Boxing Picks 2025- Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis (Saturday 12th April)

When the money is as good as some of the top names in the Boxing community are earning, it is always the hardest thing to let go.

The reality is that for fighters like Joe Joyce, they are unlikely to be in a position to earn at their current levels doing anything else and that makes it that much harder to accept when your time is finished in the ring.

Even Frank Warren sounded a little nervous to commit to further fights promoting Joyce after his latest loss, but this is not a decision for Warren, but one that Joe Joyce is going to have to make himself.

He was not completely outclassed by Filip Hrgovic, but the Croatian has not exactly looked like a top level Heavyweight himself in recent outings and so you have to believe the upper echelon of the Division is now beyond the reach of Joe Joyce. Does he really want to become something of a gate-keeper at 39 years old and with the reflexes slowing down all the time? He cannot seriously believe he can become a World Champion now, even if the Titles are eventually fragmented again, and so that conversation about retirement will have to be had by those around him.

Sometimes the fighter does need to be protected from themselves, but news that Josh Warrington is making another return this week just underlines the point about how hard it is to accept limitations.

Speaking about Warrington, it did felt like something was left in the tank even after suffering a third straight loss and he may get one more big run. That seems much more unlikely for Joe Joyce and that is where people do need to have his best interests at heart.

Last weekend was a crossroads fight for Joyce and Hrgovic and the same could be said for Tim Tszyu who secured a big win after consecutive defeats in the United States. He looks in line to face Keith Thurman as he continues his rebuild, while the controversial ending to David Adeleye's win over TKV has already had the British Board request for a rematch.

Richard Torrez Jr continues his move up the Heavyweight World Rankings with a solid win on the board and it was another good week of action for fans of the sport.

We are now just two weeks away from the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn card, but there is a big rematch in British terms next weekend when Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron meet for a second time.

However, the biggest fight left in April should be coming from Atlantic City when the WBA and IBF World Titles in the Welterweight Division are Unified.

Some may feel this is also the bout that should determine the Number 1 in the Division, but Brian Norman Jr can certainly make a challenge to that and is potentially next in line for the winner in yet another Unification.

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis

With Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford moved on after deciding the best in the 147 pound Division in July 2023, the Welterweights have perhaps lost some of the star appeal that has been associated with those fighting for the World Titles for years.

There had been a lot of hype around Jaron Ennis, but recent performances have raised more questions than answers.

He can make a real statement this weekend if he can Unify two of the four World Titles and the hope is that we will continue to see the Champions fight one another through the remainder of the calendar year.

Winning the Interim IBF World Title in January 2023 should have sparked the Jaron Ennis run, but he has struggled to entice a really big name in the ring with him. Two wins over Karen Chukhadzhian and further victories over Roiman Villa and David Avanesyan are not exactly going to bring Ennis to the forefront and he needs to win this fight and win well.

No one should doubt the ability of the IBF World Champion, even if some believe he has been getting hit more than he should against limited opposition. Some of that may be down to the lacklustre names in front of him, but Jaron Ennis will not have many excuses if he underperforms against an unbeaten WBA World Champion.

Eimantas Stanionis won the Regular WBA World Title in his fourteenth fight and defended it in his fifteenth, but has since been upgraded to full World Champion. The worrying part of that is that those two fights took place in April 2022 and August 2024 and inactivity has been a real issue for the 30 year old.

After the Covid pandemic, Stanionis was out twice in quick succession, but there has to be a big impact in his development that his last seven fights have been since December 2019. There is inactivity and there is inactivity and while some of it has not been the fault of the fighter, you do have to wonder how ready the Lithuanian can be for a challenge like this one.

You may look at the Jaron Ennis resume and become a little underwhelmed, but there is almost nothing on the Eimantas Stanionis resume that would have you sit up and take notice.

He has proven to be tough and Stanionis should help create an interesting fight with his come forward style, but this is likely going to end with Jaron Ennis having a chance to show off why so many believe he is the best in the Division.

We should see all of the Ennis skills as he breaks down an opponent that has not really been prepared for this kind of test, while the IBF World Champion has had two solid fights in 2024 and should be improving with the regular return to the ring.

There will be plenty of eyes on this fight, and it is one where Jaron Ennis may just grow as it develops with the American forcing a Stoppage at some stage in the second half of the contest.

MY PICKS: Jaron Ennis to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 15-33, - 10.73 Units (58 Units Staked, - 18.50% Yield)

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 2025- Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis (Friday 14th February)

There were not many people who believed the tagline 'The Last Dance' and it is inevitable that Derek Chisora will reach a milestone in a fiftieth fight later this year.

