NBA Playoffs 2025- Second Round Picks Game 5-7 (Tuesday 13th May-Tuesday 20th May)

This has been a really difficult Second Round to negotiate, but it has not been a week in which there has been a lot of luck behind the selections either.

Whether it is some questionable late officiating, or teams blowing monster leads, it has been a Second Round where the NBA product has really been in the limelight and without necessarily interesting viewers as much as it should.

Living, or dying, by the three point shot has become such a feature of the sport, but there are times when it has produced truly ugly performances. On Sunday the Thunder and Nuggets combined to hit 2/33 three pointers taken in a horrible first half and you can see why ratings are down across the board when games are all played in very similar ways.

It also means relying on shooters to perform and that makes the NBA Picks that much more difficult to negotiate and it has been a real down period during this Playoff run.

Every Series is going to have a Game 5 to be played, so the Conference Finals are set to start next week, and we could see at least one upset through the Second Round after the Cleveland Cavaliers fell into a 1-3 hole.

The Oklahoma City Thunder may also be in some danger at 2-2 with the 2023 Champions Denver, although the Thunder have looked the better team and have got home advantage back following a split of two games hosted by the Nuggets.

NBA Playoffs 2025- Second Round Picks Game 5-7 (May 13th-20th)

Tuesday 13th May

Indiana Pacers @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 5 Pick: Just when you think you have an idea of where this Series is heading, the Cleveland Cavaliers came out and produced an embarrassing first half effort.

They had dominated the previous two games, albeit having to settle for a split, and the Cavaliers looked to have momentum with the injured trio of Darius Garland, De'Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley back in the rotation.

None of those players covered themselves in glory and the task looks to have become even greater for the Cleveland Cavaliers after Donovan Mitchell was forced to miss the second half of Game 4. It has been Mitchell keeping the Number 1 Seed from completely unravelling, but without his Offensive firepower, Game 4 got away from the Cavaliers and they are now on the brink of elimination.

Returning home may give the team a boost, but the Cavaliers lost both games played here in the Series and all eyes are on Donovan Mitchell and whether he will be able to suit up.

The MRI will take place on Monday to determine his availability and it will be that much tougher for the Cavaliers if Donovan Mitchell is forced to sit out.

After a couple of poorer outings, the Indiana Pacers regained control of the Series by making the necessary adjustments and they continue to operated as a dangerous Offensive outfit. Spreading the ball around and exploiting the holes in the Defensive scheme helped the Pacers dominate from the opening tip on Sunday evening and they will have little fear of trying to win another road game.

Turnovers were critical in the win on Sunday and it may be asking too much for the Cleveland Cavaliers to cover this mark, especially if Donovan Mitchell is limited at best.

Favourites have not had the best time covering in Game 5 of the Second Round in recent years and those being asked to lay at least 5.5 points are just 11-17 against the spread in this situation.

Teams bouncing back from heavy losses have tended to play well in Game 5, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have been hit hard throughout this Series and they may have to battle right to the wire to simply win, with the cover looking that much tougher to achieve.

Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5 Pick: Are there fatigue issues at play in this Series?

Playing in Denver is always tough, but back to back games hosted by the Nuggets and the early start for the Game 4 clash all factored into the performance of the two teams. There is a bit more rest time before Game 5, which is played back in Oklahoma City, and the top Seed in the Western Conference showed they can win 'clutch' games just as much as they can blow teams away.

This could be a pivotal moment for the Thunder who have to be very happy with how they are performing Defensively, especially with room for improvement on the Offensive side of the court. They have not found it easy against this Championship-hardened Denver team and aside from the Game 2 blowout, it has been an Offensive struggle for the Thunder.

They can thank their Defensive intensity for levelling up this Series and Oklahoma City have to be excited with the way they have controlled and contained Nikola Jokic. You are never going to shut him down, but the Thunder are forcing turnovers and not allowing Jokic to feel any kind of comfort on the court, which is leading to the Serb to push a little too hard.

Denver know they need Nikola Jokic at his best with the others around him contributing in fits and spots, but not showing the consistency that may be needed to win this Series.

The under has been the play in the last two games as the accumulation of basketball has built up and that may be the case again in Game 5.

You can never tell when the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to produce an Offensive masterclass, but it has been a tough Series for the top Seed. Memories of 2024 are perhaps weighing them down a little bit too and both Defensive units will feel they can put enough stops on the board to give their team an opportunity of winning.

The total number has dipped significantly from Game 3, but it may not have gone far enough to avoid a third straight 'under' from coming through.

Wednesday 14th May

New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics Game 5 Pick: No one can ever enjoy seeing an athlete go down with an injury and Jayson Tatum's MRI is going to determine how long the top Boston Celtics player is going to be missing. Not many expect him back for the Playoffs, never mind this Series, but the clearly suffering Tatum could be missing for several months if the injury is nearly as serious as it looked.

The Boston Celtics blew yet another big lead in the second half as they fell to 3-1 behind in this Second Round Series and the defending Champions return home looking to stave off elimination.

Being able to do that without Jayson Tatum is going to be extremely challenging, especially after Tatum was putting together the best performance in the Series in Game 4 and all of the pressure is on his team-mates. They did win eight of ten regular season games that were missed by Tatum and Boston also earned a win over Orlando in the post-season without him, but this is a much sterner test and the Celtics have to be much, much better Defensively if they are going to at least force a Game 6 back at Madison Square Garden.

That was the talk in the Boston locker room having failed to make any kind of stand in the second half of the Game 4 loss and allowing the New York Knicks to have their best Offensive performance of the Second Round by some distance. Losing Jayson Tatum will mean adjustments need to be made on this side of the court having given up too many Offensive Rebounds in Game 4 and the Boston Celtics have to use the energy of the home crowd to try and avoid becoming the latest defending Champion that has failed to reach the Conference Finals in the following season.

New York will feel they have the chance to close the Series as long as they still within touching distance of the Celtics going into the Fourth Quarter.

Clutch play has been the key for the Knicks throughout the Playoffs, but they will just have to be careful about thinking too far ahead or believing they have knocked the fight out of the Celtics, especially with Jayson Tatum expected to be sidelined.

Credit has to be given to the Knicks for fighting back as they have, but it does mean they have been at least 14 points behind in each of the four games played in the Second Round. They will accept that the Boston Celtics can get streaky, but the Knicks arrive here knowing that the favourite has struggled to cover the spread in Game 5 of the Second Round in recent years.

Hosts set as big favourites have had their issues, but the spread is down considerably from Game 1 and 2 after Tatum's injury. This has to be something that the Boston Celtics take inspiration from as they look to keep the Series alive and there remains a feeling that the Celtics will be in a position to have a big lead at some point in Game 5.

They have not been able to close the Knicks down, but you have to believe Boston will double down on the Defensive intensity in this one back at home. The Celtics have not allowed New York to score more than 100 points through the first three games of the Series (in regulation anyway) and the defending Champions may have one last big effort left in them.

