Boxing Picks 2023- David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant (March 25th)

After the back and forth, both on social media and behind the scenes, it is almost certain that the Undisputed Heavyweight Fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is officially OFF.

We may be Boxing fans, but the sport really does not help itself at times and what felt like a pretty simple discussion to be had is once again going to see the fans miss out.

Ever since Usyk won the rematch against Anthony Joshua, the fight with Tyson Fury looked very easy to make- they have virtually been discussing terms since back in August and things only took a turn for the worse when it became clear that the big site fee was not going to be coming from the Middle East.

Even then we have seen compromises made, but this looks like a fight to set alongside Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford as one that should have happened, but will not.

Oleksandr Usyk will now go and fulfil some mandatories and the biggest fight that he could potentially make going forward looks to be either against former WBC Champion Deontay Wilder or Joe Joyce, the Interim WBO Champion. A third fight with Anthony Joshua would only make sense if the British fighter returns with three or four big wins beginning with his return on April 1st, but that third fight would be at least eighteen months away and there is no telling what direction Matchroom will take when it comes to Joshua.

As for Tyson Fury, the fight with Anthony Joshua makes a lot of sense and a voluntary defence against Joe Joyce should do decent numbers, but I am not sure the latter fight will produce the kind of monetary return that Fury may want.

And so it is perhaps unsurprising that Frank Warren hinted that Fury could potentially retire again, this time by officially relinquishing the WBC World Title.

I really don't know what will happen, but we could get some clarity over the next month.

In that time both Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce will have completed their next fights scheduled and the mandatory calls for Oleksandr Usyk could be answered.

It looks like Daniel Dubois will be next for Usyk, although there is every chance that his three World Titles are fractured by the end of the year. Any hopes of a four belt Heavyweight Champion will also have been fractured for now, although there is a pathway that could hopefully open up an Undisputed Champion fight in around eighteen to twenty-four months from now.

Here's hoping negotiations will be more fruitful when/if that time comes around as the Division continues to wait for a first Undisputed Champion since Lennox Lewis.

Fights that are not going to happen, or not happen any time soon, are not really my concern as disappointed as I may be.

There may not be any World Titles on the line in Las Vegas on Saturday, but make no mistake that this is a massive Super Middleweight showdown and a genuinely good fight taking place.

Other cards will feature a World Title being defended at Cruiserweight and there is also a return bout for a former World Champion looking to climb back up the mountain.

After a disappointing opening two months for the Boxing Picks, a strong showing a couple of weeks ago have just turned things back around. I still want to improve the 'strike rate', but moving back into a positive number for the year is something to be happy with as I look to back up the strong returns of 2022.

David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant

All of the Super Middleweight full World Titles are held by Canelo Alvarez, but this genuinely feels like a fight that features the next two in terms of the top 168 pounders in the world.

David Benavidez is hoping to secure a shot at the Undisputed Champion with a win over Caleb Plant, a former World Champion who was beaten by Canelo and looking to move into a position to have a rematch.

The winning fighter is likely going to have to wait for any crack at Alvarez, who is likely going into a rematch with Dmitry Bivol if he can beat his mandatory challenger John Ryder in early May. Some may feel that Canelo Alvarez could soon choose to drop some of his World Titles held and that is where the winner of this one could become a full World Champion and try and force Canelo Alvarez into the ring.

Neither can afford to think too far ahead in this one and there looks to be a real life needle between Benavidez and Plant, which only increases the anticipation around this huge fight.

David Benavidez has held the full World Title before, but he has twice lost his belt outside of the ring, which is a real disappointment. However, he remains unbeaten and has worn down twenty-three opponents from the 26-0 record held.

Caleb Plant has linked up with Stephen Edwards as his new trainer following the loss to Canelo and he did produce a memorable KO of Anthony Dirrell in his sole fight in 2022. A former World Champion, Plant will feel he has all of the skills to work through the pressure that Benavidez is going to bring for much of the night, while he has more power than his thirteen Stoppages from twenty-two wins suggests.

Knocking out David Benavidez is going to be some challenge and keeping this pressure fighter away will be tough. Linking up with Edwards as the trainer does mean Caleb Plant should know what to expect as Stephen Edwards trained Kyrone Davis who had a decent showing against the unbeaten Benavidez, even in a losing effort.