He was a clear winner over Otto Wallin, regardless of one of the cards submitted at the end of the Twelve Rounds fought out, and the right Decision was at least made by having Chisora's hand raised.

Three cards were brought out with faces on it- Daniel Dubois, Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua and it was clear from those left in attendance that the last of those made the most appeal if Derek Chisora is going to have one more big night in London.

Recent wins are not exactly strong enough to see Derek Chisora earn a World Title shot and especially not when someone like Martin Bakole has not been given opportunity, and it is important to match the veteran as well as possible.

You would not want to see him hurt and there is little doubt he has slowed down- Otto Wallin should be embarrassed with his own level of performance, but neither Dubois nor Usyk are likely to be as lacklustre, while guys like Bakole would want to make a statement and would be seriously dangerous.

For a long time Derek Chisora refused to even entertain fighting Anthony Joshua and there is a feeling that the latter is still convinced that his next fight could be against Tyson Fury.

And with that all in mind, it does feel like Chisora is going to be hard to be matched right in what 'should' be his last fight.

Queensberry announced three big fight nights for April and May as they prepare to take their Boxing cards onto DAZN, so there are some exciting times for Boxing fans coming up.

Boxxer also put together a rematch between Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron, which has the easy storyline attached to it after their Royal Rumble like premature ending to the first bout.

However, the focus for most fans is on Saturday 22nd February and the next Riyadh Season card, which is loaded right up and down the card.

We are just eight days away from that big night headlined by the Undisputed rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, but the last weekend before The Last Crescendo has some quality attached to it.

The two fight nights will be split into two threads for ease of reading, beginning with the big American card taking place in the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City.

On Saturday the attention turns to Manchester and a top Light Welterweight contest main eventing, one that could set the winner up to call themselves Interim World Champion and potentially open the door for a huge fight later in the year.

Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis

There was some drama ahead of this World Title fight when the Challenger accused the unbeaten Champion, or someone in his team, of sending bananas and watermelons to his address, which was taken as a racist insult.

It was all threatening to boil over, but Keyshawn Davis has since apologised to Denys Berinchyk and instead laid the blame at the door of Teofimo Lopez.

Focus on winning the World Title is now the key for Davis and not worrying too much about the antics of a World Champion operating in a higher Division and The Businessman has been able to come through his bouts even as the step up in class of opponent has been presented to him.

A crushing win over Gustavo Daniel Lemos impressed, but the opponent had come in way clear of the 135 pound limit and you do have to wonder if his motivation was where it should have been for a second big opportunity in a row.

That's not of any concern to Keyshawn Davis and the victory, and manner of victory, will have given the American a huge boost in confidence as he fights in a scheduled Twelve Rounder for the first time.

It is very important to respect Denys Berinchyk, who won the vacant World Title in a tough fight against Emmanuel Navarrete.

He upset the odds on the day in a Split Decision win, but the 36 year old is not very active and this is a big step up compared with facing a World Champion moving up in weight. Prior to that win, Denys Berinchyk had beaten the likes of Yvan Mendy and Anthony Yigit, and, again, it feels like this is a considerable step up for the Champion.

No one will doubt the toughness and Berinchyk has shown he has the motor to do the full Twelve Rounds multiple times, which gives him an experience edge over the Challenger.

In saying that, Keyshawn Davis can build up the points on the scorecards and he may end up looking to manage the fight down the stretch if it begins to look unlikely that the Stoppage can be produced. There are going to be some potentially big doors opened up for Davis if he can win the World Title and he may just need the cards to do that on Valentine's Day.

There are fighters looking for breakout performances on the undercard, but also a couple of names that Top Rank have been hyping up that are looking to bounce back from recent setbacks.

Earlier in the night, Nico Ali Walsh returns in his third straight Six Rounder since his first loss of his professional career.

But on the main card there will be plenty of eyes on Jared Anderson who returns to the ring after his crushing loss to Martin Bakole last year.

He was down early and then often in that defeat and promoter Bob Arum has made it clear that the advice given to Anderson was to look at other opponents.

However, Arum has blamed the money that was on offer and he is hoping The Real Big Baby is now listening to experience and not his bank manager as the rebuild in the Heavyweight Division begins. The standard has been set by Daniel Dubois as to how a fighter can recover from a setback in a Division where opportunities can quickly be found and Jared Anderson is expected to make relatively quick work of Marios Kollias.