Teams that have lost by at least 7 points in Game 4 have bounced back with an 18-6 record against the spread in the last twenty-four occasions that has happened and this Boston team is still good enough to force one more game at Madison Square Garden.

Golden State Warriors @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5 Pick: As soon as Steph Curry left Game 1 with a hamstring issue, the Series took a major shift in favour of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They may have lost the opening game, even with Curry playing just 13 minutes, but Minnesota have been the much better team in the last three games and now stand one win away from a return to the Western Conference Finals.

Draymond Green spoke about not wanting to rush Steph Curry back and instead for the Golden State Warriors to fight for as long as needed before their best player can return to the rotation.

There has been nothing wrong with the effort being put in by the Warriors, but without Curry, the Offensive side of the court has been a real struggle.

The final scoreboard has looked close in the last couple of games, but Minnesota Timberwolves had a 20 point lead in Game 4 moving into the Fourth Quarter and they were never in danger of dropping any of the last three games. Unlike Golden State, the team are looking healthy and in rhythm and the Timberwolves will be looking to close out another veteran, Championship team in five games having done the same to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round.

Being back at home to close the show gives Minnesota the edge and they have been much more comfortable than the Golden State Warriors on both sides of the court. Adjustments made in the second half in Game 4 saw the Timberwolves take complete control of the Series and it is very difficult to know what kind of changes Golden State Head Coach Steve Kerr can make now.

Minnesota just need to clean up some of the turnovers that were allowed in Game 4 and doing that should put them in a position to win this one in a similar manner as to how they crushed Golden State here in Game 2.

On that day, the Timberwolves showed off their depth and they will be keen to avoid having to go back out on the road and instead prepare for the Western Conference Finals. The other Second Round Series is heading for at least six games, so it is a good chance for Minnesota to earn some rest and they might have too much for the Warriors again.

You can never completely rule out the capabilities of a team with the experience that Golden State have, but it feels a tall task without Steph Curry and that has been evident through the last three games.

Thursday 15th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets Game 6 Pick: It has been a real battle of a Second Round Series with the Oklahoma City Thunder trying to show how much they have learnt from their exit in this Round of the Playoffs twelve months ago. With some of the top Eastern Conference teams struggling, a real opportunity has opened up for those in the Western Conference and the Thunder have long looked the team best equipped to win a Championship.

Proving that on the court is always the challenge and the Thunder are being given everything they can handle by the 2023 Champions Denver Nuggets, although the younger Oklahoma City team may feel they have broken the back of the Series with the pivotal Game 5 win.

That makes it back to back wins for the Thunder to take a 3-2 lead, but it is also the manner in which they were able to win Game 5 that feels very important. They were down double digits in the Third Quarter and as many as 8 points behind with less than eight minutes remaining in the Fourth Quarter, while the Thunder then closed with a strong run to show they can come up trumps in the clutch for a second game in a row.

Oklahoma City have shown a real confidence in their depth and you do have to wonder how much the Denver Nuggets have left, even as they prepare to host Game 6 of the Series.

Having struggled at times in the Series, Nikola Jokic produced a massive game for the Nuggets with 44 points scored and 15 boards brought in, but the Thunder were happy to restrict those around the Serb. Jamal Murray played his part, but Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr, Christian Braun and Russell Westbrook were a combined 11/39 from the field with 27 points scored and all are going to need to be a lot better if the Nuggets are going to be able to force a Game 7 back in Oklahoma City.

The lack of rest and recovery between games makes that challenging and the two teams may not be as strong as they were Offensively in the last game. Even then, the total points came up short of the line set and we could see something similar in Game 6.

The last fourteen Game 6s played in the Second Round have finished 10-4 in favour of the 'under', while Denver may take some encouragement from the way they have been pushing the Thunder in the last three games. Stronger Defensive effort may be needed to slow down the three point efforts from the Number 1 Seed, which proved to be very important to the final outcome in Game 5, and we could see a bit more fatigue built up in this one.

It can only aid the chances of this Game 6 finishing below the total points line set and that is the play for a second straight time in this Series.

Friday 16th May

The Second Round of the Playoffs are coming to a close and it has been a frustrating Round for the NBA Picks.

It really hasn't helped that a meaningless bucket at the end of another Minnesota-Golden State game has turned a winning selection into a push or a losing selection. The numbers could have been considerably different with some late drama being avoided, but it is what it is and we have to focus on the two Series that are still being played with the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves waiting in the Conference Finals.

Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks Game 6 Pick: It should not have come as a great surprise that the defending Champions Boston Celtics had a big response to falling 3-1 down in this Second Round Series and knowing that star player Jayson Tatum has a long recovery time in front of him.

Being at home would have helped the team rally together, but they now have to travel to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 on Friday evening and forcing a 'win or go home' game back at the TD Garden is going to be a huge challenge.

There was a lot to like from Game 5 with the likes of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White helping the team open quickly.

However, the spark really came from Luke Kornet from the bench who had 10 points and 9 Rebouns, while adding 7 Blocks that really got the crowd into the game. It is the kind of impact that players can produce in the Playoffs when playing at home, but the test for Kornet is going to be backing that up in a hostile environment.

There were other big contributors on the night as the Celtics completed their blowout, but now we will see how much the defending Champions really believe in their capabilities of going much further without Jayson Tatum.

New York will not be panicking with two more shots to close out the Series, although it does feel important to try and close out a Playoff Series at home for the first time this century. The Knicks had actually kept things very close in the first half and looked primed to strike, but Jalen Brunson produced five fouls in the Third Quarter and was gone in the Fourth Quarter, while the Knicks also had Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for long stretches.

Players like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges struggled in Game 5, but they will feel much more comfortable in the home setting and that should help the Knicks. Keeping out of foul trouble is also very important for the Number 3 Seed who know they will be hosting the Indiana Pacers in a revenge Series in the Eastern Conference Finals if they can beat the Celtics.

Looking too far ahead is not something to you come to expect from the Coaching staff of the Knicks and this is a team that will want to try and avoid being down double digits again. They have shown their ability to fight back, but a Tatum-less Boston team should be more manageable for the New York Knicks to deal with now that some of the emotion has been used up.

Madison Square Garden can create some pressure on the home team when the expectations are high, as they will be on Friday, but it does feel like the Celtics role players will have a step back and that will afford the Knicks the opportunity to move through to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sunday 18th May

Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 7 Pick: The late regular season firing of Michael Malone raised eyebrows, but those involved in the decision making already felt justified when the Denver Nuggets came through a Game 7 success in the First Round of the Playoffs.

That does not mean the 2023 Champions would have been happy just to be here and they have played with a genuine belief that they could beat the Number 1 Seed in the Western Conference.

Game 6 saw the Nuggets put together a solid performance having lost the last two games in the Second Round Series and they have forced this elimination game opportunity. With the way the Playoffs have been shaking out, the Nuggets may feel another Championship opportunity will open up if they can upset the odds on Sunday and the team will head back to Oklahoma City with a real confidence around them.