This time Stephen Edwards has a fighter who would have had a full camp preparing for David Benavidez, and one who matches up size wise rather than Davis who was coming up in weight. An intelligent trainer, Edwards will be looking for Caleb Plant to set up traps for Benavidez, but much is going to depend on how much punishment Plant is willing to take.

He will have to take some, even if the quick feet and defensive movement should help Plant.

I like Caleb Plant and I think he may be the superior pure Boxer of the two.

However, I do think David Benavidez is the fighter with momentum and he has shown that he can grind down and break down opponents. I know he is talking up his chances of breaking Caleb Plant relatively early, but this will take time and Plant is effective enough to make Benavidez have to reset early before perhaps slowing down in the second half of this one and allowing his unbeaten rival to take control.

David Benavidez is going to make Caleb Plant work hard all night and that will likely see him just slow for long enough to be cornered and stopped.

Canelo Alvarez hits hard and managed to do that against Plant in their Undisputed Super Middleweight clash, and I just feel that David Benavidez may pack a bit more. That is something I think will be telling in the second half of the contest and the younger, unbeaten Interim Champion can force the stoppage of Sweet Hands.

The United Kingdom Light Heavyweight Division looks to be thriving, even if we have yet to see one of those fighters break through and win a World Title. That is perhaps not a massive surprise with Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev at the top of the mountain, but there are still some huge fights between the likes of Anthony Yarde, Joshua Buatsi, Callum Smith and Dan Azeez that can be put together over the next twelve months.

I think we will see some of those and you can perhaps add Lyndon Arthur to the mix who will be fighting on Friday night in an IBO World Title bout (this is an important fight for momentum, but the actual belt on the line is not going to be one that the other Champions will be hoping to hold).

Since his Fourth Round loss to Anthony Yarde in the big rematch following an upset win, Lyndon Arthur has been rebuilding with a couple of stoppage wins. He will be looking for a third of those when facing Braian Nahuel Suarez, an Argentinian with a solid looking 18-1 record, but one who has never fought outside his own country.

Lyndon Arthur is unlikely to need to find his opponent and I do think Suarez has been brought over to make the Manchester man look good as he continues his rebuild.

In his sole loss, Braian Nahuel Suarez was blitzed inside the First Round- this one may go a little longer, but Lyndon Arthur can secure the victory inside the first half of the fight before calling out Dan Azeez for a big domestic showdown.

[UPDATE]  After his original opponent had to be withdrawn, Lyndon Arthur will now take on Boris Crighton in a non-title main event on Friday evening.

Facing a new opponent is far from ideal for Arthur, but I still think he will have too much for Boris Crighton. The latter may have been training, but he is going up two or three levels compared to his usual and I think this will quickly feel like a survival job for the step in.

Lyndon Arthur has to show that he is ready to compete with some of the top domestic Light Heavyweights around and he can get this done inside the first Five Rounds of a scheduled Ten.

On Saturday evening we have a couple of cards taking place in the United Kingdom, while there is also a decent card taking place in the United States away from the big card headlined by Caleb Plant and David Benavidez.

I think Michael Gomez Jr is worth a small interest to edge Levi Giles on the cards in their Ten Round bout for the vacant English Title. This is a big opportunity for both fighters who have a single loss between them, but I think the taller home fighter may do enough to earn the edge, although there is a chance there will be some controversy attached.

Frazer Clarke should win his Heavyweight fight pretty early on the undercard and he could soon be joined in the Division by headliner Lawrence Okolie who will be making a long awaited return to the ring.

A much publicised falling out with Eddie Hearn has been making the headlines, and that will also have put some pressure on The Sauce to respond with a big performance in the ring. He is still an unbeaten Cruiserweight World Champion and there is some unfinished business in the Division before moving up to Heavyweight, but Lawrence Okolie will have to shake off some of the ring rust that will come with a thirteen month lay off.

David Light has to be respected as the unbeaten mandatory contender, but I am not sure the New Zealander has fought anyone of this level and Lawrence Okolie will likely have early success.

The Champion has sometimes been criticised for not entertaining the fans, but I think Light will be there to fight and that should help Lawrence Okolie who can score a good, solid first half Stoppage before calling out domestic rivals and other World Champions for Unifications.

