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

After the back and forth over a number of weeks and months, an announcement was made that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua would finally be mee...

Showing posts with label March 8th. Show all posts
Showing posts with label March 8th. Show all posts

Sunday, 8 March 2026

UK Open Darts Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 8th March)

The 'FA Cup of Darts' is played to a conclusion on Sunday with the Quarter Finals up first in the Day Session and then the Semi Finals and Final all completed later in the Evening Session.

Luke Littler remains in the tournament and that means he remains the big favourite to win the title here for a second year in a row as he continues to dominate the scene.

You would expect Danny Noppert to have something to say about that after beating Luke Humphries in the Sixth Round, but Littler is hard to beat over these longer formats and incredibly hard to beat when he motivates himself to chalk off records.

The remaining six players in the draw will all believe they can go on and win the title- James Wade and Rob Cross are just reminding people of how well they can play, while the two Welshmen taking part in the Premier League, Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price, will take huge confidence into the Semi Final by getting the better of the other in the Quarter Final.

Josh Rock will certainly be hoping his run over the last couple of days can inspire a Premier League win on Night 6 of the tournament on Thursday, but all eyes are on Luke Littler and he looks the man to beat.


After a poor Day 1 for the Darts Picks, a strong run on Day 2 has just turned things around.

Quarter Final Picks will be placed here first, and any selections from the Evening Session will be available after the draw has been made later on Sunday afternoon.


Josh Rock - 1.5 legs v Krzysztof Ratajski: We have yet to see Josh Rock win a match in the Premier League, but he had a strong run at the World Masters and has backed that up at the UK Open.

You can never dismiss the ability of Krzysztof Ratajski to cause an upset, but Rocky has found a way past the Polish player in recent head to heads and the performances so far this weekend suggest he can do the same again.

There have been some very good wins produced by Ratajski too, but Josh Rock may just have the slight edge and is capable of coming through with a 10-7 kind of scoreline


James Wade & Rob Cross over 3.5 180s: Two very experienced players face off in the Quarter Final having produced some very strong darts over the last couple of days.

These Ranking events should give James Wade a lot of motivation to remind the PDC that they should have included him in the Premier League this year.

Dominating wins behind big scoring saw Wade come through two matches with the loss of just five Legs on Saturday and he is capable of producing at least four maximums here.

You have to expect Wade to be pushed a bit more by Rob Cross, who has looked close to his best in the Minehead this weekend.

Like his opponent, Rob Cross has found plenty of maximums in his outings and both players hitting at least four looks a big price.


Luke Littler over 6.5 180s v Danny Noppert: He has not always enjoyed the Day Sessions as much as the Evening, but Danny Noppert's win over Luke Humphries should have focused Luke Littler.

There is no doubt that Littler is going to need to produce some strong darts to beat an opponent who felt he did enough to earn a Premier League spot in 2025.

Danny Noppert has refused to allow that disappointment to overshadow his 2026 though and the win over Humphries will have given him plenty of confidence.

It should mean the Dutchman is able to offer some resistance, but Luke Littler showed his scoring power in the win over Gary Anderson in the Sixth Round and he can produce at least seve maximums in this Quarter Final.


Gerwyn Price win & over 8.5 match 180s v Jonny Clayton: A long losing run was snapped by Jonny Clayton when he beat Gerwyn Price in the Premier League a couple of weeks ago, but the latter got back to winning ways against his compatriot in a Player Championship event since then.

You have to believe the Ice Man can continue to get the better of Clayton over this best of nineteen Leg format.

However, the current Premier League leader is producing some really good darts at the moment and he will certainly give Gerwyn Price something to think about.

Both should be able to put together plenty of maximums in a match that may need at least seventeen Legs to decide a winner and the edge has to be with Price to be that winner considering how so many matches between the two Welshmen have gone in recent times.


Gerwyn Price win & over 5.5 180s v James Wade: Both players came through Quarter Final matches in eighteen or more Legs, but Gerwyn Price was much more impressive than James Ward.

Big scoring power overwhelmed compatriot Jonny Clayton in a high level performance and Gerwyn Price is capable of keeping that going in the Semi Final.

He will want to make things a little more straight-forward to keep something in the tank for the Final, but James Ward is unlikely to roll over.

The Machine did have a tough time getting over the line against Rob Cross and it can be tough maintaining a strong level throughout the day- James Ward will believe he can score well enough and has the kind of finishing that will continue to make him dangerous, but Gerwyn Price may have enough to secure the spot in the Final.

If he can power in the maximums as he was doing in the Quarter Final, Price should be able to make this a touch more comfortable.


Luke Littler over 0.5 100+ checkout & over 6.5 180s v Josh Rock: Midway through the Quarter Final, it may have felt like Danny Noppert was going to move into a position to upset the World Number 1.

However, Luke Littler continues to show his superiority over the majority of the Tour when it comes the longer match format and he should be able to get the better of Josh Rock in the Semi Final.

The Northern Irishman will be very aware that he needs to improve his overall level if he is going to beat Luke Littler, but that looks a big ask.

Maximum hitting has not been as prolific as we have come to expect from Luke Littler, but he should have a few more Legs to get his rhythm going, while the combination finishing always gives him a chance to checkout a ton plus finish.

MY PICKS: Josh Rock - 1.5 Legs @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
James Wade & Rob Cross Over 3.5 180s Each @ 2.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Luke Littler Over 6.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Gerwyn Price to Win & Over 8.5 Match 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

SEMI FINAL PICKS: Gerwyn Price to Win & Over 5.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Luke Littler Over 0.5 100+ Checkout & Over 6.5 180s @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

UK Open Update: 8-8, + 0.88 Units (16 Units Staked, + 5.50% Yield)

Indian Wells Tennis Day 5 Picks 2026 (Sunday 8th March)

The time change in the United States means we are going to be seeing the Indian Wells tournament beginning an hour earlier in the United Kingdom than the opening four days at the event.

Fans of US Sport have to enjoy this brief period when the Eastern Time Zone is only four hours behind London time, especially as the UK clocks will not change for a couple of weeks.