Aaron Gordon pulled up in the Fourth Quarter, but felt pretty confident that the hamstring issue will be dealt with and he will be ready to go. The Nuggets need everyone if they are going beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they will be playing with two days of rest, which is important for a veteran team, and that should also be enough time for Jamal Murray to come through the illness that almost ruled him out of Game 6 on Thursday.

There is plenty of pressure on the young Oklahoma City Thunder and they need a couple of players to come out of a relative slump as they bid to work their way into the Western Conference Finals. Another Second Round defeat in the post-season would be tough to swallow and that does build pressure around a team that missed the first close out opportunity that was available to them.

Adjustments can be made with two days between games, and the Thunder have shown they can come through tough moments to win important games. We may need to see all of that again if they are going to match expectations and surpass the Playoff run of 2024, but it may prove to be another game in which the Oklahoma City Thunder are pushed all the way.

One blowout has been recorded by the Thunder, but the rest of this Series has been incredibly competitive and that may not change.

The last twelve Second Round Series that have had a Game 7 has seen the Game 6 winner go 10-2 against the spread, while the favourite is just 4-8 against the spread. The scoring came thick and fast early in Game 6, which contributed to a relatively comfortable 'over', but Game 7s have tended to be tighter affairs and that makes the points being given to the Denver Nuggets all the more appealing.

Avoiding getting into a hole when the Thunder are rolling is key, but enough has been seen from the Nuggets to believe they can keep this competitive and have a late opportunity to perhaps even upset the odds outright.

MY PICKS: 13/05 Indiana Pacers + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

13/05 Oklahoma City Thunder-Denver Nuggets Under 221 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

14/05 Boston Celtics - 4.5 Points @ 1.90 Betfair Sportsbook (1 Unit)

14/05 Minnesota Timberwolves - 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

15/05 Denver Nuggets-Oklahoma City Thunder Under 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

16/05 New York Knicks - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

18/05 Denver Nuggets + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Second Round: 8-14-1, - 6.64 Units (23 Units Staked, - 28.87% Yield)

First Round: 20-19, - 0.72 Units (39 Units Staked, - 1.85% Yield)

Play In Tournament: 3-3, - 0.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 4.67% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk (Saturday 18th May)

One weekend after one Ukrainian reminded everyone of his greatness, another takes aim to potentially go down as the greatest Boxer to come out of that country.

The Klitschko brothers dominated the Heavyweight scene after Lennox Lewis retired, but neither was able to secure all of the World Titles and officially be known as 'Undisputed'.

Oleksandr Usyk has done that once at Cruiserweight, but there is no doubting that being able to do the same in the Heavyweight Division would cement his name in history. Surpassing the achievements of the brothers (Klitschko, just in case Steve Bunce is unsure) would be huge alone, but becoming the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since the days of Lennox Lewis will put Usyk's name right along all of the previous greats of the Division.

Of course Tyson Fury will have a lot to say about that and a fight that has been long talked about, but delayed and delayed, is finally about to take place.

Vasyl Lomachenko once again became a World Champion last week and he has long targeted becoming Undisputed in the Lightweight Division and will look to march towards that goal.

There is little doubt he is in the back end of his long, successful career, but there may still be a road to Undisputed for Lomachenko having come up just a little short in previous attempts.

It was a dominant display against George Kambosos Jr and one where The Matrix looked back to his best.

He will have options now- Shakur Stevenson is the obvious one, but the WBO World Title is going to be contested this weekend and Denys Berinchyk would love to upset Emanuel Navarrete and then potentially Unify against his countryman. The story will be there with the two compatriots not on speaking terms after both are seen in different lights by Ukrainians at the moment, but beating Navarrete will be far from easy.

Denzil Bentley was also back in action last weekend and comfortably beat Danny Dingum- the key is to be active now, and not wait for any rematch with Nathan Heaney, especially as Bentley is operating in a wide open Middleweight Division that is lacking the star power we have come to expect.

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk

November 13th 1999... That is the last time we have had an Undisputed World Title fight in the most prestigious Division in Boxing.

Back then it was a three Belt era, with the WBO World Title very lightly regarded, but for the first time we will have all four major World Titles on the line when Tyson Fury puts his WBC Belt on the line with Oleksandr Usyk's Unified Belts.

Everything is on the line on Saturday- the Ring Magazine Belt, the Lineal Champion, and Saudi Arabia will be offering the winner a new Undisputed Belt.

Almost immediately we are going to expect the IBF World Title to be dropped by the winner of this one, but there will be no doubt for anyone that the winning fighter is the King of the Heavyweight Division and the best of this generation.

It has been a long time coming.

Even with the Saudi involvement, there have been two delays to the scheduled date for this Undisputed Bout, but we look to be there now and both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk know how much is on the line.

After becoming the Undisputed Cruiserweight World Champion, it was clear that Usyk would be looking to move into the Heavyweight Division. Questions remained whether he had the size to take on the giants of the Division, but Usyk has taken the right steps and wins over Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua (twice) and Daniel Dubois show a fighter that is well accustomed to the new Division.

This feels like another step upwards for the Ukrainian.

There have been some critics of the Tyson Fury resume, including the likes of Eddie Hearn, but the win over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 is unmatched by any other fighter of this generation. Two wins over Deontay Wilder, and a controversial draw, shows that Fury is someone who can raise his game when he needs to and putting too much stock into the Francis Ngannou performance would be a mistake.

You do have to wonder if the miles have piled up on the clock considering the fluctuations in weight and a slightly less fleet of foot fighter that Tyson Fury has become, but he is still a very good Boxer and his size makes him tough to beat.

The reach and the weight could be key factors in favour of Fury, but you know Oleksandr Usyk is going to make him work, mentally and physically, for every second they are in the ring together. That is something that might be a little alien to Tyson Fury, but he may use all of his advantages to try and tie up Usyk, lean on him and see if he can sap some of the energy of the naturally smaller man.

Oleksandr Usyk will be moving, but he will not be running, and that is going to be important for him. Standing up to some of Anthony Joshua's biggest shots will certainly have given him confidence and trying to bait Fury into a mistake might be a key plan to try and steal some of the Rounds.

The feeling is that this is going to be a very tough to score fight- both are twitchy, both will be looking to pop and move and the suggestion is that we are going to see a real tactical battle.

This may actually favour Tyson Fury- with all of the talk from the organisers of this event about how keen they are to see Fury in with Anthony Joshua, the nagging feeling is that any close Rounds may see the judges lean to the 'home' fighter, in this case the one that makes the most money going forward.

I would hate for a controversial finish, but March 13th 1999 cannot be forgotten.

That was the first fight between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield which was controversially ruled a draw and I think the Rounds will be close enough where you may end up seeing people make a case for either side earning the Decision.

