Boxing Picks 2025- Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II (Saturday 22nd February)

It has been the card that the fans have long been thinking about and it still looks plenty loaded, even after a couple of withdrawals during fight week.

Floyd Schofield missing out on his fight with Shakur Stevenson is a blow, but the bigger story is the illness suffered by Daniel Dubois, which means the bout against Joseph Parker is no longer happening.

However, with the Saudi riches backing this event, it cannot be the biggest surprise that they have been able to find the biggest replacement with Martin Bakole stepping in for Dubois on two days notice. The long trip from Congo to Riyadh only means Bakole deserves even more praise for taking this fight on, although there is also a feeling that he has been well compensated and will also be given other opportunities by the Saudi authorities, win or lose.

A couple of changes to the fight card have not lessened the event in any way and it should still be a really good night of Boxing for the fans. The main event is going to provide a winner that will set up another huge night later in the year, while there is plenty of options available to other winners on the night and the fans are going to be the ultimate winners when all is said and done.

Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II

A little over four months ago, Artur Beterbiev narrowly got the better of Dmitry Bivol and managed to secure all of the World Titles and the Ring Magazine Belt to become Undisputed Champion in the Light Heavyweight Division.

It's not something that is heard often, but some credit has to be given to the Organisations for allowing the rematch to take place with all of the World Titles once again on the line, even if Interim Champions have been crowned.

While the first fight was very close, I was not convinced that the cards were that wrong with a couple of swing Rounds that could have made things feel wider than they were.

In fact, I had Beterbiev winning 116-112 having dominated down the stretch and with Dmitry Bivol not really active enough to keep the now Undisputed Champion from pushing forward and dictating the tempo. You have to think Bivol's team have thought the same with the Challenger suggesting he is going 'to do more' as he looks to wrestle the Belts back into his own hands.

The fight may not have been the most exciting in terms of action, but it was a proper high quality Boxing fight and there will be some adjustments made by both men.

It will be close again- you have to think some of the complaints from the Dmitry Bivol side of the ring after the Decision in October could potentially be on the mind of the judges when they are scoring close Rounds, which we are sure to see like we did the first time around.

However, there may be less concern in the Artur Beterbiev camp this time around.

Most seem to have forgotten that Beterbiev-Bivol had to be rescheduled from the original date because of an injury suffered by the Canadian-based Russian and he may have had some doubts about the knee. Those will be erased after the performance in the first fight and it is also only good news for Artur Beterbiev that he is back out as soon as he is, even if you never know when Father Time will be knocking at his door.

With that in mind, Artur Beterbiev could start stalking Dmitry Bivol a bit quicker than he did in the first fight and the feeling is that he will get the better of the younger man again.

The reality is that Bivol may not have the power to dissuade Artur Beterbiev from moving forward and the former ran out of energy towards the end of the first fight. If Beterbiev can get going a bit quicker, he may actually start getting at Dmitry Bivol and any risks taken by the latter are going to be punished.

Four months ago, the Pick was Artur Beterbiev by Stoppage and while that did not come very close to happening, he is still the fighter that will bring the power to the ring.

We saw plenty of ability from Dmitry Bivol to just keep Artur Beterbiev at bay and the defence was on point, but if there is a feeling that he needs to do more, it could leave himself much more open and in danger of taking the punishment that may have Artur Beterbiev back doing what he has done best in his career.

Defensive work done by Dmitry Bivol is impressive, but there is that feeling that Artur Beterbiev warms up earlier than he did in October and this time he may just be able to breakthrough and crack the Challenger's resistance.

Like many will have stated, this is an undercard that has been put together that could have had a number of the fights headlining nights of their own.

British fight fans will be very keen on seeing the Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi opener on this card- this would have done good business in either London or Liverpool as a headliner in its own right.

Inactivity has plagued Callum Smith, a fighter who has been in with the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev, but who has perhaps not built on the momentum he had when winning the World Boxing Super Series Final against George Groves in Saudi Arabia back in 2018.

Performances after the win were not always the most convincing and you do have to wonder how much fire is left in the belly.

Joshua Buatsi has been criticised for not taking his chances to actually fight one of the leading Light Heavyweights, but he has been active over the last year and that is important. He wanted to face Anthony Yarde, and it is a shame that has not been put together, but wins over Dan Azeez and Willy Hutchinson have been solid and Buatsi has carried his power.

Another criticism is that Joshua Buatsi has perhaps not shown the ruthlessness to finish off an opponent when he has had the chance- that was the case in both fights he won last year. He will have his chances to do that here if Callum Smith has perhaps lost some of his desire and intensity and Joshua Buatsi could just turn the screw hard enough to earn the Stoppage in the Championship Rounds in this important fight for both men.

In something of a surprise, Agit Kabayel is the favourite against Zhilei Zhang when the Interim WBC World Title is on the line in another big time Heavyweight fight.

The Division has been given a real lift in Riyadh Season and the winner of this one could be the next contender for the Undisputed World Champion, Oleksandr Usyk, to face.

That push from the Saudi authorities have worked for both of these Heavyweights and helped them to raise their stock with some big wins.

Questions are still being asked of Kabayel- his wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez are solid, but the former has been beaten again since that defeat and Sanchez was dealing with an injury.

Zhilei Zhang does 'bang', as he likes to remind anyone that is listening, but the stamina remains a question mark.

That certainly cost him in his defeat to Joseph Parker and the feeling is that Agit Kabayel will look to avoid the early power and trying to slow down Zhang before trying to push forward himself.

He is a deserving favourite, but stopping Zhilei Zhang may be asking too much and Kabayel can follow Parker with a win on the cards against the older fighter.

Perhaps the best fight on the night is going to be between Vergil Ortiz Jr and Israil Madrimov and both have so much to gain.

The performance against Terence Crawford really did raise Israil Madrimov's stock, but the fight is going to be quite different against Vergil Ortiz Jr, who is perhaps fortunate to still retain his unbeaten record.

You know what you are going to get from Ortiz Jr and that may actually help make this a spectacle- Israil Madrimov has shown his toughness, but he is a fighter that relies on a lot of feints to set up his attacks and he may not have the time to do that if Vergil Ortiz Jr is pushing forward and throwing a lot of leather.

Stock has been raised by the 'better than expected' effort against Crawford, but this is a big challenge for Israil Madrimov who has had some difficult moments prior to that bout. Both fights with Michel Soro ended controversially and this could develop into a firefight that is ultimately edged by the power that Vergil Ortiz Jr brings into the ring.

