Boxing Picks 2020- Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury 2 (February 22nd)

It has been a long time since we have seen a Heavyweight Fight of the kind of stature as the one we are getting on Saturday night from Las Vegas.

Things always seem to feel that much more important when an American fighter is the 'A Side' of the event, but Tyson Fury is more than just a hyped up European Boxer and he could be the very best of this generation.

Deontay Wilder will have something to say about that and anything like the first fight will set up a potential trilogy this summer in exactly the manner we would want to see.

You can go to my Instagram page to see a video that captured THAT moment in the Twelfth Round and the link to that is here.

Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury 2

This is essentially a 50-50 pick 'em and I can't argue with that at all.

There is a real case that can be made for either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury to have their hand raised at the end of this rematch, but I think it makes a lot of sense for people to either believe it is going to be a Wilder KO or a Fury Points Decision.

The intrigue has really been built up from the first fight when Fury largely outboxed the American WBC Champion, but it was Wilder's power that scored two Knock Downs and eventually the Draw on the cards. I thought Fury had done enough to win the fight to be honest, but it wasn't a massive surprise when a Split Decision Draw was announced.

A third fight has already been signed off so I don't think we will see that same kind of controversy this time, but it is interesting to hear that Tyson Fury wants to change his tactics as much as he says he does. Some of that is down to mind games and I would not be shocked to see him box and work his way to another Decision, but the weight put on is suggesting Fury has not be making things up.

Deontay Wilder is also a lot heavier as he looks to hold his own in the clinches and perhaps just avoid being sapped by the weightier Fury in those up close and personal moments.

I've always felt that the second time an elite fighter would get to see Tyson Fury they would be much better prepared for what is an amazing style for someone as big as the 'Gypsy King' is. You really can't figure that out when just watching the tape, but I do think Deontay Wilder is going to be better for having had that first fight and the fact he managed to force Fury to hit the canvas twice in the last four Rounds is telling for me.

Of course I do think Fury will be better having been much more active now than when the first fight was signed, and I am not reading too much into the last two performances as he feels like a Boxer who will be better against the better competition faced.

However you can't ignore the 47 stitches he needed after the win over Otto Wallin and I would not be surprised if that is a problem in this one. I would hope it is not the case, but Fury has not given as much time for that to heal as you would want.

A move in trainer and gym clouds things a little more as Tyson Fury says he wants to sit down on his punches and stop the Knock Out artist that is in front of him and it all just makes things as intriguing as you like.

This is going to be a big fight that I am going to enjoy- my gut feeling is that Wilder is going to find an answer in a fight that is either going to be controversial with the Fury cut reopening and seeing the referee/doctor step in, or Tyson Fury will be winning on the cards before Wilder finds the eraser of a punch which has seen him come through battles with Luis Ortiz over the last two years.

Either of those conclusions will at least keep people interested for a trilogy fight too, but I can't recommend either fighter here and instead will have a cold one and enjoy the entire occasion.

There is an undercard in place which is perhaps not as strong as some would have hoped.

Emanuel Navarrete is one of those on the undercard who looks like he could be the best fighter in his Division and will be searching for Unification fights to prove that. He might soon be going up to the Featherweight limit where more big fights would await, but on Saturday he should blow past his opponent without being overly taxed and the layers feel the same.

We will also have a crossroads fight at Heavyweight where Charles Martin, the fighter deposed as IBF Champion by Anthony Joshua, and Gerald Washington look to move back into a contender status. It is Martin who looks the more capable and I think he will win by stoppage against Washington who looks like he is not as confident in taking the big shots as his opponent may be.

I am not sure Charles Martin is as big a puncher as his 24 Knock Outs in 27 wins would suggest, but he has enough pop and I think he could get this done within the first six Rounds.

MY PICKS: Relax and enjoy the main event!

Boxing Picks 2020: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2018- Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford (June 9th)

He's Back.

The Lineal Heavyweight Champion, which still means something whether the mainstream media want to admit it or not, is back from an almost three year lay off and Tyson Fury looks to have the motivation to go back to the top of the mountain.

For now it is all about shaking off the ring rust for Fury who is on the comeback trail against an overmatched Sefer Seferi. Any fight for the World Title has to wait but it is great to see Fury back although the big question is how long, if ever, it will take for Fury to reach the kind of standard he set in bamboozling Wladimir Klitschko in Germany.