A draw cannot be ruled out again, especially with a rematch already set, while tight, competitive, chess style Rounds certainly open the door for intepretation.

Ruling out Tyson Fury from finding a special performance after a poor one would be a massive mistake, while I have so much time for Oleksandr Usyk.

This honestly feels like it will be a close fight and one that you should sit back and enjoy from a technical stance and just for the history it is making.

Gun to the head, I think I might just finally be leaning on Tyson Fury to edge to the victory- it just feels he is the one that more people invested in the fight would want to see come out on top for future massive events, and so close Rounds may see Judges look his way.

It would just be fitting for the occasion for a fair result to be handed out, but it is Boxing and there are always other factors at play.

Much like the other events we have seen in Saudi Arabia, and now including the card that has been signed off in Los Angeles and the expected card at Wembley Stadium, we have a very solid undercard to the main event.

Jai Opetaia is considered a Cruiserweight who will soon be looking to move up to Heavyweight himself, but for now he will be looking to regain the IBF World Title that was controversially stripped from him in December when he took on Ellis Zorro on the 'Day of Reckoning' card in Riyadh.

It was a bizarre decision at the time and even more bizarre that the IBF will then ask the Australian to fight for the vacant Belt against Mairis Briedis.

For some reason the organisation believed being active was some sort of crime and Jai Opetaia would have been better waiting for Briedis, who had postponed a previous rematch through injury. We are finally getting that rematch after Opetaia upset the Latvian in July 2022, but Mairis Briedis has not had a single Round of action since that defeat.

The younger man has had two fights since then which have lasted a total of Five Rounds, but you do have to wonder what kind of motivation Mairis Briedis will be bringing to the ring on Saturday.

He has been busy chasing Jake Paul, which is bizarre enough on its own, and it does feel like Briedis has one foot out of the sport.

That is not good news against a hungry, hard hitting fighter like Jai Opetaia who came through a broken jaw in the upset over the former Champion.

Becoming the first fighter to Stop Mairis Briedis would be some achievement and it could push Jai Opetaia on the road to collecting all of the Belts in the Division before any potential move to Heavyweight. If the Latvian has just lost a bit of love for the sport, Opetaia may just break him down and it might even end with Briedis calling it a day on his stool at some point after halfway when the fight may seem beyond him.

Two Heavyweights who impressed on the 'Day of Reckoning' card in December meet with their unbeaten records on the line.

Agit Kabayel removed Arslanbek Makhmudov's unbeaten record in a Fourth Round Stoppage as the underdog and he is in the same spot against Cuban Flash Frank Sanchez.

Inactivity has been a real problem for Kabayel, but that last win has to be respected.

However, he is now facing a very good fighter in Frank Sanchez who has the Boxing skills to really frustrate his unbeaten opponent. The win over Efe Ajagba has only looked better and better and the suggestion is that Sanchez will be capable of negating some of the Agit Kabayel qualities to earn a Decision win.

One of the more surprising 'favourites' of the Saudi Arabian organisers is Mark Chamberlain and he gets another chance to impress on a card here.

He has showcased some real power in recent fights, but takes on Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab who took Liam Dillon to the cards and was only just beaten for the first time.

This is a step up in weight for the Nigerian and that may end up showing up on the night, although it may take Chamberlain a little longer to break him down.

It should be noted that Mark Chamberlain has not had a Stoppage after the Fifth Round with three fights that have gone beyond that Round all reaching the cards. You do have to wonder if the power carries, but being the naturally bigger man may just play a part and this is the first Twelve Rounder of his career so the British fighter may just warm into the bout and wear down an opponent coming up in weight and class of opponent.

The expectation is that Joe Cordina will defend his World Title against a tough opponent in Anthony Cacace, but it could be closer than anticipated.

Moses Itauma should continue to steamroll his way towards the top of the Division, although hopes of becoming the youngest Heavyweight World Champion of all time may be fading.

The one fight that did intrigue is the return of Sergey Kovalev who takes on Robin Sirwan Safar- the latter would have been the stronger favourite if he had been more active, especially as Kovalev is not the fighter he once was. However, this could be something of a shoot out and they say power is the last thing to go for any fighter.

He is also a quality Boxer when at his best, but backing him to earn the upset might be too risky.

Over in the United States, Emanuel Navarrete is expected to win another World Title in another Division as the feeling remains that his promoters are continuing to match him very well.

His hand has been fixed up after the draw with Robson Conceicao, one fight that some felt Navarrete had lost, and he is fighting an unbeaten Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk who will be motivated by seeing his compatriots doing so well.

It could be much closer than the odds suggest.

MY PICKS: Jai Opetaia to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.87 Coral (1 Unit)

Frank Sanchez to Win by Decision @ 2.62 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Mark Chamberlain to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 21-30, + 18.17 Units (71 Units Staked, + 25.59% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (May 18-19)

The short turnaround from GameWeek 36 to GameWeek 37 is a difficult one for players, but I expect the home teams to be given a huge boost from the returning fans.

You can read my thoughts on the fixtures to be played over the next two days as well as my Fantasy plans for this GameWeek having been hit with another injury.

Manchester United v Fulham Pick: The Premier League is winding down over the next few days and this is the last home game Manchester United will be playing this season.

Like the rest of the clubs in the Division, the final home game will be played in front of the supporters who have been locked out of their grounds since March 2019 and there sounds like being around 10,000 Manchester United fans at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Unlike other clubs, those fans might be ready to remind the owners of their disgust at their stewardship, but I also think they will get behind the players who are looking to end this campaign with silverware. Manchester United have lost back to back games at Old Trafford, but they will be looking for some momentum to take them towards the Europa League Final and this looks a very good opportunity to get back to winning ways.

I expect Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to pick a strong line up in a bid to get back to winning ways, and he might not have been able to select a much better opponent.

Fulham have gone down with a whimper and the team are really struggling to be competitive at both ends of the field. They are allowing big chances and not creating as much as they were a few weeks ago and it is no surprise that recent defeats have come in comfortable fashion on the scoreboard.

The latest was the 3-1 defeat at Southampton and I do think the Fulham squad are perhaps not very focused at the moment. Many of them will be returning to their parent clubs having been on loan at Fulham and that means there is some uncertainty about their futures, a distraction that could see Fulham struggle in their remaining two fixtures.

Defeats in 7 of their last 8 Premier League games and in 3 of their last 4 away Premier League games is a huge blow for Fulham's confidence. They have a really poor record at Old Trafford and I think the push from the supporters will see Manchester United come through with a relatively comfortable win on the day.

Manchester United had won 5 in a row at home before the back to back losses to Champions League chasing Leicester City and Liverpool, but Fulham are not of that quality. The home team should have the attacking players to break down the Fulham defences and I think it will result in a win by a couple of goals on the day.

Southampton v Leeds United Pick: Both Southampton and Leeds United might still be chasing spots above them in the Premier League table, but in the main these two clubs have nothing to lose when they face each other on Tuesday afternoon.