The Greek Heavyweight has been beaten three times as a professional and there is nothing on his resume that suggests he has been in with someone even as close to as good as Jared Anderson could potentially be.

Prior to the loss to Martin Bakole, there has been questions around Jared Anderson's focus and he is going to have to show his desire to really compete.

In reality, this looks a fight that is set for Anderson to get right and back on track and it is expected to be a relatively short night in the office.

MY PICKS: Keyshawn Davis Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Jared Anderson to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.72 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2025: 4-13, - 8.85 Units (21 Units Staked, - 42.14% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Serhii Bohachuk (Saturday 10th August)

The quality of the card in Los Angeles was decent enough, but a long event under the Riyadh Season banner does make it hard for the fans to remain absorbed. No one will dispute that having Eminem perform is a boost, but perhaps not just ahead of the main event, which started after Midnight on the East Coast and incredibly early in the morning for those of us watching on from the United Kingdom.

Late starts for the main event has been an issue in American Boxing for some time, but timing has to be improved, especially with the loaded cards being produced by the Saudi power brokers.

There was plenty of awards for those power brokers too, which was bizarre to say the least- Turki Alalshikh has been a boost for Boxing over the last twelve months, but being inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame without ever hosting an event in that State is odd and most fans will see it for what it is.

While some are bending over backwards to ensure they are given a piece of the pie, others are less interested in playing ball while losing control of their personal business.

The back and forth between Alalshikh and Canelo Alvarez has made it clear that not all of the biggest names in Boxing are willing to just take the payload and then have their careers dictated to them. There is no doubting the former wants big fights, and the upcoming Canelo contest does seem very one-sided, but that does not mean you cannot appreciate the strength of the Mexican to say 'no' where others are seemingly afraid that it would mean being on the outside looking in.

Canelo putting it on Eddie Hearn just days after the Los Angeles card was also fun to watch and Hearn is going to be in an unenviable position where he is trying to serve two opposite masters. The fact that Terence Crawford has already called out Hearn for appeasing Canelo adds to that and there is a real feeling that the likes of Alalshikh will be looking to by-pass the promoters and make deals with the Boxers themselves in the near future.

As fans we can see the positives of both the Alalshikh and the Canelo sides of the fallout- there is no doubt that the money Saudi have poured into the sport has made the last twelve months very exciting, but Canelo has plenty of money and being able to say 'no' to someone not used to hearing that is refreshing too.

It was interesting that the last post from Turki Alalshikh suggested Canelo only wants 'easy fights' considering big money was put into Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fighting an opponent who had never fought a professional Boxing fight until that initial fight with Fury. Frances Ngannou deserves respect for earning another shot, but Fury took him lightly and it could not have been any 'easier' for AJ.

In both situations, Canelo Alvarez taking on Edgar Berlanga is a 'harder' fight even if the Mexican is going to be a massive favourite and likely to blitz through someone who hasn't really earned that mega-fight.

Two picks returned 1-1 last week, but with a very slight positive number.

It feels like there was a miss with Martin Bakole, who impressed in dismantling Jared Anderson. He should have some big opportunities ahead, while Andy Ruiz Jr was fortunate to pick up a Draw with Jarrell Miller. We are unlikely to have an immediate rematch, but Miller should be on the same card as the Fury-Usyk rematch in December with Ruiz Jr looking to get his hand healed up.

The Isaac Cruz upset loss means the Tank Davis rematch is not going to be happening, but Pitbull should be looking to clear up the loss to Jose Velenzuela.

This week we have Vergil Ortiz Jr back in action in a very big fight with the WBC Interim World Title at stake in the Light Middleweight Division.

Winning will put Ortiz Jr in line for a big fight on a Saudi run event, but he cannot overlook Serhill Bohachuk who is looking for a seventh win in a row and who won the Interim World Title in March.

Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Serhii Bohachuk

If it wasn't for injury, Vergil Ortiz Jr would have been on the Los Angeles card last week.

Tim Tsyzu was the original opponent, but the Australian suffered a bad cut in his last fight and ultimately that was not healed, which meant Vergil Ortiz Jr had to move in another direction.

The original bout will not have had a World Title attached, Interim or otherwise, so Vergil Ortiz Jr may actually benefit with this fight instead.

Take nothing away from Serhii Bohachuk, who is a very tough opponent, but a big opportunity has opened up for Vergil Ortiz Jr who seems to be the beneficiary of any perceived fallout between Turki Alalshikh and Canelo Alvarez. Instead of looking to put Canelo in with Terence Crawford, Alalshikh has suggested Vergil Ortiz Jr could step in and there is every chance that would be a Unification.