It is a big fight night on Saturday but you have to be frustrated with two American cards being placed on the same date which means fight fans have to pick and choose what they want to watch. Of course we do have the chance to record one card and watch the other, but it is frustrating when promoters put on two good looking fights on the same night when noting a couple of weekends where there isn't any top boxing being put on.

On Saturday it is Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford on one card and on another we have a potential 'Fight of the Year' candidate when Leo Santa Cruz faces Abnes Mares for a second time.

Earlier on Terry Flanagan goes to become a two time World Champion when taking on Maurice Hooker in Manchester while Jermell Charlo is back in action to defend his WBC Light-Middleweight Title which could lead to some huge fights later in the year in what is becoming a pretty stacked Division.

Tyson Fury vs Sefer Seferi

Some of the criticisms from the likes of Tony Bellew for Tyson Fury's comeback fight are almost laughable as if they expect the former World Heavyweight Champion to pick a top 10 contender having been out of the ring for almost three years.

In truth Fury needs to get some fights under the belt and he will be continuing to manage his weight which still has some way to go for the Lineal Champion to really feel like he is back to peak fitness.

This shouldn't be a big concern for Fury in this bout with Sefer Seferi who hasn't been anywhere near someone as good as Fury. It is no surprise that Fury has built up his opponent by even uttering Evander Holyfield's name in the same sentence as Seferi's but the only thing I see those two fighters having in common is 'The Real Deal' nickname.

In absolute truth all Fury is hoping for is that Seferi can offer some durability and he himself has predicted a Fifth Round stoppage here.

Fury isn't someone who will beat you with one punch concussive power but much depends on how much Seferi really believes in his own ability and I am not convinced he does. I think the fight may end a little sooner than Fury himself has predicted and I am not sure we will learn a lot about him here.

It's still good to have Fury back in a Heavyweight Division which looks to be thriving.

Jermell Charlo vs Austin Trout

This is the second time Austin Trout will have fought Charlo, although this time it is Jermall's twin brother Jermell Charlo who faces Trout at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

For most this is merely a stay busy fight for Charlo who puts his WBC Light-Middleweight Title on the line knowing there are some big money fights to come if he can defend it on Saturday.

The unification with Jarrett Hurd looks to be on the back burner for now, but the likes of Kell Brook, Jaime Munguia can offer big challenges for Charlo later in the year. Brook may be the target knowing the money Eddie Hearn can offer for that one and so Charlo has to make sure he doesn't lose his unbeaten record in an upset.

Austin Trout has proven to be a tough fighter having been the last one to take Jermall Charlo the distance, but he was beaten up and broken down by Jarrett Hurd since then. He is still slick enough to give Charlo problems early in this one, but Jermell Charlo has stopped his last four opponents and I think this is a chance for him to make a statement by matching what Hurd was able to do against the former Champion.

No one can dispute Trout's toughness especially when you think he has been the distance with Jermall Charlo and Canelo Alvarez, but he is older now and knows how to be stopped. With the punching power displayed by both Charlo Twins in their most recent fights I think Trout could be pulled out by his corner in this one as he was against Hurd, although the latter is a big powerful Light-Middleweight fighter and will be a tough out for anyone.

I do just wonder if Trout's best days are behind him now and I think Charlo has picked him as someone he can make a big statement against. While the odds on favourite 'method of victory' is Charlo winning on points, I think he may get a chance to show off some power and I think he can catch Trout with something big which hurts him.

That may see Charlo punish a tough Trout for a few Rounds before the corner decide their man has had enough for the evening and Charlo can make it five stoppages in a row.

Leo Santa Cruz vs Abner Mares

The first time these two got together in the brilliant Super Featherweight Division it was a classic fight and now they have the rematch in Los Angeles which should produce a fiery atmosphere for both fighters.

Abner Mares has bounced back from the defeat to Leo Santa Cruz by winning a couple of Decisions to get back into this position, and it was picking up the regular WBA strap that has given him the opportunity to have the rematch with the Super WBA Champion.