That can only be good news for the neutrals with two managers who like to see their teams get forward and cause problems for opponents in the home and away dugout. Both Ralph Hasenhuttl and Marcelo Bielsa like to see their teams press the opponent into mistakes, but also get forward in numbers and I think Southampton and Leeds United could produce some fireworks for the home fans who are finally back at St Mary's.

There are some quality attacking players on the field playing in both home and away colours and an early goal would really spark the fixture.

Goals have been flowing in recent Southampton and Leeds United games and you would think an early goal would really open this entire fixture up. The two teams are scoring plenty, but they are looking far from watertight at the back which makes picking a winner a little more difficult, although everything is pointing to this being one of those high-scoring end of season games.

When Leeds United hosted Southampton, three goals were shared out.

In each of their last 2 Premier League fixtures coming into this one, there has been four goals shared out in those and the chances are that this fixture leans towards that mark again. Neither team is likely going to sit on a lead unless we are down to the final minutes and that attacking enterprise should see a few goals shared out on the day.

Brighton v Manchester City Pick: This should be a decent game of football with the styles that both Graham Potter and Pep Guardiola implement on their teams.

When Manchester City and Brighton met earlier this season, Guardiola was very complimentary with the performance of the latter although his Manchester City team continue to get the better of Brighton.

Manchester City have won all 7 Premier League games and also a FA Cup Semi Final against Brighton since the latter returned to the top flight. The 1-0 win earlier this season was closer than expected, but Manchester City have won 1-4 and 0-5 in their last two visits to the Amex Stadium and injuries in the home camp certainly make them vulnerable.

Brighton did dig in and earn a result against West Ham United, but Manchester City showed against Newcastle United that standards have not slipped despite winning the Premier League title. That was a much changed Manchester City team, but I would expect the manager to pick stronger elevens in the final two Premier League games to make sure key players are well prepared for the Champions League Final.

Both Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez look to be influential figures for Manchester City in the Champions League Final but have played very few minutes in the last couple of Premier League games. That rest should mean they are available for selection and ready to go in the final two Premier League games and I expect Manchester City to have a bit too much for a Brighton team who have just slowed down in the underlying numbers in recent games.

Brighton are unbeaten in 4 at home which makes them a confident team, but they were a little fortunate to hold West Ham United on Saturday.

Now they face a Manchester City team who have won 12 in a row away from home in the Premier League and I do think the visitors will have a bit too much for them here. Chances should be created by the Champions and I think their performances in visits to the Amex Stadium suggests they will be able to win this game by a couple of goals on the day.

Chelsea v Leicester City Pick: The FA Cup Final has been won by Leicester City and they should have a big mental edge going into this pivotal top four clash at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Brendan Rodgers will know he is still going to be judged on whether or not his Leicester City can avoid another late collapse to fall out of the top four places and this is a big game for them. The results over the last eight days have given Leicester City control of one of the top four positions, but a defeat would leave them vulnerable and they are likely going to be without Jonny Evans.

The leadership will be missed, but Leicester City will feel they were able to defend against Chelsea with a lot of success on Saturday even after Evans was forced off. That will be encouraging, although Leicester City will want to pose more of an attacking threat having scored a special goal to win the Cup Final but not really creating a lot else.

Thomas Tuchel's team are under pressure after back to back 0-1 defeats with the lack of consistency in the final third hurting Chelsea. They play a lot of good football, but the final pass or finish has let them down and anything less than a win on Tuesday will give Leicester City and Liverpool the advantage in the race for a top four finish.

Pressure has only increased after losing the FA Cup Final, but Chelsea will feel they have been defending well enough to at least contain Leicester City in this one.

The Cup Final was a tight, competitive contest and I can only see this Premier League game following suit. Chelsea had the better of the chances on Saturday and I would not be surprised if they did win this one, but Leicester City can dig in and try and counter their hosts which will suit their game.

An early goal could spark the game, but Chelsea games have been tight in recent weeks and the margins are very fine in their performances. I expect the manager to still want his team to be largely secure defensively and hope for something to break in the final third, but Leicester City can keep this one close and then look to exploit spaces if Chelsea get desperate.

Goals might end up being at a premium on Tuesday evening and I think another tight final scoreline will be in the offing.

Everton v Wolves Pick: Two out of form teams meet on Wednesday in the Premier League and ambitions for both Everton and Wolves have not been met so far this season.

Ultimately it is too late for Wolves who are set for a bottom half finish as injuries have hurt what has been small squad in recent seasons. That was always the worry for Wolves and this summer the transfer window is going to be important to strengthen in order to perform much higher up the standings next time around.

There is still the faintest of hopes for Everton to earn a top seven finish and a return to European Football, but the 0-1 defeat to Sheffield United has likely ended those barring upsets and other results going their way. At this point the sole focus has to be on winning this Premier League game, but it is very difficult to trust Everton considering their lack of goals and performances at Goodison Park.

However, there is the boost of playing this fixture in front of supporters and that may just push Everton to ending their run without a victory here. They are also facing a Wolves team who are struggling for consistency and who have had a hard time scoring goals without Raul Jimenez.

Pace in the final third makes Wolves potentially dangerous, but Everton should be able to create chances in this game. They have not capitalised on those in recent games, and the first goal is going to be critical in this one between two out of form and unconfident teams.

Everton should have the slightly superior attacking options though and I think they may just edge this. They are not easy to trust considering form at home, but the supporters can push Everton over the line in this one and I think they can earn the three points.

Newcastle United v Sheffield United Pick: You would be foolish to ignore Sheffield United’s win at Everton on Sunday, but the underlying numbers suggest this team have been out of their League this season and on another day they would not have secured a positive result.

The squad are trying and they are playing with relative ease, but Sheffield United were fortunate that Everton made some big mistakes which ultimately cost them at both ends of the field.

They may have the same outcome on Wednesday when travelling to Newcastle United, but the home team have been playing with real attacking intent and have been creating and scoring chances. Losing Callum Wilson is a blow for Steve Bruce and his team, but Newcastle United have been scoring goals and that makes them very dangerous.

It is a significant edge over Sheffield United who simply don’t offer the same attacking threat on a consistent basis and I think that is going to be the key difference here.

A place in the Premier League has been secured so the Newcastle United fans should be fully behind their players without putting them under undue pressure and that is key for the home team.

Winning has not been easy for Newcastle United all season, but they do score goals and that is likely going to help them secure the points here against a goal-shy Sheffield United team. At St James’ Park in particular Newcastle United have got forward and scored goals and I think they will secure a narrow victory on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Pick: The Europa League may not be a top priority for clubs in England, but playing in any kind of European competition is important for Tottenham Hotspur with the extra revenue generated for the club not to be ignored.

The new format of the competition may also make life a little easier for those clubs involved in the Europa League and Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for two wins this week to confirm their top six finish in the Premier League.