Hamzah Sheeraz decided to move up into the Middleweight Division after a couple of tough moments in the Light Middleweight Ranks, and there is no doubt that this size is one that marks him down as a potential Super Middleweight in the future.

Before that, Sheeraz wants to win World Titles in the 160 pound Division, one that is lacking the star power that is usually associated with the Middleweights.

He has done nothing wrong since stepping up in weight class, but Hamzah Sheeraz will also know he is stepping up in class when taking on Carlos Adames, the WBC World Champion.

Like the Challenger, Carlos Adames moved up from the Light Middleweight Division, although having one fight per year since 2021 is a concern.

The size and length of Hamzah Sheeraz is another issue, as is the fact that Carlos Adames has looked like he has struggled for the stamina that may be needed in this fight.

Early on Carlos Adames is going to be dangerous, but Hamzah Sheeraz showed he can overcome some early issues before going through the gears when beating Ammo Williams in June last year. That may be the outcome of this one too and Sheeraz may just have to wait until the second half of the contest before extending his run to sixteen straight Stoppage victories.

There was some interest in Shakur Stevenson's bout when this card was originally announced, but Floyd Schofield is out.

He had been a big favourite to defend his WBA World Title in the first bout, but the odds are much greater in favour of Shakur Stevenson with Josh Padley stepping in and stepping up.

Josh Padley upset Turki Alalshikh's favourite Mark Chamberlain back in September, which is the reason given for this opportunity being presented to the unbeaten British fighter.

All credit has to be given to Padley for the win over Chamberlain, but this should be a relatively comfortable night for Shakur Stevenson, who can at least keep the naysayers quiet for one evening.

No one is doubting his qualities, but Stevenson has been accused of being a little bit boring- the hand injury is a potential concern and the American may be cautious with that before he really lets go, but everything points to a solid win for the Champion.

There is nothing to lose for Josh Padley, but even Sly Stallone may think a win for the underdog on short notice is too far fetched for Hollywood.

The question really is all about Shakur Stevenson- he will have been hurt by recent criticism and you have to believe the promoters will have told him that he needs to impress to be invited back by Riyadh Season if nothing else. Winning well would also build anticipation for a fight with Tank Davis, and Stevenson should be able to secure a Stoppage somewhere in the middle Rounds.

And finally we get to the chief support when Joseph Parker takes on late replacement Martin Bakole after Daniel Dubois' unfortunate illness has forced his withdrawal.

It is actually still quite surprising to think Bakole has taken this challenge without being in training camp, especially as he was already being avoided in the Heavyweight Division.

He has backed up his claims that he is willing to fight anyone, anywhere, but a defeat might push Martin Bakole into the 'who needs him club'.

However, you have to feel some promises have been made about further opportunities if he was willing to step in for Daniel Dubois and Martin Bakole certainly has shown he can hit hard enough to beat anybody.

With a full camp.

For now you have to wonder if Martin Bakole has more than Eight Rounds in him.

Joseph Parker has rebuilt his reputation during Riyadh Season, but the New Zealander has been down multiple times, including twice against Zhilei Zhang. He boxed well to overcome those moments to win on the cards and has also beaten Deontay Wilder, but I did fancy Daniel Dubois to do a job on him.

This may be the best fight for Parker at this moment- if Bakole was coming in fully trained, he would certainly be capable of hitting hard enough to break through and win this fight.

Ultimately that lack of conditioning is a doubt and you have to expect Joseph Parker is going to box smart early and then just turn things up in the second half of the contest.

Michael Hunter was able to do that and force the Stoppage against Martin Bakole in 2018, but Parker may be happier to just remain out of distance where possible and outwork the 33 year old down the stretch. This worked well enough to edge past Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker can win this one on the cards, although ruling out a late Stoppage through sheer exhaustion for Bakole would be foolish.

It would not surprise me if the fight is competitive enough early to have people calling for it again when Martin Bakole is able to prepare properly for the contest, but it feels like it would take something special for Bakole to do this on two days notice.

Some rumours suggest he might already have been preparing just in case one of the Heavyweights pulled out, and that would certainly make Martin Bakole a real threat to Parker whose chin is no longer as strong as it once was.

The long journey is perhaps a bigger issue for Bakole, who would surely have been in Riyadh even in a 'break open in case of emergency' setting if he had been preparing to step in and ultimately it may be tough to hold off Joseph Parker, who can win this one with a Decision for the third straight time under the Riyadh Season banner.

MY PICKS: Artur Beterbiev to Win by KO/TKO @ 3.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joshua Buatsi to Win Between 7-12 @ 6.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Agit Kabayel to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.40 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Vergil Ortiz Jr to Win by KO/TKO @ 4.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Hamzah Sheeraz to Win Between 7-12 @ 4.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Shakur Stevenson to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joseph Parker to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 5-18, - 16.35 Units (31 Units Staked, - 52.74% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury II (Saturday 21st December)

The last big fight night of the year was supposed to take place in Tokyo on Christmas Eve, but Naoya Inoue's defence against Sam Goodman has been postponed for a month after the latter suffered a cut in one of his last sparring sessions that had been scheduled.

Instead we round out the Boxing season in Saudi Arabia where the top two Heavyweights of this generation meet for a second time.

This time it is not for 'Undisputed', but the winning fighter will be considered 'the man' in the Division and the flourishing Heavyweight scene has already got other big fights lined up in the first quarter of 2025.

The rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is the headline, but there are some potential future Heavyweight Champions on the undercard.

Ultimately all eyes will be on the main event on Saturday and that is a fight that has captured the sporting headlines during the busy festive period of sports. Both Usyk and Fury have their legacies on the line and it should be another top fight after the original exceeded all expectations.

With the final card of the year set to take place, it has proven to be a decent year for the Boxing Picks.

After the disappointment of 2023, it was important to put a solid year together, even if there remains some for improvement going into 2025 and what is expected to be another big season for the sport.

There are some big cards already in place for next year and more to be announced with the Saudi backers still firmly invested in Boxing.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury II

There is little doubt that the Heavyweight Division has really thrived thanks to the huge amount of investment made in the sport of Boxing over the last fifteen months.

Having an Undisputed Fight to determine the King of the Division is clearly something the fans had been demanding for a long time before Riyadh Season managed to put it together back in May.

Now we get to see Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury prepare for the Thirteenth Round of their rivalry, albeit without all of the Heavyweight Titles on the line as they were the first time around.