It won't make picking winners any easier as the tournament moves into the Third Round, but there are four selections from the schedule with stronger matches now beginning to take place- this remains a big tournament with many considering that 'fifth Major', and having deep runs here is important for those looking to build their Ranking Points and improve potential Seeding spots for the clay court and grass court seasons soon coming up.

The Tennis Picks have been very mixed in the early part of the tournament, but there is plenty of time to get things back on track over the coming days.


Alexander Zverev - 3.5 games v Brandon Nakashima: Only one tournament has been played by Alexander Zverev since he was beaten in the Australian Open Semi Final and he barely made an impact in Acapulco.

You have to believe that Zverev is now at an age and a stage of his career where the Majors take on a lot more focus compared with the rest of the tournaments on the Tour, but he will still want to build some momentum ahead of the run into the clay court season. Two North American hard court events give him an opportunity, but Alexander Zverev knows that this is a potentially awkward Second Round match.

A win over Matteo Berrettini and in the fashion it was produced will certainly help Alexander Zverev settle into this tournament, but there will be ample respect for the opponent.

The World Number 30 reached the Semi Final in Acapulco last week, and Brandon Nakashima has come through a Second Round match without suffering too much.

He also reached the Final in a warm up tournament ahead of the Australian Open, although Nakashima will be very disappointed with his effort in Melbourne.

Brandon Nakashima has held 90% of his service games played on the hard courts this season, but that number has dipped to 80% when facing top 20 Ranked opponents. There has also been a vulnerability about his return performances, and that has really be exploited by the top players, which will give Alexander Zverev confidence.

Adding to that is the fact that Zverev has won all five previous matches against Brandon Nakashima and there has been a big advantage in favour of the German when it comes to the serving numbers.

Three of those wins have been on hard courts where Brandon Nakashima has held 71% of service games played compared with Alexander Zverev's 97% mark.

Even on a slower hard court, Alexander Zverev has the edge and he may do just enough to find the Breaks of serve needed to push clear of this handicap spread.

There have been a couple of disappointing losses on the Alexander Zverev ledger this year, but his numbers continue to be very strong on the hard courts.

Alexander Zverev has not always enjoyed his time in 'Tennis Paradise', but he should be unperturbed by the match up and that should help the World Number 4 settle for a solid win on the scoreboard.


Jakub Mensik - 1.5 games v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: Both of these players are very comfortable on the hard courts and that makes this a fascinating Third Round match.

There are similarities with the level of performance that Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Jakub Mensik have produced on the hard courts, although the latter has surprisingly been the more effective return player.

This should be a key factor on the courts at Indian Wells and Jakub Mensik has been playing with real confidence even as he has taken on some of the stronger players on the Tour.

Unlike the 20 year old, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has had his problems when he has faced top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts. His service numbers have not been impacted too much in those matches, but the Spaniard has really had his problems when it comes to the return of serve and that could be a difference between the players in this Third Round contest.

You cannot overlook the match up here though- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has won the last four between the players and three of those have been on the hard courts. The Spaniard dominated when the players met at the Canadian Masters in August in the lead up to the US Open, while he came from 2-0 down to beat Mensik at the Australian Open last year, and those have to be considered ahead of this Third Round match.

That does raise a couple of doubts, but the younger player still has room to grow and he may just have enough out of his return game to edge past Davidovich Fokina.

In the hard court matches, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has had a slight edge in terms of points won behind serve, but six months on from the last meeting, Jakub Mensik may just turn things around to a level where he can edge to the win.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Jakub Mensik - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Amanda Anisimova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Coco Gauff - 5.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 4-5, - 1.85 Units (9 Units Staked, - 20.56% Yield)

Friday, 8 March 2024

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2024 (Friday 8th March)

It was another premature ending to the Indian Wells schedule of play on Thursday and that means a few First Round matches have to be shoehorned into Friday when the Second Round gets underway.

The next two days are busier than expected and that means there is not enough time to put down any thoughts for the selections, but instead it will be short threads with those made.

Seeded players are in action on Friday and it has been a positive start to the tournament, albeit only a start.


MY PICKS: Alex De Minaur - 5.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Andrey Rublev - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)
Stefanos Tsitsipas - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)
Nicolas Jarry - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)
Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Alexander Bublik - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Karen Khachanov - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Jelena Ostapenko - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 6-4, + 2.48 Units (20 Units Staked, + 12.40% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou (March 8th)

Knockout Chaos comes to our television screens on Friday evening with another big card put together by Saudi Arabia, who continue to have a major influence on a number of sports.

In recent week/months, the likes of golf, tennis and snooker have all begun to offer partnerships with Saudi Arabia, or have sports directly taken over, while Formula One will be here this weekend.

Boxing events need the cash influx to really put the fights together that the fans want to see and, to that end, it has been a positive financial boost not only for the fighters and promoters, but also for the fans.

Of course it is almost impossible to disregard other issues, but that will not stop people tuning in for another big night of Heavyweight Boxing.

And if the investments being made continue to be made, the likes of Conor Benn vs Manny Pacquiao and Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol may be the next big cards to be headlined in the country.


At least we are getting some of the big fights together, but the same cannot be said of Canelo Alvarez who has yet to announce his next bout despite the rumoured May 4th date fast approaching.

It looked like he was leaving his contract with PBC, who have been rumoured to be struggling financially, was coming to an end, but the latest seems to be that there has been a breakthrough in the talks and Canelo's next fight will be under the PBC banner.

The only real disappointment is that David Benavidez is very unlikely to be standing on the other side of the ring- no one will deny Canelo Alvarez has achieved enough in Boxing to make his own decisions as to who to face next, but holding the Super Middleweight Belts hostage while avoiding the clear top contender is not a good look.

David Benavidez looks like he will bid to close other serious options to Canelo by moving up to Light Heavyweight and pursuing the Undisputed Titles at that weight instead. He has admitted he can go back down to Super Middleweight too and will be looking to operate between the two Divisions, but for now it looks like the big showdown between the Mexican Monster and the icon Canelo Alvarez will have to wai at least six months and possibly even twelve months.