This does look the 'easier' of the two fixtures left as Tottenham Hotspur complete their home schedule with fans back in the stands. The side have won 6 of their last 7 at home in the Premier League which includes all 3 games played here under Ryan Mason and the manager has tended to pick attacking teams to get Spurs on the front foot.

Aston Villa's poor second half of the season has seen them struggle having overperformed the numbers earlier this campaign. They have returned closer to the mean over the last couple of months, although losing Jack Grealish to injury was a severe blow for the team.

Jack Grealish may start this game which will give Aston Villa more of a threat going forward and especially against a vulnerable Tottenham Hotspur defence. However, Spurs will definitely feel confident in breaking down the Aston Villa defence which has given up some big chances in recent matches and who have lost 3 of their last 5 away Premier League games.

The visitors are conceding too many goals of late and Tottenham Hotspur have the attacking talent to hurt them. Spurs have won their last couple of games at home with comfortable scores and they have been creating enough chances to believe they can win this one with some relative comfort too.

Crystal Palace v Arsenal Pick: In general terms this looks like a London derby with very little on the line for both Crystal Palace and Arsenal, although the latter will be looking to keep the pressure on those teams in the European places and at least have a chance of a top seven finish on the final day of the season.

Some of that is out of their hands, but Arsenal have won their last 3 away Premier League games without conceding a goal and will believe they can earn a victory here and then hope Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United slip up.

Crystal Palace have secured Premier League Football and they are not able to finish in the top half, but motivation for the players will be playing in front of supporters. The fans have been missed at Selhurst Park, while another motivation is giving Roy Hodgson the send off he deserves after the manager announced he will be leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the season.

On Sunday the players showed they are willing to fight for their manager even with very little to play for and they came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-2. In their last few Premier League games, Crystal Palace have been playing with attacking freedom and creating chances and they have given Arsenal plenty to think about in recent matches between the clubs.

Arsenal have been finishing the Premier League season with momentum which makes them dangerous, but they were a touch fortunate to secure a 0-1 win at Chelsea last week. The team are well rested which makes life more difficult for Crystal Palace, but I think the motivation to perform for their retiring manager will see The Eagles put up plenty of fight and I would be surprised if they are seen off easily on their current form.

Burnley v Liverpool Pick: You do have to wonder if fate is on Liverpool's side having scored a late winner at West Brom and through the goalkeeper no less.

That victory means Liverpool are favourites to finish in the top four positions in the Premier League, but Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a little more composure when it comes to the final third. His team created enough chances to win at The Hawthorns without the need for an injury time strike, but Liverpool need to be more clinical in the final third.

They could be facing the right opponent on Wednesday as they take on a Burnley team that have conceded eight goals in their last 3 at Turf Moor. The latest result on this ground saw Burnley beaten 0-4 by Leeds United this past Saturday, although Sean Dyche will feel his team did enough in the final third to have scored on the day and at least put some pressure on their visitors.

Burnley have posed an attacking threat and will feel this Liverpool defence is plenty vulnerable to their front two. It will give Burnley a chance of an upset and the fans will also be in the Stadium to give the players another boost, but Burnley have struggled when hosting Liverpool who have plenty of attacking threats of their own.

In recent games Burnley have struggled defensively and could be without Nick Pope again which is a huge blow for them.

I do think Burnley will cause problems for Liverpool, but the visitors are creating plenty of chances and a little more composure could lead to a comfortable win on the day. Liverpool have won 1-3 and 0-3 in their last couple of visits to Turf Moor and I think they are likely going to match those margins in this fixture as they look to move into the top four before the final fixture to be played this Sunday.

West Brom v West Ham United Pick: There might not be much for West Brom to play for, but they showed their desire in the narrow defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. The big question has to be how much that fixture has taken out of the players, although any sense of fatigue can only be replaced by the adrenaline boost the fans should be able to give the squad on Wednesday.

Returning fans is huge for clubs and players and I do think West Brom will be able to cause some problems for West Ham United. At home they have been creating chances, although defensively it has been hard work for The Baggies and Sam Allardyce has not been able to make them much tougher at the back.

The manager will be looking to get one over one of his former employers though and I think he will pick a West Brom team that will look to make life tough for a West Ham United team who need the points.

That need does bring a pressure of its own and West Ham United have struggled just as it looked like they might surprisingly push for one of the Champions League places on offer in the Premier League. They have won just 1 of their last 5 Premier League games and West Ham United have lost 3 of those which makes it difficult to pick them to win at odds on.

I imagine those prices are based on West Ham United 'needing' to win, but this is a squad that has just struggled in recent weeks. They are still favourites to earn a place in Europe, but West Ham United are under pressure to pick up a result before hosting Southampton in front of their fans this weekend.

West Ham United did play well at Brighton and create the better chances, but they are vulnerable at the back and they could be exposed by their hosts if getting desperate.

This has the makings of a tense game and I think both teams will have their chances with the first goal likely to be very important. Either way I would be surprised if West Brom capitulate in their final home game and with the fans behind them and I think they can at least push West Ham United all the way.

MY PICKS: Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Leeds United Over 3.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1 Asian Handicap

Chelsea-Leicester City Under 2.5 Goals

Everton

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace + 1 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.75 Asian Handicap

West Brom + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 37

I had to take a hit in GameWeek 36 with the four teams blanking on FA Cup Final Weekend, but even then I ended up with only nine players producing minutes.

To pick up 47 points (- 8 for hits) was a decent enough return, but the injury sustained by Diogo Jota has ruled him out of the season so it really was a poor transfer decision.

Unsurprisingly Jota is going to be replaced by me this week and I am targeting Raphinha from Leeds United as the replacement- I mentioned last week that Leeds United had three relatively good looking fixtures to play and the 0-4 win at Burnley on Saturday suggests Marcelo Bielsa has his team ready to produce a big finish.

Raphinha has only recently returned from an injury which may mean minutes being managed over the last week, but I would be surprised if he does not start both remaining games. Bringing him in also means I can likely make solid changes for the final GameWeek of the season and produce a strong eleven to conclude this Fantasy season, especially as I get to leave some money in the bank ahead of GameWeek 38.

I will put up my GameWeek 37 team on Twitter at around 5:30pm, but remember the deadline is an hour earlier on Tuesday.

Boxing Picks 2019- Deontay Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale (May 18th)

The last weekend might not have offered the kind of Boxing that had the casuals engrossed, but whenever two belts are being defended in a Division like the Light-Middleweight one you have got to stand up and take notice.

Jarrett Hurd might have been the big favourite, but Julian Williams deserved his win in what has to be the best fight I have watched in 2019. Neither man took a backwards step, but Williams showed he has learned plenty from his sole loss to Jermall Charlo and he deserves to be set amongst the very best in the Division.

A rematch has to be next on the agenda for both, although it may depend on what happens in the already scheduled rematch between Tony Harrison and Jermell Charlo coming up next month. If Charlo wins there is every chance we get to see a third fight between those two, although there is an easy story to put together if a Unification with Williams is made having seen twin brother already beat J-Rock.

