win Between 9-12 @ 5.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Boxing 2018 Update: 7-5, + 10.28 Units (20 Units Staked, + 51.40% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2017- Kell Brook vs Errol Spence Jr (May 27th)

2017 has been a wonderful year for Boxing with the big names getting together to produce the big fights in every Division.

There are still more to come with the Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin fight the highlight of the second half of the year, but don't sleep on the likes of Anthony Dirrell vs Callum Smith and a likely rematch between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko after the fireworks they produced at Wembley Stadium at the end of April.

Out of all the fights that had been signed in the first half of the year, this one between Kell Brook and Errol Spence Jr may have been the best of the bunch for the hardcore Boxing fraternity. Other fights might have captured the imagination of the casual fans and even those who have previously shown little interest in the sport, but this one feels like it is coming between two of the very best in a loaded Welterweight division and with a world title and huge unification events for the winner to take part in.

The undercard isn't a bad one at Bramall Lane either and I have three picks overall from the overall card which you can see below.

David Allen vs Lenroy Thomas

If World Titles were given to people with charisma and character, David Allen would be close to the front of the queue and he has built up a cult following with his antics in press conferences and the willingness to fight whoever has been put up in front of him.

Do I think this is a World Champion in the making? Probably not, but we have seen the likes of Charles Martin pick up a portion of the title when mandatories and bigger opportunities are presented to the real leaders of the Division and opens up World Title shots to those who perhaps don't deserve it.

However, David Allen is being built up under the watch of Eddie Hearn and he is definitely on a path that will either make him a viable contender to fight Anthony Joshua at some point or perhaps have a World Title fight against another opponent who is of a similar ilk.

That can only continue if he sees off Lenroy Thomas when they meet for the Commonwealth Heavyweight Title on Saturday and I fully expect Allen to do the job. He is a bit crude, but Allen can punch a bit and he would have learned plenty from his losses to Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.

Those two fights alone are much more daunting than anyone Thomas has fought, even though Thomas has been in the ring with Dominic Breazeale, and I don't really believe Thomas has come here with a lot of belief. It is his first fight outside the United States and he has lost three of his last seven with all of those coming by stoppage in the first half of the fight.

I think Allen is likely to want to get the jump on Thomas early as possible in this one and he has the punching power to force his opponent to really think about whether he 'wants' this as much as the 'White Rhino'. I am not sure Thomas has the best whiskers and I can see Allen taking him out fairly early in this one and will back him to win this in the within the first six Rounds on Saturday.

George Groves vs Fedor Chudinov

There are some who will like the way George Groves carried himself before his two fights with Carl Froch and others who may never like him, but no one can say he doesn't deserve the chance to become a World Champion. He has been beaten in three World Title fights, but two of those were fairly controversial and Groves is looking to prove he belongs in the elite which will open up the opportunities for some huge fights ahead.

The most immediate thought will turn to the rematch with James DeGale, although Groves can't overlook Fedor Chudinov in this main supporting fight to the main event at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

However it has been over a year since Chudinov was last seen being outpointed in a Split Decision loss to Felix Sturm whose best days look long behind him. Simply put, Chudinov has not been in the ring with anything like the quality George Groves has and I think that is going to be highlighted when you see these two in the ring with one another on Saturday.

Groves has rebuilt his career with four successive wins after the Split Decision loss to Badou Jack in a fight he recovered really well after being put on the floor in the First Round. I actually thought he might have done enough that day to overturn the Knock Down, but he has since tried to shown an improved stamina in his last few fights.

One of the big knocks on Groves was he seemed to lose some energy in the Championship Rounds in the past, but I think he is trying to put together his boxing in a way to make sure there are reserves in the tank. That means I don't think Groves will push for a stoppage in this one and instead is going to coast towards a fairly comfortable win on the scorecards and I will back him to win by a points call.

Kell Brook vs Errol Spence Jr

The first thing I want to say is I don't mind being wrong in this prediction one bit if it means Kell Brook is still the World Champion come Sunday morning.

However, history of Boxing suggests it is almost impossible to move up and down the weight classes in the manner Brook has and even having the ten months between fights may not be enough to really feel comfortable at the Welterweight limit.

Brook didn't move up one Division to face the power punching Gennady Golovkin, but he moved up two Divisions and we have seen throughout history that fighters almost always come unstuck when moving back down that kind of weight.