Both of the above fights are on the Manchester card, but Andrew Cain will be back in action in Telford on a Queensbury promotion.

The unbeaten fighter takes on Ionut Baluta who is another step up for Cain in his development in the professional ranks.

Ionut Baluta is going to be confident and he is used to fighting in the United Kingdom and I do think he challenges Andrew Cain. He has not been Stopped before despite being in with the likes of Michael Conlan, Brad Foster and Liam Davies and I think Baluta can show enough toughness to get to the cards, although I would expect Andrew Cain to come away with his hand raised.

We will learn plenty about Cain who has yet to go beyond the Sixth Round as a pro, but I think he will pass this test even if he has to take the Decision on the cards.

Jose Carlos Ramirez came awfully close to winning the Undisputed Light Welterweight Title in a loss to Josh Taylor and this is only the second fight he has had in the two years since that loss to the British fighter.

He remains amongst the best fighters in the Division, but Ramirez needs to be more active as he returns as a big favourite against Richard Commey.

The latter was a surprise World Champion at Lightweight, but he was blitzed by Teofimo Lopez and Richard Commey has now won one of his last four fights. He took a pretty bad beating from Vasyl Lomachenko, who urged Commey's corner to pull their fighter before seemingly taking his foot off the gas and I do think the veteran has seen his best days.

Of course you have to expect Jose Carlos Ramirez to have to shake off some ring rust, but he is the naturally bigger man and I don't think he will be as likely to come off the boil if he does have Richard Commey hurt.

As he has moved into the elite level of World Boxing, the Stoppages have unsurprisingly slowed down, but Jose Carlos Ramirez can break down Richard Commey in this one and secure a solid looking victory in the second half of this one.

MY PICKS: David Benavidez to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.60 Coral (2 Units)

Lyndon Arthur to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.37 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Michael Gomez Jr to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Lawrence Okolie to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Andrew Cain to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.33 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Jose Carlos Ramirez to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2023: 7-10, + 0.76 Units (32 Units Staked, + 2.38% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2021- Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders (May 8th)

There have been some solid cards over the last several months, but the largely absent fans has been a big miss for Boxing as much as other sports.

That all changes on Saturday.

In Dallas, Texas a new record for an indoor attendance has been announced as Canelo Alvarez looks to pick up another Super Middleweight World Title and move a step closer to Unification. It is a shame that the British fans can't really travel in the numbers they have been used to in support of Billy Joe Saunders, but the atmosphere should still be electric for a fight that has some real needle attached to it.

The undercard could have perhaps done with some beefing up, but the main event is what has been the trigger for the sales and I think this will be a good one on Saturday evening.

Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders

Three of the four main Super Middleweight World Titles are going to be on the line in Dallas when Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders meet in a big Unification fight.

The fans are back, and rightly so for an event like this, and I think there is plenty of intrigue about the fight which makes it one that shouldn't be missed.

Much depends on how Billy Joe Saunders has prepared for this fight- there is no doubting his skills, but he has never been in at the level he will be operating at on Saturday. He looks to be in great shape and Saunders has fought up and down to the level of his opponent, while the skills and style is one that Canelo Alvarez has struggled with in the past.

However, the loss to Floyd Mayweather and the controversial win over Erislandy Lara were in bouts that took place in 2013 and 2014 respectively and there is no doubting how much Canelo has improved in the time since then.

Even then you do have to think that Saunders will be difficult to tie down early in the fight and Canelo is going to have to focus on the body work to slow down his opponent. The feet are much better at cutting off the ring these days than they were in 2014 and I do think Billy Joe Saunders can sometimes look like he is tiring towards the end of a fight which is where I have a nagging feeling that Canelo will catch up with him.

The power remains at 168 pounds and Canelo looks really good on the scales too, but only three of the last eight fights have ended with a stoppage for him. A late stoppage against Sergey Kovalev springs to mind when thinking about this fight, but I think Billy Joe Saunders has the length and the heart to find a way to hear the final bell.

Beating Canelo Alvarez on the cards anywhere is a huge task though and I think the more eye-catching shots will be landed by the Mexican great. I think Billy Joe Saunders may even do enough to call for a rematch, but I think it will be a clear enough Decision for Canelo to move on towards the big fight with Caleb Plant later in the year, while the Brit can come back with his head held high.