Activity has been key to keeping the Division going while the top two have been preparing to meet again and there have been a lot of fights that have been made that may not have without the Saudi investment.

When these two Heavyweights met the first time around, I ended up sitting on the fence with the prediction even if my narrow lean had been with Tyson Fury.

And the feeling is that this could be another razor-thin Decision either way.

It is hard to ignore the sight of Tyson Fury being battered around the ring from pillar to post in the Ninth Round of the first fight, but it has perhaps overshadowed the fact that he had been looking like the stronger fighter through the first Eight Rounds. That is not to say he was winning the fight, but Fury looked pretty comfortable with his approach and he did win the Twelfth Round to just remind everyone of his powers of recovery.

Without the Knock Down Tyson Fury might have been the one to edge to the Decision win and he was certainly hurting Oleksandr Usyk at times. The latter showed he has perhaps got the stronger ability to take the punches coming his way compared with Fury, but there is going to be very little between them again and Tyson Fury has previously shown how much he can grow when entering a rematch.

Having that experience of facing Oleksandr Usyk the first time around should help Fury as he looks to turn things around, and it should be noted that Anthony Joshua performed better in the rematch than the original bout with the Ukrainian. Tyson Fury is an overall better boxer than AJ, although the miles on the clock do make you wonder if The Gypsy King is far beyond his peak.

Adjustments make it more difficult to know what to expect from Fury compared with the Champion who will look to pick up from where he left off in May.

Oleksandr Usyk's motivation levels have to be questioned having achieved all he has set out to do, while he may have to be even better than the first match if only to avoid falling victim to a narrow defeat that may set up a lucrative trilogy.

There are simply too many uncertainties to really be confident about this rematch and it is one where I will just sit back and watch the two best Heavyweights since the end of the Klitschko era try to prove they deserve to be called Number 1.

On February 22nd there is a hugely loaded card being put together in Saudi Arabia, but this one for the Heavyweight rematch is perhaps not as deep or as intriguing.

Instead there are a number of younger fighters looking to progress in their own development before headlining big cards of their own and a couple of crossroads bouts.

With the investment being put into the sport, it is a big opportunity for all on the card to impress the organisers and earn further chances in the weeks, months and perhaps years ahead.

One of the expected early bouts features Tyson Fury's friend Isaac Lowe, but he has not really been mixing in top company since losing back to back fights.

Lee McGregor is still on the road back from his first professional defeat, but might just have the edge in this one and can break down his opponent with a potential late Stoppage in his favour.

The two Heavyweight contests on the undercard feature young, up and coming potential Champions taking on opponents who are another notch on their development.

It would be an upset if either Johnny Fisher or Moses Itauma were to be beaten and the likelihood is that both overcome their opponents, Dave Allen and Dempsey McKean respectively, through the first half of the scheduled Ten Rounds.

The same can be said for Peter McGrail and Serhii Bohachuk who take on late replacements for different reasons- the former is in a new fight because of Dennis McCann's VADA failure, while Bohachuk's original opponent, Israel Madrimov, said he was ill having already signed on for a 'bigger' opportunity in February.

A Stoppage for both is expected with Serhii Bohachuk likely to get through his bout before the Seventh Round bell is rung.

MY PICKS: Lee McGregor to Win by KO/TKO @ 3.60 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Johnny Fisher to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.80 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Moses Itauma to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Peter McGrail to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Serhii Bohachuk to Win Between 1-6 @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 34-61, + 8.59 Units (121 Units Staked, + 7.10% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol (Saturday 12th October)

Three weeks have passed since the stunning end to the last Riyadh Season card.

The event at Wembley Stadium was almost certainly not attended by the reported number (reported by the promoters), but it was a massive event all the same. The conclusion with Daniel Dubois announcing himself as a genuine World Champion after a crushing win over Anthony Joshua has kept the Heavyweight Division right in the spotlight as most continue to sit back and wait for the big December card headlined by the rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

It is likely to be a card filled with a number of Heavyweight contests with the rumours of a Martin Bakole vs Zhilei Zhang contest looking to be the standout as the chief support (since writing this, the actual undercard was released for the Fury-Usyk rematch and it is underwhelming to say the least).

However, before we get to all that, arguably the very best fight of 2024 is set to take place this weekend when Artur Beterbiev takes on Dmitry Bivol with all four Light Heavyweight Titles on the line.

Make no mistake, this is an absolute elite level fight and the winner is going to be amongst the conversation of being the greatest of all time in the Division.

It is a fight that has long been one that the fans have demanded and the fact it is for Undisputed makes it all the grander.

Will it capture the imagination of the casuals? Perhaps not, but being on a Riyadh Season card means there is a decent undercard attached, especially for British viewers, and Beterbiev-Bivol is going to be one that proper Boxing fans will love.

Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke II should have perhaps taken place back in the United Kingdom, but the money they are likely going to be getting to be the chief support in Riyadh cannot be dismissed.

Chris Eubank Jr is back to shake off the ring rust before moving into big fights in 2025, while Ben Whittaker will be continuing his development with another step upwards and Jai Opetaia is also looking to stay active before beginning to Unify the Cruiserweight Division.

And all of this suggests Boxxer and Ben Shalom are now firmly in with the Saudi authorities having felt rivals Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren were perhaps trying to keep him looking in from the outside.

A slight positive number was returned after the last Riyadh Season card, but it could have been much better.

Hamzah Sheeraz really impressed and is almost certainly going to be heading into a World Title shot next, but the upset of Mark Chamberlain would have disappointed him, his promoter and Turki Alalshikh.

Overall it has been a decent year, but there is still plenty of work to do over the final quarter of the calendar year to produce a profit from the Picks.

Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol

He won his IBF World Title in November 2017 and Artur Beterbiev made a number of defences before beating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019 to add the WBC Title to his collection and then Joe Smith Jr in June 2022 to pick up the WBO Title.

Inactivity has been down to injury and that has restricted Beterbiev to a single fight in 2022 and 2023, although he is set to head out for a second time in 2024 having crushed Callum Smith in January.

He is now unbeaten in twenty, while Dmitry Bivol is unbeaten in twenty-three and won his WBA World Title in November 2017.

Like his compatriot, Dmitry Bivol has made a number of successful defences of his World Title, but it has been typical of Boxing that we have not been in a position for these two to have met much earlier than October 2024.

If it wasn't for injury, this fight would have already have taken place back in June, but Artur Beterbiev needed time to get over meniscus surgery and that has perhaps contributed to Dmitry Bivol hardening as favourite after the original date had seen both fighters in a 'pick 'em' spot.