Emanuel Navarrette and Miguel Bercholt both made good on their first wins over Isaac Dogboe and Francisco Vargas by stopping those opponents faster than they did in the initial bouts. Both are moving on looking for big names in and around their Divisions, while Dogboe's bubble may have burst even at 24 years old.

He is talking about moving up a Division, but Dogboe is blessed with a big heart and not the same stature and that makes it hard to see how he is really competitive when moving up weights.

This Saturday we have some decent looking fights on paper and one exceptional one in Glasgow.

I am very high on Josh Taylor so am looking forward to seeing if he can become a World Champion in the World Boxing Super Series Semi Final against Ivan Baranchyk which takes place in Scotland. On the same night Billy Joe Saunders is hoping to pick up the WBO Super Middleweight Title which has been left vacant since Gilberto Ramirez made it clear he is moving to Light Heavyweight.

Later on is the WBC Heavyweight Title fight between Deontay Wilder and Dominic Breazeale- I've had my say on the farcical nature of the top of the Heavyweight Division after what has been a solid eighteen months to reinvigorate interest up to the Wilder vs Tyson Fury fight last December. As I have said before, I am not sure any of the top three will be facing each other in 2019 and to be fair to Wilder this may be the best of the fights the three have lined up over the next month.

Last week the Boxing Picks went 1-2, but once again a slight profit can be added to the numbers which continue to be turned around after a poor start to 2019. Not for the first time I was one more second from a winner as a fighter was retired in the corner between Rounds, but I do think I  am on the right road.

One Pick was pretty shoddy and very quickly looked to be the wrong choice so I am not going to complain about that one at all.

Joe Joyce vs Alexander Ustinov

There hasn't been a lot of exciting news from the very top of the Heavyweight Division, but there are a number of UK fighters who are trying to position themselves into a spot where they could be tasked with fighting one of the top three names out there.

One of those who has seemingly spoken about being in a rush to get to the top is Joe Joyce who was late to the professional game after having a decent amateur career. At 32 years old time is not on the side of Joyce who wants to fight for big titles, while I have to say I am not sold on him at all as being capable of challenging the best in this Division.

And not for the first time Joyce seems to be someone that promoters are struggling to know what to do with. Now he has aligned with Frank Warren and it sounds like he is hoping to go the WBA route by picking up their Regular Title and then perhaps facing Anthony Joshua for the 'Super Champion' Belt.

The fact he keeps moving promoters and trainers is a concern, but Joyce has continued winning and that means he is in a good position to at least give himself a shot at winning a World Title. I can't see him beating those top guys as I have said, but I think he will be matched up well and that begins with this fight against Alexander Ustinov.

A couple of fights ago Ustinov fought for what was then the vacant WBA Regular Title, but he was beaten by Manual Charr and was dropped in that fight. His last outing saw the 42 year old battered for nine Rounds before Michael Hunter was able to force the stoppage and I think the fact that Joyce is basically the same size means Ustinov is going to take more of a beating in this one than he did against Hunter.

Joe Joyce doesn't have the speed of Hunter, but this shouldn't be anything more than a showcase fight for the Brit who is out for a second time in 2019. He is expected back out in July on the big Daniel Dubois vs Nathan Gormon card that Frank Warren is putting together so Joyce won't want to be overly taxed in this one.

He doesn't hit as hard as his eight Knock Outs from eight fights may suggest, but I don't think Ustinov will be hard to find. It took Joyce Six Rounds to finish of Bermane Stiverne, but I think this one might be slightly quicker and backing him to get the job done in the first half of the fight is the pick.

Billy Joe Saunders vs Shefat Isufi

When you boil things down to the bottom line you can't help but be disappointed with Billy Joe Saunders' career so far.

No one can dispute the obvious talent Saunders has, but he has had too many long lay-offs and losing his WBO Middleweight Belt without fighting thanks to a failure of a drugs test only adds to the frustrations.

So much more was expected of Saunders, but that talent I mentioned means promoters are not ready to give up on him. He can become a real player at 160 and 168 if he can knuckle down and become a two weight World Champion, although Saunders may have to wait in line to get his crack at some of the biggest names out there like he wants to.

He is a big favourite to beat Shefat Isufi on Saturday and there is nothing Isufi has done in his career to really think he is going to upset the odds. The Serbian born German fighter might show some toughness and he will want to demonstrate he belongs at this level, but his skills shouldn't really be a match for Saunders who has beaten much better company than the one he is facing on Saturday.

The layers seem to think it is going to be an early night for Saunders, but I think Isufi might show a little more desire to compete than it is believed. He has three losses on his resume, but only one of those came in a stoppage when the corner pulled him out and so Isufi has to be respected in this one.

Only thirteen of Saunders' twenty-seven wins have come by stoppage and it does feel like this could be a fight that sees him coasting to a comfortable win on the cards. I can see Isufi demonstrating enough heart to keep going, but Saunders should be winning the Rounds and I think the question then becomes how much the visiting fighter will want it.

If he is down by a healthy margin going into the Tenth or Eleventh Round there is a chance the corner will want to shut it down. However I think Isufi's team may feel going the distance is a win for their man and I am going to have a small interest on the visitor hearing the bell, but Billy Joe Saunders ending the night as a two weight World Champion.

The new partnership with Ben Davison has seen Saunders get into fantastic shape for this fight and I think he will be pushing to finish this fight where he can. But Davison is also showing off his tactical nous as a Head Trainer and I think he will keep Saunders grounded and make sure he is not chasing a KO but winning every Round and showing the rest of the Division, and those below at Middleweight, that his man is ready for the big fights as soon as September.

Naoya Inoue vs Emmanuel Rodriguez

I have been critical of some of the cards that have been offered to the UK fans in 2019, but this one in Glasgow from the World Boxing Super Series deserves all the credit it is given.

It is not often that we can get to see a special fighter like Naoya Inoue on these shores and especially not when he is going up against a non-British opponent. 'The Monster' is on most pound for pound top ten lists and some would have him much higher than that as he continues to wreak havoc in the lower weight Divisions.

He came up to Bantamweight and ripped the WBA World Title from Jamie McDonnell and then defended it impressively in the Quarter Final of this tournament. Now Inoue has the chance to become a Unified Bantamweight World Champion and there are some major doors opening to the Japanese star.

Remaining focused is the key for Inoue who will know those same doors will be slammed shut if he is upset in this Semi Final. He is fighting an unbeaten World Champion in Emmanuel Rodriguez as they both chase to Unify the WBA Belt with the IBF one the Puerto Rican holds, but Inoue is a strong favourite and has been speaking with a lot of confidence this week.

Rodriguez has the confidence of being unbeaten, but there have been one or two signs that he is also appreciating the size of the task in front of him. It was a tougher than expected Quarter Final win for Rodriguez against Jason Moloney and I do think the early Rounds are going to be tough for him as he has to deal with the kind of power that he won't have seen too often even though Inoue has come up to this weight.