MY PICKS: Canelo Alvarez to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Elwin Soto to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.00 William Hill (2 Units)

Souleymane Cissokho to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Frank Sanchez to Win Between 6-10 @ 4.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2021: 15-36, - 28.12 Units (99 Units Staked, - 28.40% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2018- George Groves vs Callum Smith (September 28th)

September has been a very good month for Boxing fans with a couple of very good main events over the last two weekends, but there is plenty more excitement to come in the months leading up to Christmas.

First this month comes to a close with the conclusion of the World Boxing Super Series Season One with the Final of the Super Middleweight tournament taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday.

It is an all British Final too which will have built up some anticipation back home, but I do think some of the hype has been missing because the fight is taking place on foreign soil. If this had been at the O2 Arena or Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom it would have been a huge occasion, but the money in Saudi Arabia could not be ignored and especially not when the Cruiserweight Final rumoured for Jeddah took place in Moscow.

Local customs means the Final will take place on Friday rather than Saturday as would be the norm, but there are other decent fights taking place this weekend with the likes of Joe Joyce, Jorge Linares and James DeGale in action. Any Boxing Picks from those fights will be added to this thread.


This past week we have also had confirmation of two fights I am very much looking forward to- the first is in Manchester between Oleksandr Usyk and Tony Bellew and the second is the big Heavyweight fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury which has been confirmed for Los Angeles.

It's a very good time to be a Boxing fan to say the least.

And if the rumours are to be believed, there could be at least two more huge fights put together before the end of the year while the start of the Second Season of the World Boxing Super Series is also just a week away.


Last week was another good one for the Boxing Picks with more positive gains made, although it was close to being a huge week if David Price's bicep could have lasted one more Round. His health is obviously more important, but it is another setback for Price although I would expect to see the Liverpudlian back in the ring in 2019.

Hopefully we can keep the positive September gains going through another week with the selections from this weekend's fights.

Chris Eubank Jr vs JJ McDonagh

It is something of a surprise that Chris Eubank Jr has spent so long out of the ring after losing his grudge fight with George Groves in the World Boxing Super Series Semi Final.

He looked to have come out of that fight in better health than the winner, but Eubank Jr's confidence would have been dented and I am guessing he just needed some time to reevaluate where he was heading.

The rumour is that Eubank Jr and James DeGale could be meeting in a grudge fight in December with both fighters in action this weekend. If they both win that could be a fight that is announced next week and I do think this is nothing more than Eubank Jr getting some rust out of himself.

I am sure JJ McDonagh isn't heading to Saudi Arabia to make up the numbers and he is talking a very good game. However this is a huge step up for the Irishman and he i going to have to display some toughness if he is going to give Eubank Jr some Rounds in this one.

There is nothing on the record to suggest McDonagh is going to be able to secure the upset and I think this may be a showcase fight for Eubank Jr. He should be able to let his hands go and I think that could see him end the fight relatively early with the referee perhaps jumping in to stop things.

I do think McDonagh can tough out the first couple of Rounds, but Eubank Jr may keep the fast hands going and earn the stoppage in either Round 3 or Round 4 which is worth a small interest.

George Groves vs Callum Smith

Where the Cruiserweight World Boxing Super Series tournament crowned an undisputed Champion and one who looks to be going on to much bigger things, the Super Middleweight tournament did not have all the belts on the line.

However the tournament has gained such a traction over the last twelve months that Ring Magazine are putting their belt on the winner which means either George Groves or Callum Smith will be considered the Number 1 Super Middleweight in the world.

That will open the door for some huge fights with the likes of James DeGale and Rocky Fielding being considered for December, but neither Groves or Smith can afford to look over this Final.

George Groves has the experience and the superior wins in his career, while also being involved in much bigger fights and occasions than Smith. The only real doubt around the WBA Champion is the shoulder injury he suffered in the win over Chris Eubank Jr in the Semi Final and whether that is fully healed or whether Groves goes into this Final with some doubts.

It is a worry because it was a very bad injury, but Groves has sounded pretty content with his recovery.