Santa Cruz has been much more active than Mares in the time since their first fight which includes two very tough fights with Carl Frampton which were split. Plenty have been hoping for a rubber bout between those two fighters but Santa Cruz has shown little willing to do that and has moved away from any potential fight in Northern Ireland which looked to have been the deal between him and Frampton.

The first fight was a very exciting affair, but Mares ran out of steam which means there could be more of a chess fight develop when they meet in Los Angeles. I am not sure that is going to be good enough for Mares to change the outcome as I think Santa Cruz is the better boxer of the two.

While both feel they have shown improvement since the first fight in 2015, Santa Cruz is the younger man and that should also make a difference as he keeps Mares at bay.

I don't doubt Mares has his moments and I am sure it is going to be a close fight on the cards with the way the two approach things. However I think Santa Cruz will be the slicker and able to control things from a distance and it is going to be difficult for Mares to find the right formula to maintain the tank and also put Santa Cruz under exceptional pressure.

It should still be a fun fight and I think it will be close on the cards, but I am looking for Santa Cruz to edge things and set himself up for some more intriguing bouts with the likes of Josh Warrington, Carl Frampton for a third time or the one most want to see against Gary Russell Jr.

Jeff Horn vs Terence Crawford

It has been eleven months since Jeff Horn stunned Manny Pacquiao with a controversial Decision win in front of his watching fans in Australia. Ever since then Horn has been fighting to command the respect of the fight fans as well as his fellow professionals and he won't have a better chance to announce himself as a legitimate contender in the loaded Welterweight Division than by winning this fight.

He takes on one of the pound for pound kings in Terence Crawford who is moving up from Light-Welterweight after unifying the Division.

The move up has got the fans salivating about potential bouts with the likes of Errol Spence and the winner of the upcoming Danny Garcia/Shawn Porter bout which is set to go in August. Terence Crawford himself is not looking past the bout with Jeff Horn although he is a huge favourite against a fighter who has been seen as someone who has got 'lucky' to be in the position he is in.

Crawford is going to be naturally the smaller man so it is up to Horn to try and pressure him and rough up the American, although I am not sure the referee will let him get away with the same type of game plan as he enjoyed against Pacquiao.

Even then Pacquiao, who has not shown considerable power in his latter years, almost stopped Horn in a tremendous Ninth Round. Age prevented the former pound for pound king from really taking over from there, but Crawford is not someone who is likely to run out of gas and instead I think he will be able to take Horn out there.

I am favouring Crawford to find a way to get this to a finish and six of the last seven fighters have not been able to go the distance against him. Yes Horn is a bigger man and may take more punishment, but I think Crawford will begin wearing him down after the first three Rounds and then really take over the fight by putting a beating on a fighter who will keep coming forward.

Some have compared this to when Ricky Hatton took on Floyd Mayweather and I have a feeling that Horn's work will be stymied by the refereeing like Hatton's was. If that is the case I have no doubt that Horn will still continue to push forward and try and change the way the fight is going and that could lead to Crawford picking him off and eventually stopping him at some point in the latter stages of this fight.

I did have a slight feeling this might be a coming out party for Crawford in a new Division by blowing past Horn, but I think the Australian will show toughness for the first half before being put away.

MY PICKS: Tyson Fury Win Between 3-4 @ 4.33 Boyle Sports (1 Unit)

Jermell Charlo to Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 2.62 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leo Santa Cruz to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Terence Crawford to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2018 Update: 14-31, - 1.37 Units (68 Units Staked, - 2.01% Yield)

Boxing Picks Recap (July 23rd)

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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


BOXING PICKS UPDATE: + 5.8 Units

Boxing Picks July 23rd- Amir Khan v Zab Judah

I haven't made any boxing picks since the Bernard Hopkins win over Jean Pascal as I haven't really found the value I have been looking for, but I feel tonight there may be a couple of plays to make.

In the UK, we have the big British dust-up between Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora, with the added incentive that the winner is likely to be propelled into a World Title fight against Wladimir Klitschko.

Later, we have the Light-Welterweight Unification bout between Amir Khan and Zab Judah out in Las Vegas in the early hours of the morning. This fight is being screened on pay-per-view by Primetime, a little known channel in the UK, after Sky showed little interest in the bout. I actually think that is a fallout from the previous Khan fight with Paul McCloskey which failed to sell enough pay-per-view packages on Sky Box Office that the Khan management decided to move to Primetime.