Serhii Bohachuk can only be motivated by this talk though and he has won six straight fights since the Stoppage defeat to Brandon Adams. The Ukrainian had been well up on the cards that night, but he has bounced back effectively and his last win over Brian Mendoza is a solid indicator of form.

He will also feel he is the naturally bigger fighter, while Vergil Ortiz Jr has fought just Two Rounds in two years.

Both fighters are impressive finishers and that is backed up by the fact their combined forty-five wins have been earned with forty-four Stoppages. Only once have either Boxer heard the judges scorecards and that occurred last time out for Serhii Bohachuk in his comfortable win over Mendoza, who has shown considerable toughness throughout his career.

The main event should be a fan-friendly affair with neither Boxer likely to be hard to find in the ring- both should be pretty confident with the power they bring and there is a big opportunity at the end of the line which will only motivate.

Vergil Ortiz Jr is being tipped to take that, but Serhii Bohachuk will be looking to not only spoil the plans, but to put himself in the frame instead. However, the defeat to Brandon Adams is a disappointing one and Ortiz Jr is expected to have the power to Stop a fighter that knows how that feels.

He may have to come through some tough moments, especially when you think of the power that Bohachuk brings and Ortiz Jr has sometimes looked a little reckless, willing to take one shot to give one of his own. This should really make this enjoyable for all of the fans tuning and those who have paid at the gate, but eventually Vergil Ortiz Jr may be the last one standing in this firefight.

MY PICKS: Vergil Ortiz Jr to Win by KO/TKO @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 25-42, + 12.41 Units (90 Units Staked, + 13.79% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery (Monday 6th May)

The Saturday night Boxing from the United States will likely have been completed by the time you get to read this thread for the big bout taking place in Tokyo on Monday, but I will have a few thoughts about the outcomes of both of the fights involving some of the biggest names in the sport in the next thread.

That is likely to be a thread that covers the return of Vasyl Lomachenko as he takes on former Undisputed World Champion George Kambosos Jr in Australia next weekend as the big fight nights continue.

And we are now just a couple of weeks out from the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion being crowned, the first of two huge cards to come from Saudi Arabia when the entire Division will be shaken up ahead of a rumoured huge Wembley card expected to be headlined by Anthony Joshua.

It has been mentioned before, but the next several weeks are going to be massively exciting for Boxing fans with some top World level fights, as well as some quality domestic fights that may be setting up the stars of the future.

Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery

The Monster has heard one or two criticisms about him deciding to defend his World Titles in Japan rather than in the United States, but Naoya Inoue has made the point that he is not exactly performing in front of empty Arenas. Instead he is a major star in his home country and another major event will be taking place in Tokyo when Inoue defends his Undisputed Champion status in the Bantamweight Division.

At this point you have to wonder if Inoue will only be beaten when he moves to a weight class too far, much as Vasyl Lomachenko has done.

The Featherweight Champions will not hold a lot of fear for Naoya Inoue and all that he has achieved, but first a bit of almost personal business has to be dealt with.

This angle has been refuted by Naoya Inoue, but Luis Nery is Public Enemy Number One in Boxing circles in Japan.

The Mexican had two crushing wins over Shinsuke Yamanaka in the space of seven months, but Luis Nery failed a drugs test after the first win and was significantly overweight for the second. Neither of these situations went down very well with those in Japan and he was actually not allowed to fight here before this bout was signed off.

With that in mind, the feeling is that the authorities will have signed off for this fight to take place in Japan with a real belief that Naoya Inoue can punish Luis Nery for his previous mistakes.

Unsurprisingly Naoya Inoue has denied this being the case, but The Monster is someone who is going to come forward and unleash some massive shots and it will be interesting to see how Luis Nery stands up to the punishment. The former Super Bantamweight World Champion is looking to regain his World Titles having been beaten by Brandon Figueroa to lose his Belts.

Luis Nery has put four solid wins together since that loss, and the power he brings into the ring means we could see something of a shoot out between the two fighters.

The feeling is that Naoya Inoue can get the better of the exchanges and he is likely going to punish Luis Nery where he can.

The former Champion is not someone expected to take a backward step, but that may suit Naoya Inoue all the more and the current Undisputed World Champion can win in impressive style as he breaks down and concludes this one somewhere in the middle Rounds.