A couple of years ago I was pretty high on Callum Smith as the best of a strong fighting family. He looked to be progressing very well but he has underwhelmed in the World Boxing Super Series and that despite not facing top quality opposition either.

I do think Smith will be motivated in this one and that a lack of motivation may have contributed to sub par performances. However I am not convinced he is making weight as well as he would like and this is a big step up on anyone he has faced in his career.

The win over Rocky Fielding looks much better since the latter won a World Title, but Smith has not progressed as I would have liked to have seen since then. The lack of experience of fighting someone of the quality of Groves could come out here and I like the veteran to produce one more good win before contemplating his next move in his career.

It is possible Groves still hits hard enough to earn a stoppage, but the most likely outcome feels like the veteran using his wiles to do enough to pile up the Rounds and eventually be awarded the Unanimous Decision. Both fighters could then consider a move up to Light-Heavyweight, but I think Smith will come again like Groves did after losing his first three Title challenges.

MY PICKS: Chris Eubank Jr Win Between 3-4 @ 6.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

George Groves @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing 2018 Update: 27-47, + 12.44 Units (113 Units Staked, + 11.01% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2017- Anthony Joshua vs Carlos Takam (October 27-28)

The next Anthony Joshua event is ready to go, but I have to say that the overall feeling about the fight card this weekend is underwhelming when you think where we were in April at Wembley Stadium.

I understand AJ is a huge star for Eddie Hearn and Sky Sports, but they can't be really be suggesting this should be a PPV fight. Unfortunately Joshua has transcended the sport and that means I would be surprised to ever see him on a non-PPV event again, although the undercard looks pretty terrible too.

It is not all the fault of Hearn or Sky simply because of the injuries that have affected the card, but this is a PPV that is priced at double that of Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo and I am not sure there is much value for money on the one being shown on Saturday.

I will still watch it, but I won't be paying myself. Instead I will go out to a bar, have a few beers and watch the two fights of real interest for me which both come from the Heavyweight Division.

On Friday we also have the final Quarter Final in the World Boxing Super Series although it is perhaps one of the weakest of the Quarter Finals in what has been a real revelation of a tournament so far. This will set up the final of the four Semi Final fights to come in January and February 2018 and will be an interesting night in Germany.

Juergen Braehmer vs Rob Brant

Both the Super Middleweight and the Cruiserweight World Boxing Super Series have been such a success already that there are plans for other weights to follow suit at the end of next year. Some top boxers have already expressed an interest to being involved next time around and so all credit has to be given to the organisers for putting together a tournament that looks like it will succeed where the Super Six World Boxing Classic did not.

In saying all that, this might not have been the best of the Quarter Finals.

Out of the Super Middleweight tournament, the other Quarter Finals had boxers involved that are considered amongst the favourites to win this tournament, but this one doesn't seem to have the same appeal.

Juergen Braehmer is coming down from the Light-Heavyweight level and was last season calling it a day against Nathan Cleverly over a year ago. There are questions as to how much he has left in the tank and whether this is just a last chance saloon fight for the veteran German.

On the other hand Rob Brandt is an unbeaten American prospect who is coming up in weight from Middleweight to take part in the tournament. This is clearly the biggest test in his career having won his previous twenty-two fights and I am really not convinced the winner is going to have enough to beat Callum Smith in the Semi Final.

Brandt may have a little more room for improvement than Braehmer at this stage of their careers though and I do think the American can step up and make a statement in this Quarter Final. It can be hard to really believe in a prospect, but I am not sure Braehmer has much left having been out of the ring for twelve months.

Perhaps he shows off his veteran experience early in the fight, but I expect Brandt to take control of the fight in the latter stages. I think he may have enough to force the stoppage against an opponent who may struggle to keep the energy going at this weight and I will back the American to see either the corner or the referee end this contest in the second half of the fight.

Robert Helenius vs Dillian Whyte

I think a lot of credit has to be given to the promoters that Dillian Whyte is positioned where he is in the Heavyweight ranks and I don't mean in the official World Rankings but by the casual fan.

Some people genuinely think Whyte is ready for the World level, but I can't say I agree with them just yet.