Both fights tonight are significant and I am hopeful both will be ones to rememeber.

Tyson Fury v Dereck Chisora
Both fighters have similar records coming- both are 14-0, Fury having 1 more knockout on his resume than Chisora.


Fury has wins over John McDermott (twice) while Chisora effectively ended Danny Williams career and beat Sam Sexton (twice).


Neither has been very active of late- Fury has fought just once in 2011 while Chisora has not fought since September last year as Wladimir Klitschko pulled out of two fights that had been scheduled through injury.


The key to the fight is how well Chisora can defend against the boxing ability of the much taller Fury. For his 6 foot 9 size, Fury is not really a concussive puncher and I actually believe Chisora is the bigger hitter in the contest.


It will also be interesting to note what kind of tactics the teams employ. Chisora has a low centre of gravity and I am sure he will look to get on the inside early and try and get the job done. A big concern must be the fact that Chisora has never gone beyond the 9th Round, and he reached that in his last fight with Sexton.


In saying that, Chisora did look a little knackered in that fight before finding a huge punch that was the beginning of the end for Sexton. It is interesting to note that Sexton's camp believed their man was just about to win if he could have taken it to one more round.


Neither man likes one another but that doesn't always lead to a dust-up and I have a feeling Tyson Fury will look to use his size effectively and keep Chisora off by throwing plenty of jabs and maybe trying to walk the smaller man onto a bigger punch.


I can see the early rounds maybe seeing a bit more action but then stamina issues effecting Chisora as he is dragged into rounds he is not used to competing in. Fury may just end this one late, but I would stick with my original thinking and pick Fury to take the win on points.


I'll look for the scorecards to read 116-112 in favour of the underdog.




Amir Khan v Zab Judah
Reading and listening to the British press and you could be forgiven for thinking this is a gimme fight for Amir Khan as he continues on his collision course with Floyd Mayweather next Summer.


But don't be fooled- Judah is a slick boxer with plenty of power and speed and even at 33 I expect him to cause problems. His southpaw stance only makes it possible for him to throw shots from angles that opponents dont see coming.


He was one of the brightest prospects in boxing in his early days and it looked like Zab Judah was going to follow his idol Mike Tyson by becoming the next truly big thing out of Brooklyn.


In 2001 he suffered a crushing defeat to Kostya Tszyu in the 2nd Round of a unification fight and that remains his sole defeat at Light-Welter.


Judah seems to always come up a little short in his biggest fights as defeats to the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto and Tszyu showed. However, he did record a huge win over Cory Spinks to become the undisputed Welterweight Champion of the World, albeit in 2005.


He has grown up and matured recently and now knows this is his final shot at the big time. Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whittaker was brought in as a trainer and Judah has looked decent in his last 2 fights and is definitely a live dog in this one.


Amir Khan reinvented himself after a crushing loss to Breidas Prescott and is now in line for the biggest year in his life if he can overcome Judah. Freddy Roach has worked wonders with Khan but there are still some unresolved issues that could lead to his downfall.


Khan has plenty of speed and power, but his footwork remains poor and his movement seems restricted to straight lines. That is bad news against a fighter that has the speed and power to hit from awkward angles and there is a real chance Khan is caught with a punch he doesnt even see coming.


The British fighter has not fought anyone of the speed and power combined that Judah brings to the ring and his victories since the Prescott defeat have come against fighters that are fairly one-dimensional.


The biggest win was last December when he just about beat Marcos Maidana, but there was a real stage in that fight where it looked like Khan was going to be stopped.


I just cant help thinking the British bookmakers have completely and utterly disregarded Judah at the  prices being offered. It is clear that Judah is not the same name as a Mayweather and Pacquaio in England, but anyone who follows boxing will know how dangerous he is and what he can do.


I may be holding out hope for Judah to land something a little special, but he has the speed to throw a punch from an awkward angle and hurt Khan with 'the one he doesnt see coming', the most dangerous punch in boxing.


I'm going to go for the upset in this one.




MY PICKS: Tyson Fury to win on points @ 5.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Zab Judah @ 5.00 BetFred (1 Unit)


BOXING PROFIT/LOSS: + 2.8 Units