MY PICKS: Naoya Inoue to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 18-28, + 13.12 Units (65 Units Staked, + 20.18% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (Saturday 20th April)

For most fight fans, the 5 vs 5 undercard to the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol main event featuring fighters from Queensberry promotions facing off against Matchroom would not have been a surprise.

All five fights had long been reported to be taking place, despite Eddie Hearn's insistence he had only made one of his selections on the morning of the press conference, but even then it was something special to see the ten boxers on the stage together.

A very good main event is now being complemented by a very strong undercard, arguably the best fight card that Saudi Arabia have been able to put together as they continue to push their investment into the world of boxing.

I am still convinced that the overall game plan is to make their new 'Undisputed Champion' belt the main attraction in the sport, meaning having control of the sport.

Unlike golf or tennis, sports that have to be played in different venues throughout the course of the year, controlling a sport like boxing looks to be much more manageable, especially if they can push their own belt to being the ultimate one to hold. That would mean picking the fights to be staged in their own country and promoting Riyadh Season all year around, pretty much as they are already beginning to do.

There are obvious concerns, but for fight fans, this is an exciting time knowing that the very biggest fights are going to be able to be put together.

By the end of June 1st, we will have Undisputed Champions in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Divisions and it would not be a surprise if further Divisions are added to that over the course of the year. And much should concern the four governing bodies if those Undisputed Champions are willing to drop the other belts and focus on defending the one they will be given by the Saudi Arabians instead.

It is something to ponder, but for now the excitement has to be building towards a really strong run of fights right through to the end of June.

That run begins this weekend in New York City when two of the 'new four kings' face off, although the build has been strange to say the least.

Last weekend we added another positive unit to the Boxing totals for the 2024 season, but more is still expected after going 1-2 overall with the selections after an underwhelming main event showing in Corpus Christi.

Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (Saturday 20th April 2024)

Add in Teofimo Lopez and Tank Davis to the mix and there was a real hope that Boxing would have another 'Four Kings' era with Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia completing the numbers.

We have yet to really have those cross-bouts that would spark that kind of interest, although this is Ryan Garcia's second shot at taking down one of his peers having come up very short against Davis already.

It is hard to know what to expect from Garcia after a roller-coaster of a build up to this fight- at times he has looked mentally checked out and some of the behaviours, both in public and on social media, have fans wondering if Ryan Garcia SHOULD be fighting.

There is a real feeling that Garcia may have something of a mental breakdown in this one, while his training has been erratic and recent reports suggest he may struggle to make weight. After losing to Tank Davis, this feels like a significant moment for Garcia and he is not likely to be forgiven by the Boxing fans if he underperforms in this one.

However, this is of little concern to Devin Haney who has moved up from the Lightweight Division and dominated Regis Prograis in the Light-Welterweight ranks to pick up a World Title. The Division is a strong one, without many stand out names outside of Teofimo Lopez, and that remains the Unification that Haney wants most.

We still don't really know what kind of level Devin Haney possesses and those bouts against the likes of Lopez and Davis are the ones that many hope he pursues. Two consecutive wins over George Kambosos Jr before a controversial win over Vasyl Lomachenko in the Lightweight Division is a decent enough run, but Haney was at his absolute best when beating Prograis and this weight class may suit him much more than 135.

No one will dispute the clear talent that Devin Haney possesses- the fundamentals are very strong, although there are bigger tests ahead if he is going to try and become Undisputed in the Light-Welterweight Division and then potentially move into the Welterweight ranks.

Beating Ryan Garcia is one thing, but Devin Haney will be looking to make a real statement of his intent in this one.

A long standing rivalry is motivation enough, but Haney has been looking irritated by the Garcia behaviours in this build up and The Dream may look to settle down on his punches once he feels he has broken the spirit of his opponent.

Devin Haney is not the biggest of punchers, but Ryan Garcia has struggled to put together the kind of improvements his fans would have hoped. There is also this feeling that Garcia is not nearly as focused as he should be, and that remains true even if he has been playing up a bit more to put Devin Haney into a comfort zone.

Replicating the kind of performance he produced against Luke Campbell will give Ryan Garcia more of a chance, but something seems off about him. Missing weight underlines the point, especially as badly as he has missed it, and I remain unsure as to whether he should be in the ring at all this weekend.

It has been almost five years since Devin Haney last finished a fight inside the distance, but he could turn the screw late on in this one and force his old rival to just have to take that backward step. A late referee intervention or a corner pullout cannot be dismissed and Devin Haney following Gervonta Davis' path in stopping Ryan Garcia in the second half of the contest is the pick.