March looks to be another solid month of Boxing action, but it is the Easter Weekend which really looks to be the exciting one to tune in for.

That is when PBC's first card with Amazon is set to go headlined by Tim Tszyu vs Keith Thurman, while I am really looking forward to the Fabian Wardley vs Frazer Clarke bout on the same weekend in London.

Dillian Whyte is also back this week having had his suspension for failing a test overturned and he will be returning as the headline act in Ireland on St Patrick's Day.

But before we get to all of the excitement of the rest of the month, a big card in Saudi Arabia will be looking to deliver the Knockout Chaos that fans love to see.



Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou

I did have to go back and remind myself of how I felt when Tyson Fury was set to face Francis Ngannou back in October.

The feeling was that Tyson Fury would not want to risk his Undisputed Fight with Oleksandr Usyk, which had been signed off for December, but the best laid plans can be scuppered one a single punch in the Heavyweight Division.

Francis Ngannou landed that and put Fury down, but the latter did enough to earn the victory on the cards, even if some felt it was controversial.

That performance has made Ngannou a much more dangerous looking fighter and he now has an opportunity to face Anthony Joshua.

A big performance against Otto Wallin has just reminded fans of the 'old' Anthony Joshua and there is little doubt activity has been a big help. The carrot at the end of the stick is that a win here will have the Saudi Arabian investors pushing to set Anthony Joshua up with the winner of the Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Fight in May.

You have to accept that Francis Ngannou looked decent enough in the fight with Tyson Fury, but that was a poor outing from Fury. There is little doubt that he was not nearly as prepared as he would have been if he had seen a performance like that from Francis Ngannou before, while the style may actually have suited the novice coming across from the world of MMA.

This time Anthony Joshua will have known that Ngannou is dangerous and that will mean he is fully focused on the task at hand.

And that should be bad news for the underdog, even if he makes a point that a fight outside the boxing ring may play out very differently, especially if it was taking place in the Octagon.

Unfortunately for Francis Ngannou, this fight is not taking place anywhere but a Boxing ring and the fundamentals of Anthony Joshua should make him a bigger favourite than the layers believe.

He is plenty strong and Anthony Joshua looked to have really gotten on board with what was asked of him by new trainer Ben Davison. The game plan will likely see Joshua working behind his jab and trying to force Francis Ngannou to move and have to exert a lot of energy early on.

The Cameroonian former UFC Heavyweight Champion did gas some in his fight with Tyson Fury and the feeling is that Anthony Joshua will look to keep things long and use those fundamentals of Boxing to keep Ngannou off-balance and ultimately wear him down.

Going the full Ten Rounds may not be a massive surprise, but the feeling is that Anthony Joshua may be able to let go of enough big shots to force a Stoppage in the second half of the fight. Once the gas tank empties, Francis Ngannou might overcommit to trying to land the one big, fight changing punch, but that could play into Anthony Joshua's hands as he looks to make sure everyone can see that he has gotten the better of how Tyson Fury did for a second bout in a row.

Styles make fights and the feeling is that this one might suit Anthony Joshua more than Tyson Fury and the former Unified Champion can put a statement performance on the board.


The Day of Reckoning card in December seemed to be loaded from top to bottom and it was never going to be easy to replicate that.

However, the card for this event is still decent enough for those tuning in for an early evening of Boxing.

Sad news was revealed by Kevin Lerena on Thursday when announcing the passing of his mother, but he has declared that he will still enter the ring against Justis Huni.

Plenty of fighters have found motivation out of such sad circumstances and Huni is not nearly as good as his strong favouritism for the bout suggests. The Australian might still do enough, but Keven Lerana is a big price and one that may intrigue some out there.

We have seen him put down Daniel Dubois, whose reputation is pretty decent after giving Oleksandr Usyk some problems and then outworking Jarrell Miller, so Kevin Lerena might be a very big price to earn a victory.


One of the more surprising fights on the undercard features Mark Chamberlain taking on Gavin Gwynne and there is a school of thought that may believe the latter is struggling to get down to the weight.

He is facing a big puncher and Gavin Gwynne was hurt in his last win against a veteran Italian with only a surprising injury turning the tide in that bout.

This may be a good time for Mark Chamberlain to take the step up and he can become the second man to stop Gavin Gwynne as he continues his development towards a World Title.


A fight that looked to be taken off the card after some uncertainty has been restored to the card and Israil Madrimov and Magomed Kurbanov are going to be facing off for a vacant World Title.

That has only increased the status of what looked like being a very good fight before the WBA Light Middleweight Title was attached and it is no surprise that Madrimov is the favourite.

Both may have unbeaten records, but Liam Smith will feel he was robbed when losing on the cards to Kurbanov in Russia in 2021.

Like his opponent, Magomed Kurbanov had some trouble in beating Michel Soro in his last fight, while he is also travelling for the first time.

I do think Israil Madrimov will win the fight, but the doubt over the issue that almost saw him withdrawn from the card makes it that much more difficult to make a selection with any kind of confidence.


However, there is a bit more belief in Nick Ball and it really feels like the British fighter is getting his shot at the WBC World Featherweight Title.

Wrecking Ball has really impressed as he has continued his unbeaten progress as a professional and he gets the opportunity to become a World Champion in just his tenth fight. There is every chance Nick Ball will be back in Saudi Arabia for the five vs five card putting rivals Matchroom and Queensberry into direct competition with one another, but much will depnd on Ball winning this fight.

Rey Vargas is the much taller fighter and he has moved up the weights to become a World Champion in different Divisions, but last time out he took a step too far when losing his unbeaten record to O'Shaquie Foster.

His last defence of this World Title saw Rey Vargas put down and having to win by Split Decision and it felt like his move to Super Featherweight had been down to struggles in making weight.

The Champion has the length and the qualities to try and keep Nick Ball at bay, but the feeling is that the fresher fighter will be willing to do what it takes to get close. Once there, Ball can certainly hurt Rey Vargas to the body, especially if weight is a factor and this could be a huge night for the Liverpudlian.