Dmitry Bivol does have that win over Canelo Alvarez too, which some will perhaps rate as the best either fighter has produced. Both have victories over Joe Smith Jr, but the best win that either has put together has to be Artur Beterbiev's crushing success over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in 2019.

None of that matters now with both fighters extremely confident in their chances of cementing their name in Boxing history.

You have to be worried about Beterbiev's latest injury- he is 39 years old and in recent years the biggest challenge has not been his opponents, but the body breaking down on him.

Some have suggested the relatively short postponement from June to October may not be enough time for Artur Beterbiev to get past a ruptured meniscus and there has to be a worry about that. We have seen how tough it can be for athletes of a certain age to overcome injury problems and it is something to keep in mind ahead of this massive fight.

There is so much to like about Artur Beterbiev on his pure ability in the ring.

His perfect Knock Out record may paint a picture of a pure banger, but Beterbiev is not really someone who will produce a 'one hitter quitter' and instead uses smart Boxing to get into range where he can begin to break down an opponent. There is no loading up on the punches, but timing and execution is spot on and that means every punch Beterbiev throws looks and feels hurtful.

The crushing win over Joe Smith Jr in Two Rounds stands out in recent outings, but the American came to fight fire with fire and ultimately he was not able to stand up to the power the Unified Champion brings. However, five of the last six wins produced by Artur Beterbiev have been in the second half of the contest, which backs up the fact that this is a far better Boxer than some think and someone who is patient and willing to break his opponent down without rushing the work.

Dmitry Bivol is going to be well aware of his compatriot's strengths, but he should have plenty of faith in his own Boxing ability to counter Beterbiev.

However, you do have to believe that Bivol is going to need to show enough punch power to earn the respect of Artur Beterbiev if he is going to head back to Russia with all of the Light Heavyweight Belts in his possession.

Prior to his win over replacement Malik Zinad, an overmatched opponent, Dmitry Bivol had not stopped anyone since 2018 and that natural willingness to coast towards a decision is perhaps telling us something. While we have not seen him hurt that often, you do have to wonder if Dmitry Bivol is perhaps not as sure about his ability to take a big shot as he would like to be and being unwilling to really push for a Stoppage when way clear on the cards is with that reasoning in mind.

He has shown plenty of durability and conditioning, but being hit by Artur Beterbiev will feel different compared with anyone else that Dmitry Bivol will have faced.

Can he box well enough to keep Beterbiev from getting his work done?

This is the key question and one that ultimately that Dmitry Bivol may struggle to pass.

Father Time is one opponent that every Boxer will eventually fail to beat and that is the secondary concern with Artur Beterbiev, as well as the injury issues he has had in recent years.

However, it is hard to look past Beterbiev until we see that happen and his footwork and boxing IQ is underrated and that could put him in a strong position to hurt Dmitry Bivol. As one of the better finishers out there, Beterbiev is unlikely to rush his work and instead will continue to break down the man in front of him and my feeling for some time has been that the older of the two Russian men will have too much when this fight eventually happens.

A year ago the confidence would have been higher of course, but in what should be a great event, Artur Beterbiev may come through with yet another opponent wilting in front of him and the pressure the three Belt holder brings to the ring.

In something of a surprise, the undercard for this event features plenty of talent associated with Boxxer rather than solely Matchroom and Queensberry.

While there has been clear statements that no one was being 'blacklisted' when it came to the events in Saudi, most fans felt Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren were keeping Ben Shalom out of the loop and even some of the interviews in fight week ahead of the card at Wembley Stadium saw the two older promoters 'bullying' the new kid on the block.

None of this matters to the Saudi authorities putting the money into these cards though and so Boxxer have a heavy presence on this event.

One of the big names on their roster will be in Riyadh as Ben Whittaker continues stepping up his level of competition and looking to show he is more than just a showman. There is no doubting his skills, but Whittaker perhaps needs to show that there is plenty of spite to go along with that if he really is going to make the kind of impact on the sport that so many believe he will.

The last two fights have gone the distance and so there is little doubt that Ben Whittaker will be able to get through the Rounds.

He is up against Liam Cameron who was last out in June losing a Split Decision to Lyndon Arthur, although Cameron felt he had done enough to win. That is perhaps not quite the case, even if Liam Cameron performed better than expected and the veteran has never been Stopped.

Fatigue had clearly gotten a hold of Liam Cameron in the defeat to Arthur and that is where Ben Whittaker can try and impress by turning the screw and forcing this fight to end inside the distance. Finishing, rather than entertaining, has not always been the focus for Whittaker, but this is a big card to show his talents and to prove he should be invited back and that means an exciting finish could go a long way.

The chances will be there for Ben Whittaker to find the combinations to get the referee to step up, although those will begin to show up a bit more in the second half of this contest.

Another Boxxer promoted fighter, albeit one that has been under the Matchroom and Queensberry banners previously, will be looking to shake off the ring rust as Chris Eubank Jr returns for the first time since September 2023.

When last out, Eubank Jr was beating Liam Smith and avenging a loss to the Liverpudlian, and there were plenty of reports suggesting Canelo had reached out to face the British fighter.

The offers were turned down with Chris Eubank Jr feeling he needed at least one fight before taking on such a challenge and rumours suggest that he will be a leading name to be Canelo's next opponent if he can get through this contest.

Kamil Szeremata is fighting for the second time this year, but he has dropped his level since losing consecutive fights against Gennady Golovkin and Jaime Munguia. In both he was beaten down and Stopped and the fast hands of Chris Eubank Jr may be too much for the Polish fighter to handle.

He may not hit as hard as either of those two names that have beaten Szeremata, but Chris Eubank Jr should still have the power to break down this opponent and pushing his resume forward to be the next challenger to Canelo Alvarez.

There is every chance that Chris Eubank Jr will begin to turn the screw in and around the same kind of time that Golovkin and Munguia closed the show against Kamil Szeremata and he will certainly have the motivation to push on and secure the Stoppage.

The first two names representing Boxxer look like they will be able to pick up solid victories, but it is going to be a much tougher task for Jack Massey.

He has earned his opportunity by upsetting Isaac Chamberlain in June and Jack Massey has shared a ring with Heavyweight Joseph Parker and managed to go the distance before losing a tight Decision.

A lack of opportunities before beating Chamberlain had slowed his career, but Jack Massey has been given this shot against Jai Opetaia and it looks a considerable challenge for him.