Most have not been able to keep Inoue off them and many have struggled to get out of the first half of fights. It would be a stunner if Inoue is able to make it three straight First Round stoppages, but I do think Rodriguez may be in a tough spot here and Inoue is capable of finding the stoppage in the first half of the bout.

Emmanuel Rodriguez is a decent fighter, but this is a step up and so far this week he has not looked like someone who is as confidence as his words. Getting out of the first half of the fight may be difficult once he feels the power coming his way and I think Inoue can be backed to earn the early stoppage as he has become accustomed in doing.

Josh Taylor vs Ivan Baranchyk

The IBF World Champion may be Ivan Baranchyk, but Josh Taylor is the significant favourite in this World Boxing Super Series Semi Final and he was also Seeded higher in the 'draw'.

Most in the UK have been aware of the talent of Taylor and he has been the leading contender to join the World Champion list for some time. Entering the World Boxing Super Series has given Taylor the platform to really showcase his talents and prove he is one of the best fighters in Britain, but that ability may have increased tenfold with the news that Sky Sports will be offering this fight live to their subscribers.

For the most part Taylor has been fighting on channels that may not really be able to promote him the same way and I do think this is a coming out party for him.

The Semi Final being hosted in Glasgow upset the defending Champion though and Baranchyk is heading over to destroy the Scottish hero in front of his own fans. Anyone called 'The Beast' is going to be pretty easy to sell to the fans and Baranchyk's desire to get forward and pummel opponents is very pleasing on the eye.

I don't think he is going to want to box with Taylor who might be the superior talent as far as skills go, but Baranchyk will want to test the will of his opponent. Ultimately I think that is where he will come up short as I am expecting Taylor to outbox him for large periods of the fight, especially once he gets through the first couple of Rounds to figure out what Baranchyk is bringing to the table.

My opinion is that Taylor is going to take away some of the Baranchyk heart by doing that early enough to make his opponent become very one-dimensional. At that stage I expect Taylor to begin to pepper Baranchyk as he comes forward and there is enough spite in the Brit's shots to think he is going to be the one handing out some punishment the longer the fight goes.

In the second half I am going to expect Taylor to look comfortable on the cards and have slowed down Baranchyk far enough to feel very easy in the ring. From there I think Taylor will be the one dishing out the big shots and he will break the heart of the Champion who will then be saved by the referee or his corner.

The sensible play may be Taylor winning on the cards, especially at home, but I think there is going to be a bigger statement made as he stops a tough opponent in the second half of this one.

Gary Russell Jr vs Kiko Martinez

For the fifth year in a row we are going to be seeing WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr in the ring in the first half of the year. In the last four years that has proven to be his one and only appearance in the ring which is a real shame considering the obvious talent the American has and in a Division where there are some big fights that could be made.

His only loss has to Vasyl Lomachenko looks better all the time and most would have been hoping Russell Jr would have been paired up with Leo Santa Cruz by now to recognise the best fighter in the Division and Unify two of the Belts.

There has been more of a suggestion that Russell Jr will be making at least two appearances in 2019 and that can only be good news for the fans. As I have said before, there is no doubting how good Russell Jr is and he has some fast hands that could be a problem for anyone to deal with.

He has to get through this fight to make the big fights with the likes of Santa Cruz, Josh Warrington, Oscar Valdez and Carl Frampton a reality. And in all honesty this should not be a difficult evening for Russell Jr when he faces Kiko Martinez who has regularly come up short when facing the best in this Division.

Since coming up to 126 Martinez has lost to both Santa Cruz and Warrington, while he has previously been beaten by both Frampton and Scott Quigg at 122. Both Quigg and Santa Cruz have stopped Martinez who now has a lot of miles on the clock ahead of facing Russell Jr.

He has been much more active than the American, but Martinez has also been operating at a much lower level. This is a fight in which the Spaniard is going to be facing some incredibly quick hands and I think Russell Jr will be keen to remind the rest of the Division of what he is capable of by not having to work overtime for the win.

Carl Frampton, Scott Quigg and Leo Santa Cruz all put Martinez down in the first half of their fights against him. Both Quigg and Santa Cruz managed to get him out in the Second and Fifth Round respectively and Russell Jr had won three in a row by stoppage before Joseph Diaz was able to go to the cards twelve months ago.

I think an early onslaught from Russell Jr may put Martinez down in this one and the speed of the combinations may be enough to get the referee to step in. With that in mind and with Russell Jr aiming to be back out in the ring again in 2019 I think this is just going to be a time to show he is still at the peak of his powers and backing him to produce a dominant win is the call.

Deontay Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale

There is some legit bad blood between these two fighters who had an altercation in a hotel lobby in Alabama following a night in which both had won in the ring.

Some of the words from Deontay Wilder in the build up to this one have been unsavoury, but Dominic Breazeale is keeping his cool for now and promising to hand out a punishing defeat to the WBC Heavyweight Champion.

It certainly would be a surprise if there is much of a feeling out process in this one with Breazeale not being as quick or slick as Tyson Fury to really believe he can outbox Wilder for long periods. The Champion will be looking to land his right hand on an opponent who has not always been able to get out of the way of big shots and he has been down enough times in his career to believe Breazeale is going to struggle with the power that Wilder brings to the table.

I also believe Wilder is one of the best finishers out there and if does get to Breazeale early and knock his compatriot down this could be a fight that does not go much beyond that.

Dominic Breazeale seems like a decent bloke to be perfectly honest, but I do think he is far too open defensively and I am not sure Virgil Hunter would have been able to tighten him up. A defeat makes it a long road back for Breazeale considering he has already lost to Anthony Joshua, although he does show plenty of heart in his fights to suggest he can bite down on the gum-shield and try and fight fire with fire.

He does hit hard enough to potentially cause problems for Wilder if the Champion is perhaps pushing too hard for the early Knock Out. I can imagine a situation where Breazeale perhaps rocks Wilder in the early exchanges, but I think the power of Wilder is going to be a telling factor in the potential shoot out between two massive fighters.

Anyone who saw Breazeale's effort against Joshua in a defeat and his heart in the win over Izuagbe Ugonoh will know this is not a fighter who will quit easily. He goes down, but refuses to stay down so this might be a fight with multiple Knock Downs, although I do think Wilder's athleticism is going to be tough to hold off if he does put Breazeale down.

We have seen Wilder outboxed by opponents before finding the leveller later in some of his recent bouts, but I think he beats Joshua by getting Breazeale out in the first half of a fun shoot out.

MY PICKS: Joe Joyce to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Billy Joe Saunders to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Naoya Inoue to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Josh Taylor to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Gary Russell Jr to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.60 William Hill (2 Units)
Deontay Wilder to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2019 Update: 8-20, - 6.20 Units (44 Units Staked, - 14.09% Yield)

Boxing 2018: + 5.14 Units (159 Units Staked, + 3.23% Yield)