Nick Ball is unlikely to allow Rey Vargas to coast at any time and if there are any doubts about this weight Division or whether the hunger is still there to compete, the Challenger can certainly exploit that and win the World Title without needing the judges on the night.


Some have suggested the real main event on this card is the big Heavyweight fight between Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, who is putting his Interim WBO World Title on the line.

Both of these fighters had very strong 2023 calendar years- Parker upset Deontay Wilder, while Zhang upset Joe Joyce twice and in big Knock Out wins.

The second of those was very impressive, but this is going to be a different challenge for Big Bang against an opponent who should be much more elusive than Joyce has tended to be.

Beating Wilder is a huge performance, but the whole idea of Joseph Parker being on some massive resurgence since losing to Joe Joyce is perhaps overplayed. Credit has to be given to him for beating the former WBC Champion in December, but you have to wonder how much of that was down to an inactive Deontay Wilder and one who seemed to struggle to want to let his hands go.

Prior to that win, Joseph Parker had beaten Jack Massey in an underwhelming performance before Stopping Faiga Opelu in a Round and Simon Kean in the Third Round.

Those are wins that are hardly the most impressive.

On the other hand Zhilei Zhang's reputation has been greatly enhanced by those wins over Joe Joyce, but some will feel he should have been given the nod when he lost a tight fight to Filip Hrgovic. Conditioning is a big test for Zhang at 40 years old, but he hits hard and fast and that makes him dangerous.

The expectation is that Joseph Parker will not be nearly as hittable as Joe Joyce and he will feel he can outwork Zhilei Zhang once getting through some of the awkward early Rounds.

However, he cannot expect Zhang to be as patient or inactive as Deontay Wilder and that is what makes this an intriguing contest.

Both know that they are perhaps a win or two away from another World Title shot and so they cannot afford to overlook one another. Activity has helped Joseph Parker, but he still has something to prove, while Zhilei Zhang looked really good on the scales.

Styles make fights and rarely does Boxing work where Fighter A beats Fighter B and Fighter B beats Fighter C so Fighter A should beat Fighter C. The style of Joseph Parker should definitely give Zhilei Zhang more to think about than when he faced Joe Joyce, but there is also more likelihood that Zhang will give Parker more to think about than a surprisingly passive Deontay Wilder did.

This makes this a hugely intriguing fight to watch as the chief support.

It really does feel like either Zhang gets this one done through the first half of the contest or Joseph Parker is going to be able to really take control as the gas tank runs down for the Interim Champion.

The lean has to be with Zhilei Zhang to earn another Stoppage win and that is largely down to the fact that there have been signs that Joseph Parker is not as granite as he once was. Recent wins have covered up some of the shortcomings, but Zhang is not likely to be put his hands in his pockets as Deontay Wilder did in December and he will test how much Parker has left.

Ultimately it may be enough to secure the win inside the distance with the speed of the hands and the power in both that could just break down Joseph Parker in what should be another quality Heavyweight contest.

MY PICKS: Anthony Joshua to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Mark Chamberlain to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.87 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Nick Ball to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Zhilei Zhang to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 11-14, + 10.05 Units (40 Units Staked, + 25.13% Yield)

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Indian Wells Tennis Picks 2023 (March 8th)

Rule changes will soon be applied in the United States, but it seems strange that Novak Djokovic is still not going to be allowed into the country and so will have to miss the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami this month.

The World Number 1 will be pleased if he can at least return to North America ahead of the US Open later in the year, but there will be some frustration with the policy that has received plenty of criticism from people with voices that can have a far reaching impact.

I understand the rules are the rules, but the United States could have applied an exemption for an athlete that has twice tested positive for Covid and who was not likely to pose a significant public health concern. Of course you can't just make exceptions for the sake of a sport, but this is a decision that will have frustrated many and both of these Masters events are going to be missing a big draw.


The events in Indian Wells and Miami remain big parts of the Tennis Tour and both the ATP and WTA Tours will be meeting up here in the last hard court events until the preparation for the US Open begins in the summer.

Novak Djokovic can begin working on his clay court tennis, but the players in North America will be looking to take advantage of the absence of the World Number 1.

Much like the WTA events, the ATP Masters tournaments look like they could be wide open affairs with a returning Carlos Alcaraz sitting on top of the draw in Indian Wells.

Daniil Medvedev might be the player to beat having won the big event in Dubai and backed up other tiles won in February, but I do think there are a number of players in the ATP event that will believe they can go all the way to a Masters success.

In the WTA draw, Iga Swiatek is still the top player on the Tour and is coming into the event having had a really productive time in the Middle East. However, I don't think the gap is as big as it was a year ago and there are some players arriving in confident mood which could help the Indian Wells tournament grab some of the sporting headlines in the United States during the March Madness time of the year.


It has been a largely quiet month for the Tennis Picks, but that has been mainly down to the simple reason  of me not having the time to make regular selections from the tournaments that have been played since the Australian Open.

I ended February with a very slight profit to back up the decent returns from the Australian Open, but I did not want to make picks on odd days when I knew I was unlikely to have the time to go through a tournament with selections being made with some level of consistency.

Some of that has been down to the intense football schedule which has taken up much of my personal time, but things should be a little more settled in March as I try and work a good path through the two Masters events that have regularly been a thorn in my side.

As I mentioned earlier this season, I feel I have made some adjustments with the way Picks are selected and I do think that has paid off through the first couple of months of the long season.

There will still be one or days through the month where I don't make Tennis Picks- that could be as much to do with not finding a selection that is worth backing as much as any other factor, but for the majority of the next two tournaments I am anticipating having selections, which will be on this site.


The WTA Tournament will begin on Wednesday with First Round action and the ATP Tournament gets underway on Thursday.

These next two events in Indian Wells and Miami may not last as long as the Grand Slams, but they are the longest Masters events on the Tour and so you have to have some patience in order to come away with a couple of positive returns.


Katie Swan - 1.5 games v Cristina Bucsa: Both of these players will be pretty happy with the level shown in Qualifying for the Indian Wells main draw after two wins each, and I think the draw for the First Round will certainly give Katie Swan and Cristina Bucsa a lot of belief.