The British fighter has also gone the distance with Richard Riakporhe before losing another Decision, but it could be argued that he is facing the most dangerous puncher when going in with the IBF World Cruiserweight Champion.

He has become active with this being the fourth fight in thirteen months and Jai Opetaia has gotten rid of Mairis Breidis with two wins over the former World Champion. In between the wins over the Latvian, Opetaia has crushed a couple of British opponents, although neither Ellis Zorro nor Jordan Thompson are perhaps as good as Jack Massey.

The Champion hits very hard and he has shown he can find his range and rhythm very early on, although there is plenty of evidence to say that Jai Opetaia carries his power and that may be how this one ends.

Jack Massey has shown his grit and determination and he will likely try and weather the early storm and to work his way into the contest. The feeling is that Massey will eventually begin to break down as the power and quality of the Champion begins to shine through and it may see the corner or the referee decide that there is no need for the Challenger to take more punishment.

The chief support on this big card is a very good looking rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke after an exciting bout between the two in London back in March. The draw felt a little harsh on Clarke, but he had been put down in the fight and also lost another point for hitting low.

It would have been hoped that the rematch would have taken place in the United Kingdom, but you cannot begrudge the two heading to Riyadh knowing the winner will be given a lot of opportunities under this promotion.

Even the losing fighter will feel they will have other chances to recover, but neither Wardley nor Clarke are contemplating losing.

Both have promised to pick up from where they left off and it will be interesting to see what they have been working on and what, if any, adjustments are made.

Fabio Wardley certainly showed he had the power edge in the first bout, but he fatigued late on and that may have been down to the nose injury suffered. He was bleeding pretty well too, which could not have helped the energy levels, although Wardley may have found a Stoppage if his Knock Down had come even thirty seconds earlier than it did.

By the end Frazer Clarke was throwing out some big bombs of his own, and he did hurt the British Champion, although you have to wonder how much of that was down to Fabio Wardley slowing down as the fight took its toll.

There is every chance this is going to be another firefight and that could be dangerous for Frazer Clarke, especially early. Fabio Wardley would have learned plenty from the first fight and may show a bit more willingness to wait for the counters and not get too carried away early, but pressure is key for the current British Champion and this time he can follow up the big punches and find a way to end this rivalry inside the distance.

This is the chief support and it can live up to that billing with the feeling being a younger Fabio Wardley can put together something to force Frazer Clarke to buckle in the rivalry.

MY PICKS: Artur Beterbiev to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 6-10 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Chris Eubank Jr to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.30 William Hill (1 Unit)

Jai Opetaia to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.87 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Fabio Wardley to Win by KO/TKO @ 2.62 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 27-48, + 8.65 Units (101 Units Staked, + 8.56% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois (Saturday 21st September)

Some like Canelo Alvarez may be paying little attention to the money being spent by the Saudi Arabian authorities in the world of Boxing, but there are others like Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren who have welcomed the investments with both hands held out.

Eighteen months ago Hearn and Warren hadn't even spoken, never mind being in a room working together, but that has all changed with both British promoters keen to keep strong ties with Riyadh Season.

There is more to come, but for the first time it will mean hosting a card in the United Kingdom with Wembley Stadium the setting for this Heavyweight World Title bout. The winner will go on to bigger and better things in Riyadh, but the losing fighter will also have opportunities to come again and the IBF World Title is on the line after Oleksandr Usyk was almost forced to relinquish the belt.

A decent undercard has also been put together, but I am not convinced the extra seating was needed as all look to pronounce this as the highest attended Boxing fight at Wembley. That announcement will be made, but there are plenty of giveaways and you can still buy tickets, but a WWE approach of fudging numbers is to be expected.

Make no mistake, a very decent crowd will be in attendance and there will be a really good atmosphere, while the main event could produce plenty of fireworks. This is all good news and the hope for UK fans is that more of these events will be hosted in the country, especially in a year where there has been a genuine complaint about the lack of big fights/nights taking place.

The last couple of events have not been very positive for the Boxing Picks, but the management of the units has been important to keep the year in the black.

More has to be expected from the selections, and the hope is that we will see that kickstarted this weekend with a couple of big names headlining different cards.

Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois

To paraphrase the late, great Sid Eudy, the IBF continue to make 'bogus' decision when it comes to their World Titles, and stripping Oleksandr Usyk for going into a rematch with Tyson Fury might be the 'most bogus act they've ever pulled off'.

So now we have Daniel Dubois calling himself a World Heavyweight Champion and Eddie Hearn proclaiming that his man, Anthony Joshua, can sit alongside some of the Heavyweight greats of the past by becoming a 'three time' World Champion.

It's bogus.

Take nothing away from the main event, it's a good fight and one that would be worthy of giving us the next Number 1 contender to the winner of the Usyk-Fury rematch that is set to take place in December. But the winner of that fight should be the only Heavyweight Champion walking around and all of the governing bodies should be ashamed that is not the case with their fees more important than anything else.

This has frustrated fans for years and it would be a very good day when these kind of things are no longer happening or simply not allowed to happen.

The red Belt will be given to the winner of this fight, but it is Daniel Dubois who will be bringing it into the ring at Wembley Stadium, even if it very much feels like he is the Challenger. Daniel Dubois not someone who will be making speeches that will go viral, but he is a solid Heavyweight and one who will feel is entering a career defining fight.

His respect has been there for Anthony Joshua by describing himself as the 'King Slayer, while Dubois has picked up solid momentum with his wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic since losing his World Title bid against Oleksandr Usyk. Daniel Dubois showed plenty that day in August 2023, but taking another knee was not a good look and something had to change.

Confidence looks much improved now having come through the verbal warfare waged by Miller and then taking plenty of shots that had onlookers wincing before breaking down Filip Hrgovic.

It is encouraging for Dubois to show he can come through a storm, but most observers will also note that the Champion cannot afford to take the same kind of flush shots from someone who hits as big as Anthony Joshua.

Technically he is a fine puncher and Joshua looks relaxed and happy within his current surroundings and that makes him very dangerous. Like his opponent, Anthony Joshua has been rebuilding himself after consecutive defeats to Usyk and four straight wins have propelled him back to the top.

Activity has been important for Joshua who beat Jermaine Franklin in April 2023 in a largely forgettable bout before showing improvement in Knocking Out Robert Helenius in the Seventh Round, forcing Otto Wallin to call it a day at the end of the Fifth Round and then wiping out MMA star Francis Ngannou in just two Rounds.