Take nothing away from 'The Special One', he looks in fantastic shape and is saying all of the right things- I do think Brook truly believes he is going to win this fight, but the acid test is how the body will react to the sharp shooting skills of Errol Spence Jr and how much will be in the tank if this goes into the latter stages of the fight.

I fully expect Spence to target the body early and often to sap the energy and Brook is the kind of warrior who will be willing to go out on his shield if he is going to give up his prized possession of the IBF Welterweight Title.

He clearly is proud of being a World Champion- most advised Brook to skip this mandatory and move up in weight or simply to 'duck' Spence, but the reason I have a lot of time for the Sheffield star is because that is the furthest thing from his mind.

This is a dangerous unbeaten American prospect coming to town and I call Spence a prospect because he is stepping up to the World level for the first time. His wins over Chris Algieri and Leonard Bundu have to be respected as Spence became the first man to stop either (Algeiri had lost on points to Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan, while Bundu had lost on points to Thurman).

Neither is on the level of Kell Brook though who will bring his 'chocolate brownie' to the party and so there are some questions about Spence, who also looks big at this weight, and whether Spence is ready to take this step. He is saying all the right things and I don't think he is another Jeff Lacy and I can understand why the American is the favourite.

Regardless of whether Spence feels truly comfortable at the weight is less of an issue when he hasn't made the same decision as Kell Brook to move up to Middleweight before coming back down for this fight. Spence's body should be much more accustomed to being boiled down to the Welterweight limit and I really think that will end up making the difference in the fight.

Spence has power in both hands and I think he is going to be able to take Brook into the second half of the fight and then take over with some sharp shooting. The fact Brook is willing to go to the very limits in this one makes him very dangerous, but I think the weight drop will be an issue at the end of this one and I can see Brook walking into something big late in the fight.

Like I said at the opening, I would love to be wrong and Brook pulls this out of the fire.

But putting my heart aside and what I want, the head is saying, and has been saying since the fight was announced, that Spence will force the stoppage late in a barnstormer.

MY PICKS: David Allen Win Between 1-6 @ 2.25 Bet Fred (2 Units)

George Groves by Decision or Technical Decision @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Errol Spence Jr Win Between 7-12 @ 4.33 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Boxing Picks Recap (July 23rd)

It was an interesting night of boxing yesterday and a profitable one for followers of the blog as Tyson Fury managed to repel all of Dereck Chisora's attacks to win a unanimous decision on points. I was thinking the scorecards would read 116-112 in favour of the bigger man, but it was actually a couple of points wider on the night and it is Chisora who loses his unbeaten record.

I think a lot of people will have been disappointed with Chisora, especially as he came in at a career high weight, an issue that perhaps affected his stamina during the fight. It just goes to show how far he is from challenging the likes of the Klitschko brothers.

Fury himself should not actively seek a fight with the reigning Champions- I still think he is a little green and needs to keep working on his techniques and move up to European level after a couple more domestic fights.

It would be a mighty setback for his career if he goes in with Wladimir Klitschko next and takes an easy beating- right now I would not see that fight going any other way.


On the other side of the pond, Amir Khan confirmed he is the real deal and the best light-welterweight in the World. Some may still argue for Tim Bradley, but I dont believe the American will fight at 140 pounds again and he also turned down the chance to prove he is the Number 1 fighter in the Division when rejecting a 50-50 split offer of all revenue from Khan's team.

It looks like Khan's path to Floyd Mayweather has been set by his Golden Boy promoters and I will be interested to see who he next goes in with before moving up to 147 next year.

The rumours are that Erik Morales will be tempted into a fight in December, but there is still a chance a rematch with Marcos Maidana could be in the pipeline if the Argentinian fighter can defeat Robert Guerrero in their scheduled fight in August, otherwise it could be Guerrero who is brought in.

If Khan can continue on his winning ways, it is then expected he will come back to Britain for his first fight at 147 pounds in a big domestic showdown with Kell Brook. Now that is a fight I will very much be interested in viewing, and could happen if Brook can get a portion of the World title at that weight. The Sheffield fighter is unbeaten and looks a real prospect, so a fight with Khan would make all the sense in the World, especially considering the fighters seem to genuinely dislike one another if their Twitter war is to be believed.


I will be honest enough to say I wasn't sold on Khan, but his performance last night has got me leaning towards him. I would prefer if he didn't make so many comments in the press and just let his fists do the talking from now on.


BOXING PICKS UPDATE: + 5.8 Units