This is a good chance to pick up some vital Ranking points and both are in decent form.

Katie Swan has yet to really hit the kind of heights some have expected from her, but she has shown she has a decent hard court level and her numbers over the last twelve months are solid. When you only consider matches against players outside of the top 50 in the World Rankings, Swan's 19-4 record really stands up strong, while the 4-2 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on this surface shows there is more to come from the British player.

She will need to prove that on the court against an improving Cristina Bucsa who reached her career best World Ranking mark at the end of January following a tremendous run at the Australian Open. Backing that up will be the test for the Spaniard, but winning two Qualifiers should only increase her confidence.

Over the last twelve months she has beaten those she has been expected to and Bucsa has a soli 18-6 record against players Ranked outside the top 100 on the hard courts.

Katie Swan has won their two previous meetings, but those came a long time ago and I am not sure they are relevant to the outcome of this First Round.

What could be more relevant is the fact that Swan has gotten a bit more out of the first serve so far this season on the hard courts and that could be a big difference in the conditions in Indian Wells where the ball can fly. A slight edge in the returning numbers over Cristina Bucsa could also prove to be decisive and in a close match I do just favour the lower Ranked player looking to move back towards the top 100.

I would not be surprised if a third set is needed to eventually separate the players, but it is the British Qualifier who I favour.

MY PICKS: Katie Swan - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Ugo Humbert - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)
Jason Kubler @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Yibing Wu - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tennis 2023: + 13.94 Units (164 Units Staked, + 8.50% Yield)

February 2023: + 0.26 Units (18 Units Staked, + 1.44% Yield)
January 2023: + 13.68 Units (146 Units Staked, + 9.37% Yield)

Saturday, 7 March 2020

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (March 7-9)

I was away for a few days which meant I was not able to post a thread here, but Twitter followers would have seen my move from Jack Grealish to James Maddison for the FPL game... A move that didn't work out as well as I would have wanted.

It was still not a bad week, but I will get back to that at the bottom of this post.

Before we get into GW29 of the FPL game I will have my thoughts down for the Weekend Premier League Football, although those are feelings rather than anything more forceful.


Liverpool v Bournemouth Pick: There is no doubt that Liverpool have hit a slightly awkward patch in what has been a strong season for them, and it is going to take a serious turnaround if they are going to at least find some momentum to take into their Champions League Last 16 Second Leg to come.

Losses at Atletico Madrid, Watford and Chelsea would have stung as much for the level of performance as the actual result.

However it should be noted that all have come away from Anfield and this ground is still a fortress for Liverpool even if they had to rely on some big West Ham United mistakes to beat The Hammers 3-2 last time out here. Key players have been rested by Jurgen Klopp for the loss at Chelsea during the week and I expect they will have been itching to get back on the field and make up for the defeat at Vicarage Road last Saturday.

The opponent also looks a good one for Liverpool as Bournemouth continue to look haphazard at the back and have been struggling on the road for much of the last three months. Last weekend Bournemouth almost did enough to beat Chelsea, but the game was at home and they have lost 5 away games in succession while conceding a host of chances in those matches.

Goals have been flowing against Bournemouth too and I do think they could face something of a backlash here. The match up with Liverpool has not been a good one with 5 losses in a row by three or more goal margins, and I do think Liverpool are still playing well enough at Anfield to build some steam behind them.

I can’t completely ignore the form that Liverpool find themselves in, but losing back to back games has been rare for this team and I think they can bounce back with a comfortable win on Saturday afternoon. It is hard to imagine Bournemouth being able to defend well enough to contain the home team and so another big win would not be a surprise in favour of Liverpool.

Score: Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth


Arsenal v West Ham United Pick: Both of these clubs have shown signs of improvement under new managers at different times, but it may be West Ham United who come into this League game with a little more spring in the step.

A solid performance at Liverpool was followed by a win over Southampton and that has dragged West Ham United out of the bottom three. However you have to be concerned with the amount of goals they continue to ship and now they face an Arsenal team who have looked in decent shape when they go forward.

The bigger issue for Arsenal has also been at the back and making sure they keep the door locked, From set pieces they have been a mess so it would not be a big surprise if David Moyes is able to set something up to give the home team problems to deal with.

Ultimately it feels like an entertaining and goal-filled afternoon is going to develop and that is my feeling from the fixture. Arsenal have scored plenty of goals, but look unlikely to keep a clean sheet, while West Ham United have also struggled at the back.

The level produced at Anfield is encouraging for the visitors, but I think they continue to have problems in conceding too many goals and that is where Arsenal should be able to take advantage. The Gunners have won 4 in a row at home against West Ham United and I think they continue that streak by winning a fixture featuring at least two goals scored on the day.

Score: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham United


Crystal Palace v Watford Pick: If Crystal Palace had not taken maximum points from their last 2 Premier League games they would have been firmly involved in the relegation battle that is developing. Instead they are now likely just a single win away from guaranteeing another season in the top flight, although Roy Hodgson won’t be taking anything for granted.

How could he after seeing the performance Watford produced in their 3-0 hammering of Liverpool last weekend?

Nigel Pearson will hope that gives his team some momentum with four good looking fixtures in front of them. Watford have been much improved under his watch and they have some exciting players that will believe they can win this game having beaten Crystal Palace 3 times last season.

Earlier in this campaign they had to settle for a draw, but Watford won’t be intimidated and they have the pace in the forward areas to cause problems.

Ultimately they have not been at their best at the back and that is where even a goal-shy Crystal Palace team can have some success. Goals have not been the order of the day at Selhurst Park this season, but these teams have tended to match up well with each other and it feels like being the case on Saturday too.

7 of the last 8 between Crystal Palace and Watford at this ground have ended with at least three goals shared out. That may be pushing things a bit, but the 1-1 is a real player and I do think both teams will be looking to get forward and can hurt the other when they do.

Both teams to score looks the play despite the low scores we have seen at this ground this season.

Score: Crystal Palace 1-1 Watford


Sheffield United v Norwich City Pick: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United all failed to win last weekend while Sheffield United had the time off and that will have given the fans further belief that this could be one of the most memorable seasons in the history of the club.