It has certainly gotten people talking about Anthony Joshua again and winning this fight and holding a version of the World Title will mean going into 2025 looking to have one more crack at becoming Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, which has long been the ambition for him, his promoter and all around AJ.

The reality is that this feels his most significant test since those losses to Oleksandr Usyk and you have to believe that Anthony Joshua is going to be tested far more by a young, hungry Daniel Dubois than any of his last four opponents. This time the fighter across the ring is a genuine threat, one who is amongst the stronger Heavyweight contenders out there.

Anthony Joshua's experience edge may be important, especially when it comes to headlining these massive nights in the United Kingdom. However, he is an older fighter now and one that weighs in considerably heavier than when he was beaten by Usyk and that likely means Anthony Joshua is much easier to find in the ring than when he tried to become a lighter Boxer on his feet.

It should make for a fantastic main event, albeit one that may not last very long.

Daniel Dubois will want to show that he has the power edge in the fight and he has arguably shown a bit more punch resistance compared with Anthony Joshua. The younger Heavyweight had his eye closed by Joe Joyce, but took plenty of shots from a then imposing opponent and people have almost forgotten that Dubois was up on the cards before he decided to save himself to fight another day.

Ultimately it was the correct decison, even if Dubois has been labelled a 'quitter'.

The shots taken against Filip Hrgovic shows the resiliency that Daniel Dubois does have, although taking those on Saturday may see him break down a bit quicker.

In saying that, Anthony Joshua still has something of a vulnerability when it comes to being given a good crack back and it has been a long time since he has faced someone as outwardly dangerous as Daniel Dubois looks to be. The last four opponents have been good confidence builders for the former two time World Champion, but he may have to show more in this one and it really feels like a fight that won't take too long to really ignite.

The lean has to be with Anthony Joshua if only for his experience edge in fighting on this kind of headline event, while Daniel Dubois has been without his trainer Don Charles. Rumours abound of some kind of falling out between Dubois and Charles, which has been denied, but this has been a very important figure in rebuilding the Champion and his absence would feel like a huge blow.

Daniel Dubois has decent fundamentals, a rock solid jab and perhaps the power edge so you don't want to rule him out.

Much like Edgar Berlanga's best approach should have been to get after Canelo and see if the miles on the clock have added up, Daniel Dubois might need to get after Anthony Joshua early. That could leave him open to a big counter, but Dubois may buzz the former Champion and all in all, this main event feels like one that should be over inside the first half, either way.

The Wembley card is being run under the Riyadh Season banner and it is no surprise that a solid undercard has been put together, plus an early preview of how Liam Gallagher will sound when the Oasis concerts begin next year.

It is a bit of a shame that Liam Smith has had to pull out of the event, but Josh Kelly has been handed a very interesting replacement in Ishmael Davis and this looks a rock solid fight.

Experience is with Josh Kelly, but Davis looks highly motivated and extremely confident even if he is stepping up his level and you can understand why the layers are finding it so tough to separate the two with a lot of belief.

Replacements can cause problems as one half of the main event will tell you so Josh Kelly has to be on his game- he can ill-afford a defeat at this stage of his career and so this is a pressurised spot for him.

But one fighter who has handled the pressure of being 'hand selected' by Turki Alalshikh is Mark Chamberlain who is expected to open up the card.

His last two fights have actually been in Saudi Arabia, and Chamberlain has Stopped his last five opponents, although he is fighting at his heaviest weight and against an unbeaten fighter.

Josh Padley will be fighting with that confidence of having never been beaten, but this feels a considerable step upwards in terms of level of opponent and Mark Chamberlain may continue to impress the Saudi backers with another early night.

The remainder of the undercard involves fighters that may be looking to get one more really big win out of the way and then challenge the elite of their respective Divisions.

At Light Heavyweight, an undercurrent of tension has surrounded Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson and there is no love lost between the figthers.

In recent years, Joshua Buatsi has always been mentioned as a potential World Champion and has just been on the edge of a fight for a World Title, but it simply has not happened. It is widely accepted that he turned down an opportunity to face Dmitry Bivol and Buatsi has lost some momentum after beating Dan Azeez back in February.

He has not been out since with a rumoured monster fight against Anthony Yarde failing to materialise, but the WBO Interim World Title is on the line on Saturday.

Winning would make Joshua Buatsi a leading contender to take on whoever wins the Light Heavywight Undisputed fight between Bivol and Artur Beterbiev which takes place in three weeks time, but the focus is on Willy Hutchinson for now.

The Scot has gotten under the skin of the higher profile fighter, but Willy Hutchinson is more than a wind up merchant.

Willy Hutchinson's career looked to be moving very positively until he ran into Lennox Clarke and was brutally stopped in the Fifth Round in a British Super Middleweight fight. That was back in 2021 and Hutchinson was out of the ring for over a year before returning at Light Heavyweight.

Four wins in a row against opponents he was expected to beat rebuilt the confidence before Hutchinson deservedly beat Craig Richards in June in Saudi Arabia. That has given him this opportunity to gatecrash the top of the Light Heavyweight scene both domestically and globally, but this is another big step upwards and Joshua Buatsi can be a spiteful finisher.

With no love lost, this should be a feisty contest, but Joshua Buatsi looks like he is firmly with his eyes on the man next up to face him. Unlike with his friend Dan Azeez, Joshua Buatsi may not take a step off if he hurts this opponent and he can maintain his unbeaten record with a late finish.

It is going to be a very good Light Heavyweight contest and you have to expect fireworks when Anthony Cacace and Josh Warrington get into it in the Super Featherweight Division.

They clearly respect one another and both are looking forward to the first bell, but there is a unbelievable amount of intensity soaring through the roof when Cacace and Warrington have been within any kind of proximity to one another.

The styles should gel really nicely and even the IBF's latest 'bogus' move should not have an impact on the actual contest.

It was supposed to be for the IBF World Title that Anthony Cacace ripped from Joe Cordina in an awesome display, but the IBF in all of their wisdom have decided to change the parameters on fight week rather than three months ago when the fight was announced. Now only Cacace can leave with the World Title, but an upset in favour of Josh Warrington will mean a vacated Belt, another embarrassment for an organisation that is becoming more and more irritating to fans, fighters and promoters alike.

On the actual fight, Anthony Cacace looks to be moving in a positive direction and it is fair to say that Josh Warrington may have had his best years. The style of the Leeds man means he has plenty of wear and tear on the body, and that has begun to let him down in recent fights.