He went life and death with Dereck Chisora who has been shown to be a step below the World level and I honestly think the push for Whyte to face Deontay Wilder is being fuelled by Eddie Hearn. I think Hearn would expect Wilder to win that fight and thus set up a mammoth fight with Anthony Joshua for all the marbles at some point in 2018, but Whyte himself really believes he belongs.

He is rough and ready and will be an awkward fight at times for anyone, although I do think it will be an upset if he picks up one of the main Heavyweight titles. Perhaps Whyte would be better suited to chase Joseph Parker and try and bring a World title to the table in a unification with Joshua rather than searching for the fight with Wilder.

In saying that, I do think Whyte beats Robert Helenius in this one on Saturday. Remember Chisora lost a controversial one to Helenius a few years ago and the Finn has not really improved much from that point and also seen his undefeated record taken away. Back then many thought Chisora had done enough to win the fight, and this time Helenius won't be getting home judging to bail him out.

Helenius was stopped in his loss and Whyte is expected to put him down for the count in this one. That is the most likely outcome of this one as I am not sure Helenius has much left in the tank, although I am also not convinced Whyte is blessed with the power to beat someone without wearing them down first.

Maybe that is the way he takes down Helenius in this one, but I think the bigger man can try and keep Whyte at length with his jab. The rough house tactics of Whyte may impress the judges more than Chisora did in his own loss to Helenius, and I think there may be something in taking Whyte to win this one on a Decision.

Whyte has stopped three of his last five opponents as he rebuilds after the loss to Joshua, but he needed 10 Rounds against Ian Lewison, and also went 10 with David Allen as well as 12 against Chisora. Maybe he gets Helenius out there late, but I will look for Whyte to record a Decision win here.

Anthony Joshua vs Carlos Takam

You can't blame the PPV company in promoting Carlos Takam as a real threat to Anthony Joshua, but I can't see him upsetting the big favourite coming as a replacement.

I fancied Anthony Joshua would have been too much for Kubrat Pulev, but neither fight was going to get the blood pumping as the April win over Wladimir Klitschko did. That's no concern for Joshua who continues to be the golden child of British Boxing who will know some big fights are coming in 2018 as long as he keeps the focus.

This should be a fight in which he keeps things rolling regardless of what he is saying outwardly.

AJ has been speaking about the toughness of Takam and how this could take getting into the Championship Rounds before he can take out his opponent. Takam is tough, but I won't read much about him going the distance against Joseph Parker as he was stopped by Alexander Povetkin.

Takam has some solid wins behind him, but I am not sure how much he could have prepared for this one regardless of what Eddie Hearn mentioned about having him getting ready in case Pulev pulled out. I do think Takam will show heart but most will be wondering how long he can last in this one.

That is what I am considering as I do think Joshua will find a way to get this stopped.

I will credit Takam for likely giving this his best shot considering he is unlikely to ever have such an opportunity again. I do think Takam can make things awkward, but Joshua hits very, very hard.

Whyte and Dominic Breazeale both lasted into the 7th Round against Joshua and I can imagine the latter not looking to rush this one. Both Whyte and Breazeale were ended in the 7th Round... Takam may get to around the same mark and having a small interest in this one finishing anywhere between 7-9 looks to be worth backing.

MY PICKS: Rob Brant Win Between 7-12 @ 4.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Dillian Whyte by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.00 Betfair Sportsbook (1 Unit)
Anthony Joshua Win Between 7-9 @ 6.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Boxing Picks 2017- Chris Eubank Jr vs Avni Yildirim/Anthony Crolla vs Ricky Burns (October 7th)

This week we have another World Boxing Super Series Quarter Final as we are almost set for the Semi Final line up which will see those fights arranged for early 2018 ahead of the Final in May/June.

It is a big week ahead as most Boxing fans in the United Kingdom have to be hoping that Chris Eubank Jr and George Groves can get through their fights to set up a huge Semi Final which should capture the imagination of the fans. Both won't be looking ahead to that potential Semi Final, but the war of words have already begun and I can only see a heated build up between those two.

I am expecting both to make it through with Eubank Jr having his Quarter Final fight this Saturday.

On the same day we have a big domestic dust up between Anthony Crolla and Ricky Burns with both fighters coming off losses and perhaps at a crossroads in their careers. Everything points to a really good fight assuming both Crolla and Burns have something left in the tank and this should be another decent evening of Boxing for the fans.