While no one will be looking too far ahead inside Bramall Lane, you can't help but see there is a real path towards the Champions League places that Sheffield United can perhaps take control of over the next few weeks. They will play the likes of Wolves and Manchester United around them, but those matches will not mean so much if they can't beat Norwich City this weekend.

For all the positives about Chris Wilder and his team, you do have to wonder if they have enough goals in the squad. It is most evident when they have played the 'lesser' clubs in the Division and the likes of Southampton, Newcastle United, Watford and Brighton have all avoided losses here.

West Ham United almost stole a point too before a late VAR intervention, and in all of those five games mentioned Sheffield United have not scored more than one goal.

They might need more to win this game against a Norwich City team who have been creating chances even if they are not as clinical away from Carrow Road as they would like to be. There is a real confidence at the bottom club that they can surprisingly pull away from the bottom three, and Daniel Farke won't lose his principles now which means Norwich City will at least give this a go.

Defensively there remain some major questions that Sheffield United will be looking to have answered and I do think the home team might have just enough. While they are not completely easy to trust with the lack of goals an issue, Sheffield United have beaten Burnley, Bournemouth and Aston Villa here and in all of those games they did find the two goals needed to secure the points.

I will look for them to do that this weekend too.

Score: Sheffield United 2-1 Norwich City


Southampton v Newcastle United Pick: Both Southampton and Newcastle United may look relatively comfortable with ten League games to play, but both Ralph Hasenhuttl and Steve Bruce will be reminding their players how quickly things can change.

Neither team is in great form and the improvements that Bournemouth, Watford and now West Ham United are showing means the 5 points to Newcastle United and 7 points to Southampton is a bridgeable gap.

That makes this a very important game for both teams and I do think there will be chances at both ends.

Newcastle United earned a morale-boosting win at The Hawthorns on Tuesday, but both of these teams look capable of creating chances and struggling defensively at times.

It is particularly the case for Newcastle United away from home and I think it could mean a repeat of the earlier meeting between these teams and at least three goals being shared out. Before the goalless draw last season, that had happened the previous 4 times Southampton had hosted Newcastle United and the defensive performances of the two teams in recent weeks suggest we could see this one go back to that trend.

Tension and fear of a defeat could take some of the effective play out of this fixture, but I can see it ending 2-1 either way and I will back at least three goals to be the outcome of this one.

Score: Southampton 2-1 Newcastle United


Wolves v Brighton Pick: This is a pivotal game at the top and bottom of the Premier League as Wolves continue to chase down a surprise Champions League berth and Brighton look to reverse the slide into the bottom three.

There has been plenty of talk about Manchester United and Chelsea failing to take advantage of the slips each are making, but Wolves have quietly moved into their slipstream. The fixture list looks much kinder to Wolves than United over the next few weeks too and I do think this is a team capable of handling the pressures of Premier League and Europa League Football as they have all season.

A home game with Brighton has to be the kind of fixture Wolves have to take advantage of especially as Manchester United and Chelsea have much tougher looking games this weekend. However it is not always easy to trust Wolves to get the job done as you would imagine.

Newcastle United, Southampton and Burnley have all avoided losses here already this season and Brighton are a team who have been creating chances in recent games despite the 0-1 setback to Crystal Palace last weekend.

Brighton have the character that has seen them come from behind and draw with both West Ham United and Sheffield United in the last couple of away games played in the League, while they are also unbeaten in 5 against Wolves since October 2016.

That has to be respected, but Wolves look to be in good form and scoring plenty of goals. In what could be a surprisingly high-scoring affair, I do think Wolves can edge to a win in a game featuring at least two goals on the day.

Score: Wolves 2-0 Brighton


Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The live game on Saturday evening comes from Turf Moor and it is a huge test for Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham Hotspur team who have been in a miserable run of form.

They had lost 3 in a row in all competitions prior to the FA Cup Fifth Round tie against Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur have found themselves dumped out of that on Penalties. Injuries are piling up to the point that Mourinho has suggested he is going to speak to the board and ask them which competition he wants to prioritise this week with a Premier League and Champions League fixture to be played.

After losing 0-1 at home to Leipzig it could be argued the Premier League has to be the priority for Tottenham Hotspur who can close the gap to 4th placed Chelsea by winning twenty-four hours before The Blues are due to kick off against Everton. That makes this game even more important for Spurs to try and regain some lost momentum, but Burnley are anything but a soft touch and especially if the focus is not at 100%.

Tottenham Hotspur will create chances against this Burnley team, but I have little doubt the home team are going to do the same against a team that has just 3 away clean sheets in 20 games played in all competitions (and one of those was at League Two Colchester United). However the other side of the coin shows that Tottenham Hotspur have only failed to score in 4 of those 20 away games and I do think they can cause problems for their hosts too.

Burnley have been in the better form and they have narrowed into the home favourites- winning 4 of 6 Premier League games will do that- and I do think they are the more likely winners on the day.

In saying that I do think the defensive issues have not been underlined as much as they should have been and it may take two goals to win the game. Backing at least three goals to be shared out at odds against is a very appealing price, and 4 of the last 6 between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur have ended that way.

1-1 is perhaps the most dangerous scoreline, but I can see there being enough chances on the day to see the total goals hitting at least three goals.

Score: Burnley 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur


Chelsea v Everton Pick: The first of the live games to be played on Sunday comes from Stamford Bridge and it may be a big opportunity for Chelsea to pull away from at least Manchester United in the race for the Champions League places.

If Frank Lampard’s men can win, it will put pressure on Manchester United to respond in the derby against Manchester City later in the same day. However it is no guarantee with Chelsea being a little inconsistent as it is and now suffering with a number of key players looking set to miss out.

That will have given Everton a chance anyway, but this is a team in good form and who will take the game to Chelsea.

Under Carlo Ancelotti Everton have been creating chances and they showed that again in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last weekend. They should have perhaps gotten more out of the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal last month and Everton will certainly believe all the pressure is on their hosts.