He is stepping up in weight and feels stronger at Super Featherweight, but Anthony Cacace hits much harder than his Stoppage record suggests and he won't have to go looking for his opponent. At times it could be rough, but Cacace looks capable of dealing with all Josh Warrington brings to the ring and he can then move through the gears and find another Stoppage against one of the bigger names in British Boxing.

The chief support on the night is going to be provided by Hamzah Sheeraz and it feels a matter of time before he is headlining a big card himself. The Middleweight Division has never looked more wide open and Sheeraz is expected to be fighting for a World Title before the midway point of 2025.

If it was up to the Boxer himself, this would have been happening on this card, but the team have not been able to entice a World Champion into the ring. Even the rumoured fight with Chris Eubank Jr would be a huge Stadium seller, but that is another bout that has yet to materialise with the older man potentially a future Canelo Alvarez opponent.

Hamzah Sheeraz cannot allow frustration to get the better of him, but he looks a focused fighter looking to keep the momentum going after producing two big wins already in 2024. Beating up a veteran in Liam Williams was expected, but the performance in the win over Ammo Williams will have made headlines on both sides of the pond and Sheeraz looks capable of beating most in this Division.

Respect has to be given to Tyler Denny for overachieving- in recent times he has been upsetting the odds and he looks extremely confident.

And so he should being the European Middleweight Champion.

However, this feels a considerable step upwards in level of opponent and Denny is going to be dwarfed by the huge figure in front of him.

The power edge is with Hamzah Sheeraz and he can make another big statement to all of his rivals by finishing this one inside the first half of the scheduled Twelve Rounds.

MY PICKS: Anthony Joshua-Daniel Dubois, Either Fighter to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Mark Chamberlain to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.61 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Joshua Buatsi to Win By KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Anthony Cacace to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Hamzah Sheeraz to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.37 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 25-45, + 8.41 Units (94 Units Staked, + 8.95% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Israil Madrimov vs Terence Crawford (Saturday 3rd August)

July is usually a good time to have a break in the Boxing season, although the reimagining of the sport does mean we are more spoiled as fans with plenty of decent cards being produced every weekend.

The last month has seen some of the contenders return to the ring in a bid to earn a bigger fight later in the year, while some potential star names have also been in action.

And the best news is that plenty of solid fights have already been put together for the second half of the year, culminating in what is expected to be the Heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

There is no doubting the influence of the Saudi money that has entered the sport and we will see more evidence of that this weekend when the first card run under the Riyadh Season banner is produced outside of Saudi Arabia.

Another one of those events is taking place at Wembley Stadium in around six weeks time, but this weekend the eyes of the fans will turn to Los Angeles and the return of Terence Crawford.

He will be aiming to become a World Champion in the Light Middleweight Division and a win will see Bud turn his attention back to becoming an opponent for Canelo Alvarez. This is a fight that the Saudi Arabians are very keen to get on in 2025, but a loss to Israil Madrimov will temper some of the enthusiasm and so there is pressure on Crawford in moving up from the Welterweight Division where was crowned King in 2023.

Like many Saudi run cards, the undercard is a decent one too even if some of the star power of the announcement has been dampened with the removal of the Tim Tsyzu vs Vergil Ortiz Jr fight after the Australian was not able to recover from severe cuts in time.

There is still plenty for the fans to enjoy and the fighters have plenty of motivation to perform knowing that there is an undercard to fill later this year when the Heavyweight rematch between Fury and Usyk takes place.

In terms of the first six months of the 2024 season, the Boxing Picks have produced a positive return.

However, the feeling is that the overall win-loss could still be improved, and that would only strengthen the returns even more. Regardless, any season with a winning return has to be appreciated and the bounce back from the disappointing 2023 has been solid, even if the numbers have not quite reached the 2022 numbers set.

There are still five months of 2024 to go though and a chance to pick up some momentum into the next 'season' and that has to be the aim the rest of the way.

Israil Madrimov vs Terence Crawford

The last twelve months have spoilt Boxing fans with some believing this card in Los Angeles is not as strong as it might have been under the Riyadh Season banner.

Personally, the glass half full approach is still working with the kind of fights we are seeing and there is little doubt that many of those taking place on this card would not be happening without that influence from the Middle East.

Another positive for fans is the willingness to put the money into events that are not happening solely in Saudi Arabia and having an opportunity to see Terence Crawford has to be big news for the fans who will be attending.

Undisputed successes as a Light-Welterweight and Welterweight has had Bud searching for new challenges- after moving up from Light-Welterweight, Crawford quickly picked up the WBO World Title and eventually was able to dismantle Errol Spence Jr a little over twelve months ago to hold all the World Titles in the Division.

He had been waiting on Errol Spence Jr and his decision to activate a rematch, but as soon as it became clear that was not going to be the case, Bud Crawford called out Canelo Alvarez. This was an unlikely fight to be put together in 2024 and instead Crawford is going up to Light Middleweight in his bid to become a World Champion in another Division.

Terence Crawford is favoured against the Champion Israil Madrimov, but it would be foolish to overlook the obvious qualities of the undefeated Uzbek.

The dimensions of the two fighters are pretty similar with Crawford having the edge in reach, but Israil Madrimov is the naturally bigger man. All of his bouts have been in the Light Middleweight Division and Madrimov has proved to be a tough, grizzled fighter, and he will need all of that in this bout.

My personal expectation is that Israil Madrimov is going to be able to give Terence Crawford something to think about through the first quarter of this World Title fight.

He is going to come forward and look to use his natural size to cause problems, but there is a feeling that Bud Crawford is then going to begin to make the adjustments that we have seen throughout his career. The Uzbek is a quality fighter, but perhaps lacks a bit of experience at this very elite level and the style is perhaps a touch basic, which is only going to make things that much more comfortable for Crawford when the adjustments are made.

Changing things in the ring will feel more difficult for Madrimov and this is where Crawford can begin to target the body and use the counter shot to really begin to put the dent into his opponent. The Champion is a much liver opponent than some will believe and it would not be a surprise if he is leading on the cards through the first two-thirds of the contest, but Bud will be reeling him in and a spiteful fighter he has been will likely see him pushing through the gears and wear out his man.

The Points call for Terence Crawford is certainly one that looks to offer some value, but he is on an eleven fight streak of winning by Stoppage and he can force an intervention in this one too. If he does hurt Madrimov, Bud is not likely to step off, but will pour it on and the feeling is that he might do enough to wear down, break down and eventually get this one done without the cards.