Chris Eubank Jr vs Avni Yildirim

It was Chris Eubank Sr who picked Avni Yildirim as the opponent for his son Chris Eubank Jr in the World Boxing Super Series Quarter Final and the British fighter is a pretty big favourite to win and move into the Semi Final.

You can't argue with the reasoning as Avni Yildirim hasn't really got a deep resume to look at and his biggest wins have come against fighters that are way past their prime. The biggest was the Decision over Glen Johnson, although the latter was a long way past his best when they fought in 2015.

Beating an old Aaron Pryor on a Decision is another 'stand out' win for Yildirim and I think the best you can say about Mr Robot is the rumours about how he did in sparring against James DeGale earlier this year. Yildirim apparently gave DeGale all he could handle in those sessions, but I am not sure how much stock you want to put into those sparring sessions.

It is always a little different in a real fight and I think Chris Eubank Jr will have too much speed and skill for what looks like a slow, come forward fighter that will allow the British fighter to show off what he has in the ring. I fully expect Eubank Jr to have the flashier moments and I can only see Yildirim winning with a special punch, but I am not convinced he even has that in the locker.

Eubank Jr is not really a one punch Knock Out artist, but the accumulation of shots can wear down opponents and he will know Yildirim is likely to be in front of him throughout this fight. I can see Eubank Jr breaking down his opponent and perhaps showing enough flash and combination punching to force a late stoppage although much will depend on how much punishment Yildirim's camp want their boxer to take.

I am not at all convinced about Eubank Jr's claims he is the best fighter at this weight in the world, because I simply think he hasn't really taken on many challenges in his professional career to warrant those statements. His biggest fight was a loss to Billy Joe Saunders and I have not been convinced by the level of opponent since then.

He is always seemingly linked to the big names like Groves, DeGale, Gennady Golovkin or a potential rematch with Saunders, but those have yet to materialise. Win this and Eubank Jr could be in line for some big fights in the first half of 2018, and I think he can find a way to earn a late stoppage over an opponent who will likely plod forward and help Eubank Jr look very good.

Anthony Crolla vs Ricky Burns

Both Anthony Crolla and Ricky Burns are off big World Title losses and it does feel like the fighters are at a crossroads in their career with the winner maybe earning another World Title shot and the loser perhaps seriously considering retirement.

It does feel like that for Ricky Burns a lot more than Anthony Crolla with the Scottish fighter having a lot of miles on the clock and approaching his 35th birthday. Burns is a three weight Champion and is coming off a one sided loss to Julius Indongo, but he has shown he is a tough, tough man and looks to be the naturally bigger fighter.

Having to come down to the Lightweight level is a concern for Burns and the ease in which he managed to do that is going to be all important in this fight. If it wasn't a bad training camp, Burns has the tools to give Anthony Crolla all he can handle, but if it has taken something more from Burns then you would expect the home fighter to come on strong.

Everyone should have a lot of respect for Crolla who came back from what liked like a career ending injury when trying to prevent his neighbours from being robbed. He didn't just come back to boxing, but Crolla won a World Title before two losses to Jorge Linares in which he found the truly World Class level too hot to handle.

I like Crolla and I always wish him the best because of what he has come through and he does come across a really nice guy. However I do question how good Crolla actually is when you think a couple of his more recent wins have come by stoppage when he was down on the cards.

Stopping Burns has proven to be too much for some top fighters, including Terrance Crawford, and I am not sure Crolla can do that unless the weight cut has hurt the Scot. Burns comes across too professional for that to be the case and I like the reach advantage and the solid jab Burns can put out there to help the underdog here.

Stopping Crolla is also proven to be a very difficult task and Burns has never really had the concussive power to think he can do that now. This does look like a really close fight that will come down to the cards and I do think Burns has every chance of earning the Decision on the night.

It may be a Split or Majority Decision in what should be a fantastic fight where both styles mesh wonderfully on the night. A small interest in Burns winning this one on the cards has to be worth taking if you think he has anything left in the tank, as I do believe Burns has, and I am looking forward to this one.

MY PICKS: Chris Eubank Win Between 7-12 @ 4.33 Coral (1 Unit)

Ricky Burns to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 4.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)