A team creating chances like Everton are will be dangerous- but add to that the inconsistency of Chelsea and I can’t help feel they are a touch short here. Everton did beat Chelsea at home already this season and a weaker team earned a result at Stamford Bridge last season.

Being able to back Everton with the start looks very appealing here and I will do that as I look for the underdog to perhaps spring a surprise.

Score: Chelsea 1-1 Everton


Manchester United v Manchester City Pick: In the next few weeks I do think Pep Guardiola will turn his full attention to the Cup competitions Manchester City are involved in as they are closing on a top four finish in the Premier League. At that point they can only await the judgement set out by the CAS in terms of whether they will be playing in the Champions League again next season.

For now there is still motivation to keep the wins being churned out in all competitions which will give the Manchester City squad some momentum. It is a deep squad and that means rotations are being made, but I expect the Manchester derby to earn the full attention of the visitors especially as Manchester United have won 2 of the 3 games between these clubs this season.

The exception did come at Old Trafford where Manchester City ran out 1-3 winners in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg, the foundation for progressing to the Final, and Manchester City have won 4 of the 5 games played at this ground under Guardiola.

However Manchester United are coming into this one in fine form too with a 9 game unbeaten run to protect. They have won 6 of those games including the last 2 at Old Trafford, although it does have to be pointed out that it has been a good portion of the fixture list which has been negotiated and facing their cross city rivals is a different test for them.

Manchester United have looked threatening going forward with the arrival of Bruno Fernandes a real boost, while they have also been pretty effective at the back. Harry Maguire's potential absence is a blow, but I do think Manchester United will be confident regardless and it could be a very good game.

I do think United can have some success playing against this Manchester City defence which has struggled, and they will be even more confident if Kevin De Bruyne is missing. The Belgian is a major creative force and Manchester City have been producing plenty of threatening play in the final third in their wins over Leicester City and Real Madrid away from home.

I'd love to be wrong, but I do think Manchester City will find the win in this one- as well as Manchester United have been playing, they are still a team that looks like they could be vulnerable if Manchester City are at their best. In all of the games played it is Manchester City who have dominated the chance count and I think that is likely to come through for them again.

Sergio Aguero has hit some positive form with goals in the last two games and he has always impressed at Old Trafford. My lean is that Manchester City will win and they can do that in a game featuring two or more goals.

Score: Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City


Leicester City v Aston Villa Pick: Recent form will have made Brendan Rodgers very glad for the long run of wins at the back end of the 2019 calendar year which has given Leicester City some room for error in the race for the Champions League spots.

That room is closing all the time though and Leicester City have to find a way to get back to winning ways after another disappointing Premier League setback at Norwich City last weekend.

At least being at home should give them a real chance to get back on the horse and Leicester City are also going to be benefit from having Jamie Vardy return. This should boost their chances and coupled with the poor run Aston Villa are on it is no surprise the home team are favoured to win this one.

Aston Villa beat Leicester City with a late goal in the League Cup Semi Final Second Leg, but they have lost 4 in a row in all competitions since then and have been conceding far too many goals. Back to back away losses at Bournemouth and Southampton and the kind of performances produced are a massive concern for Dean Smith who saw his team slip to 19th in the Premier League table after results last weekend.

The confidence of beating Leicester City in the League Cup will help, especially as those memories are quite fresh, but this is a tough test for Aston Villa.

Asking relegation threatened clubs to out-score opponents to win games is a hard way to make a living and I do think Leicester City will be too strong. Motivation won't be a problem and the chance to regain complete control of one of the Champions League places on offer in the Premier League should focus the mind too.

The amount of goals conceded by Aston Villa in recent weeks means I will back Leicester City to get back to winning ways in the League and cover the Asian Handicap in the process.

Score: Leicester City 3-1 Aston Villa



Fantasy Football GameWeek 29
*KLAXON* It's time for another DGW!!

Manchester City and Arsenal are both playing twice this week after seeing their Premier League game rescheduled for Wednesday.

Most are going to have at least one player involved, but I would not be surprised if hits have to be taken to bring in a second or third player.

Clouding things is the status of Kevin De Bruyne who was set as a doubt by Pep Guardiola and that has to be a concern for all owners. I am one of those, although it was not enough to make me think removing him from my team was the right play.

Pep Guardiola has taken over from Sir Alex Ferguson in being very difficult to second guess, the new 'Tombola Operator' if you will.

In saying that my decisions were made much easier when the news broke that Alisson had been ruled out- it meant I could bring in a City defender (goalkeeper in this case) which would allow me to have just enough funds to move Roberto Firmino into Sergio Aguero.

Taking a hit is not ideal, but I am comfortable enough doing it in this case even if it is hard to trust Pep Guardiola to resist making wholesale changes between games. However it is a risk worth taking with the way things are shaking up and of course Aguero will be given the Captaincy armband.

Next week I am going to look at potential plans for the chips I have remaining, and that includes holding onto my Triple Captain chip for another week.



My GW29 Team
Ederson- two games this week and needed a definite replacement for an injured Alisson.

Serge Aurier- not sure I think Tottenham Hotspur are a good thing when it comes to clean sheets, but Aurier does produce attacking returns.

Caglar Soyuncu- home game against Aston Villa might see Leicester City turn things around defensively.

Enda Stevens- looks to be passed fit for a Sheffield United home game.

Mohamed Salah- has a good record against Bournemouth.

Kevin De Bruyne- would have been the easy Captain choice if his overall fitness was better going into the weekend.

James Maddison- good fixtures and I do think Leicester City can bounce back.

James Ward-Prowse- home game against Newcastle United and midfielder on set pieces.

Troy Deeney- not an easy game for Watford but Troy Deeney scored and assisted last weekend and will be a threat.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin- a tough away game at Chelsea, but this is a player in the form of his life and can be a threat regardless of fixture.

Sergio Aguero (C)- his record speaks for itself against Manchester United and Arsenal and two goals in two games should mean Aguero is given a chance to play both fixtures.


Bench- Michael McGovern, Adama Traore (injury concern means he might not earn the start), Federico Fernandez, Harry Maguire

Friday, 8 March 2019

Boxing Picks 2019- Dmitry Bivol vs Joe Smith Jr (March 8th-9th)

The Boxing has been exciting in the ring in 2019, but it has not exactly gone to play with the the selections I have made so far.