The year out of the ring has to be a slight concern for Crawford fans and it would be a huge statement if he can force the first half Stoppage, but you have to note that four of the last eleven Stoppages have been before the bell for the Seventh Round. Israil Madrimov is a proud, unbeaten World Champion and one who is grizzled enough to take plenty of shots before it becomes too much and a small play on the second half Terence Crawford Stoppage is the call.

The Riyadh Season cards have been pretty loaded and this one feels the same, if perhaps not meeting the inflated expectations Boxing fans have after being spoiled over the last twelve months.

David Morrell is another up and coming Super Middleweight who has felt his career is perhaps being stalled by the hold up of all the World Titles by Canelo Alvarez, who does not sound like he has much interest in facing the unbeaten Cuban.

Instead of waiting around, Morrell is following the David Benavidez path and that means moving into the Light Heavyweight Division and fighting for the Regular WBA World Title with the Super belt held by Dmitry Bivol. The idea will be to be in a position to fight the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol Undisputed World Title fight set for early October, whlle Morrell can operate between the two Divisions for now.

He is a massive favourite to beat Radivoje Kalajdzic, a fighter who was Stopped in the Fifth Round when facing Artur Beterbiev in 2019.

Stepping up is tough and the layers are taking no chances with the prices for this one, but David Morrell has shown a brutal streak and he should be able to match the Beterbiev victory and just put his name in line to take on the bigger fights that the Saudi Arabians may be thinking of putting together over the next nine months.

The fast moving Andy Cruz should be a comfortable winner and he will want to step up his competition following this weekend, while there is plenty of intrigue when Jared Anderson, one of the potential new stars in the Heavyweight Division with plenty of hype behind him, takes on Martin Bakole, a fighter who believes he has been avoided by the elite.

This is the fight that the layers feel is the most competitive on the card and one that will be a lot of fun for however long it lasts.

Two fighters who will forever be spoken about in the same breath thanks to June 1st 2019 will be meeting one another in what is very much a crossroads fight.

Jarrell Miller failed a drugs test when he was supposed to be facing Anthony Joshua for the World Titles at Madison Square Garden, but his misfortune was Andy Ruiz Jr's blessing and the latter upset the odds by beating Joshua in the Seventh Round.

Six months later he came in overweight for the rematch, was comfortably beaten on the cards and Ruiz Jr has fought just twice since in 2021 and 2022. A lot of fighters have claimed that Andy Ruiz Jr has priced himself out of fights in the last couple of years and it will be very difficult to restart the career if he is to be beaten by Miller on Saturday considering Big Baby is coming in off a Stoppage loss of his own.

The New Yorker has been much more active than Andy Ruiz Jr in recent times, but Jarrell Miller had been given three comfortable opponents before being paired up with Daniel Dubois just before Christmas in 2023. He was beaten around the ring and eventually Stopped in the final Round before having more out of the ring issues and Miller will know that another defeat here will mean his career is in danger.

You have to believe the quickness edge is with Ruiz Jr and that is why he is a pretty strong favourite, but his mental approach to boxing has to be questioned. Money is a motivation, but does Ruiz Jr really want to get back to the top and the two year lay off is a huge concern.

In saying that, Jarrell Miller looked really poor against Daniel Dubois and so this is an intriguing fight between two friends who know one will move onto bigger prizes, while the other might have to wonder whether the rebuild is really going to be worth putting themselves through.

The chief support is going to be provided by Isaac Cruz who faces an interesting challenger in Jose Valenzuela with the WBA Light Welterweight World Title on the line.

The mistake for Cruz and his team would be to overlook this opponent- they have been calling for a potential rematch with Tank Davis, who looks to be at a loose end come the end of the 2024 calendar year, but Jose Valenzuela is coming into the fight having ended a run of consecutive defeats with a very strong Stoppage of Chris Colbert.

The initial defeat to Colbert nine months earlier had been filled with controversy, but Jose Valenzuela made sure the judges could not do the same in the Sixth Round win last December.

He is moving up in weight to take on the challenge of Pitbull who fights for a second time in 2024 having crushed Rolly Romero to win this World Title. The key for Isaac Cruz is going to be his focus and he will have noted that Valenzuela has been Stopped before by big hitting Edwin De Los Santos.

These two are unlikely to have to go looking for the other and that should mean a really fun contest for the fans to enjoy.

The power edge may be with Isaac Cruz, but Jose Valenzuela will believe in his own and that should make for a good watch.

My edge is with Isaac Cruz who has the momentum behind him, but he has been troubled by a southpaw before and that is something that the Valenzuela team will lean into. The challenger is the taller fighter and could try and frustrate Pitbull by keeping the fight at length, but it is tough to do over Twelve Rounds and there is some history between the two which could see emotion drag Valenzuela into a fight, rather than sticking to the game plan.

Jose Valenzuela may also want to prove he is not 'chinny' but that could lead to being in dangerous positions in the ring and Isaac Cruz hits plenty hard.

Once again, the layers look to be on top of this bout, but the lean has to be that Isaac Cruz finds a big shot or two that forces this to become a firefight and ultimately that is where he should prevail.

There is a card being held in a Stadium in the United Kingdom on Saturday and the Sky Sports television cameras will head to Barnsley to see if home fighter Callum Simpson looks to win the British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight Titles.

At 14-0 and 27 years old, Simpson will be looking for a real move up the Rankings towards the World level in a Division headed up by Canelo Alvarez. The chances that the World Titles will be fracturing over the next twelve months by which time Callum Simpson will have hoped to have developed to the extent of being able to challenge for any of the titles available.

Slipping up here is not on the agenda as he faces Champion Zak Chelli who feels like he has been around a long time, but who is actually the younger fighter.

Make no mistake, there are more miles on the clock for Chelli in comparison with Callum Simpson, although the Londoner will feel that his experience is going to be telling at this level.

Zak Chelli is tough, grizzled and will not allow Callum Simpson room to breathe, but the latter has shown he is not simply a Knock Out merchant. A couple of tough Unanimous Decision wins over Ten Round distance will just show Simpson that he does have the gas tank to operate deep into fights, although he will be tested like never before.

Stopping Chelli is not going to be easy considering the strength and resolve the Champion has, but he has been beaten on the cards. Mark Jeffers showed that a little over twelve months ago when beating Chelli for the English Super Middleweight Title, and Callum Simpson can just show his quality in winning this one after the cards have been read.

MY PICKS: Terence Crawford to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.60 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Callum Simpson to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.37 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 24-41, + 12.04 Units (88 Units Staked, + 13.68% Yield)