I was looking to improve on the 2018 season which proved to be a productive one in terms of the final number, but the win-loss ratio certainly could have been improved. So far I am not doing either very well, but another weekend brings us another three big cards beginning with a rare Friday night foray in the United Kingdom.

These Friday night events could become more popular in the months and years ahead if Boxing continues to boom as it has and in a bid to prevent as many card clashes occurring. Unfortunately with a number of networks interested in broadcasting big cards it is just something we have to deal with even if the fans are not going to like it for the most part.

Next week we will get a Friday night show from Philadelphia that is being broadcasted by DAZN in the United States and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. That is a decent looking event, but most Boxing fans will be looking forward to the first truly big fight of 2019 when Errol Spence Jr takes on Mikey Garcia in Dallas.


I will come back and revisit that next week but for now you can see my selections from the Boxing taking place on Friday 8th March and Saturday 9th March below.

I am going to add any selections from the Saturday cards on the day with plenty of time to write them out before those fights go live, but first up you can read my thoughts from a few of the fights taking place on Friday from historic Royal Albert Hall.


Johnny Garton vs Chris Jenkins
The British Welterweight Title will be the first on the line at the Royal Albert Hall and it looks like being a real slugfest between Johnny Garton and Chris Jenkins.

Both men are willing to dig as deep as they need to in order to win fights and I can see the two trading shots for the majority of this Twelve Round bout. Cuts could be a real problem for either Garton or Jenkins and it is perhaps the only way this fight is not going to go the distance and reach the cards.

Johnny Garton is on a run of four stoppages in a row as he looks to defend the Title for the first time, but in general he has not been known as a big puncher. His all action style has earned him the tag of 'The Pexican' and he has been operating at a higher level than Jenkins in the last couple of years.

Chris Jenkins came up short twice when fighting for the Light Welterweight British Title and his cuts could be a real problem. The tough fighter has yet to be stopped in his career, but it has been a while since he has gone into the deep waters of a Twelve Rounder and I think Garton may hit hard enough to just wear him down and get him out of there late.

It could be a fun opening to the night for the television cameras and the most likely outcome is the cards coming into play to determine the winner. However 'The Pexican' has been on a strong run of stoppages and may do just enough to force someone to get involved down the stretch and that has to be worth a small interest.


Daniel Dubois vs Razvan Cojanu
It sounds like Frank Warren is going to be putting his two young Heavyweights in the ring with one another at the back end of 2019 if both Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman keep winning. That is a fight that many want to see to determine which of those Boxers are more likely to go on and perhaps win a World Title, but neither can afford a slip up if they are going to get it on.

Nathan Gorman has already faced and beaten Razvan Cojanu at the back end of 2018 when he filled in for Daniel Dubois who had an illness and had to pull out of the fight.

Now Dubois gets his chance to get into the ring with an opponent who took Joseph Parker to points when coming up short in a World Title bid a little under two years ago. Razvan Cojanu has spoken about being too experienced for Dubois, but it will be interesting to see if the young British Boxer can match Luis Ortiz and actually stopped the rugged Romanian where Parker and Gorman failed.

Last time out Dubois failed to get Kevin Johnson out of there, but the veteran continues to be an excellent spoiler and a good learning curve for young fighters. This is a Ten Rounder compared with the Twelve Rounds both Parker and Gorman had to put into the bank against Cojanu, but my feeling is that this is going to end one of two ways.

Either I think Dubois will land something early and make a real statement in the Division or I have a feeling Cojanu will be experienced enough to reach the final bell but not really threaten to win the fight. The two losses Cojanu has by stoppage both came in the Second Round so there is a chance Dubois catches him early, but I think the veteran will be difficult to stop if he gets through the first Four Rounds.

At that point I expect Cojanu to look for the credit for going the distance with another of the young British Heavyweights without really looking like winning the fight. A small interest in a Dubois win on the cards at a big looking price is the feeling here.


Liam Williams vs Joe Mullender
Some will be surprised that Joe Mullender has been given the chance to fight for the British Middleweight Title on Friday because there really isn't a lot on his record to suggest he should be in this position.

Unfortunately Boxing has long been about levels and I think the current British Champion Liam Williams is someone who is looking upwards and the potential to get a World Title shot rather than defending at the British level.

The dominant win over previously unbeaten Mark Heffron to take the vacant Title shows Williams is capable of seeing off competitors at this level and I expect that to be the case again.

Joe Mullender may show some toughness though having never been stopped and I think he will push forward early on while Williams boxes his way through the Rounds. As we continue and Williams begins to feel more and more comfortable I would then expect the Welshman to begin sitting down on his shots and he can start dishing out some serious punishment to a one paced Mullender who may lose some belief, but won't stop coming forward.

It may be up to the referee or the corner to pull out their man once it begins to get one sided around the start of the Championship Rounds and I will back Williams to get yet another opponent out of there before the final bell. Backing him to find the stoppage in the second half of the fight is my selection.


Anthony Yarde v Travis Reeves
There is clearly a talented and strong Boxer in Anthony Yarde although some have been frustrated by the handbrake progress he has been making in the professional ranks.

Things are going to step up for Yarde in 2019 and there is a feeling that he will finally get in with one of the elite Light Heavyweights, most notably Sergey Kovalev.

It will be a dream that turns to dust if Anthony Yarde is upset by American Travis Reeves who at 38 years old doesn't really have the resume to think he can knock over the bandwagon. He will likely come and give it a go, but Yarde is expected to get going quickly and try and impress the ESPN+ viewers in the United States who will be able to stream this card.

Only a couple of the Boxers Yarde has faced have managed to get through the opening halves of the fight and I think Reeves is going to struggle to do that. Anthony Yarde should be too fresh, too athletic and simply hit too hard and I can see him wiping out Reeves inside the first Five Rounds.

MY PICKS: Johnny Garton to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Daniel Dubois to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Liam Williams to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Anthony Yarde to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)