Making weight has been a problem, as suggested, and Ryan Garcia has perhaps been doing things he should not have been doing during a training camp, as has also been suggested, so there is every chance Devin Haney can put a combination or two together late on to secure a decisive finish. He has not really shown that ability in recent big bouts, but Ryan Garcia may just lose that focus which allows Haney to produce the kind of statement he will be targeting before once again calling out Teofimo Lopez for a blockbuster bout.

This is a PPV offering this weekend, but the undercard is perhaps a little underwhelming.

Arnold Barboza Jr was placed in the chief support as a backup in case either of the main event fighters were forced to pull out late on and he is a strong favourite to maintain his unbeaten run.

He is likely going to earn a Stoppage against Sean McComb, even though the latter is on a seven bout winning run.

Those have largely been at a lower level than the one he faces on Saturday and Gavin Gwynne was able to Stop McComb, but Barboza Jr has not exactly been working limited hours in recent outings. Five straight Decisions had to be earned before a late Stoppage last time out, but he is expected to close the show somewhere in the mid-Rounds before calling out some of the Champions in the Light-Welterweight Division.

Bektemir Melikuziev should also earn a Stoppage, even against an unbeaten opponent as he pushes for bigger fights.

Not many have been able to stand up to the power of Bully, and Pierre Hubert Dibombe has been operating at levels below.

Canelo Alvarez is unlikely to be looking at the Bully as a potential opponent, but Bektemir Melikuziev is rapidly moving up the WBA Rankings and a potential bout with David Morrell may eventually be the target.

He should overpower Dibombe very early in this one.

In the United Kingdom, potential new superstar Sam Noakes will be looking to take the next step in his career by getting the better of veteran Yvan Mendy.

Winning is not really being questioned, but Noakes will have to show a bit more against an experienced opponent and he is unlikely to continue his run of early Stoppages.

The Frenchman is 38 years old now, but he has yet to be Stopped and has caused some problems for those looking to breakthrough into the top tier of the Division.

Holding the European Lightweight Title would be another step for Sam Noakes and the WBO and IBF World Titles remain vacant in the Division. The top contender for the WBO World Title is Denys Berinchyk, who beat Mendy a couple of fights ago, but who was unsuccessful in becoming the first boxer to stop the veteran.

Sam Noakes will certainly be calling for huge opportunities if he can become the first person to Stop Yvan Mendy, but this is expected to be a tough test for someone who has overpowered previous opponents. Getting the Rounds under the belt cannot be seen as a bad thing and Noakes may need to head to the cards for the first time as a professional.

MY PICKS: Devin Haney to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.80 Coral (1 Unit)

Bektemir Melikuziev to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 17-25, + 13.92 Units (59 Units Staked, + 23.59% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Tim Tszyu vs Sebastian Fundora (Saturday 31st March)

There have been some solid fight nights over the last couple of weeks, but those have been exciting for fans rather than having angles to approach from the Boxing Picks perspective.

Seeing William Zepeda and Dalton Smith continue progressing is exciting and there should be some big fights ahead for both of those in the months and years ahead.

Both will certainly be chasing the biggest names in and around their Divisions in their next bouts and there are some good options around, even if Dalton Smith surprisingly continues to call out Adam Azim. That feels like a fight that will be in a much better position to be made in twelve to eighteen months time with Smith beating a former World Title challenger and who absolutely should be thinking about a crack at a World Title next time out.

In that time Adam Azim should be able to continue his own development and potentially earn a World Title of his own, which would make a potential domestic Unification a major money fight.

The last Boxing Picks came from Saudi Arabian card 'Knockout Chaos' and it was a huge night for Anthony Joshua and Boxing in general.

The former World Champion did exactly what people felt Tyson Fury should have done against Francis Ngannou and Joshua is now in line to face the winner of the Fury-Usyk fight in May.

That is the next big fight night in the Middle East, but will followed by a massive June 1st card headlined by Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

On the undercard is the five vs five Queensberry vs Matchroom rivalry night and it is a winner on that night that could be the next opponent for Anthony Joshua. While we have not had official confirmation, Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois looks set to be for a potentially vacant IBF World Title and the winner would be expected to defend against Joshua, while Fury and Oleksandr Usyk perhaps head into a rematch.

The officials in Saudi Arabia have spoken about wanting to host a big fight night in London at Wembley Stadium before Riyadh Season and that being headlined by Joshua vs Hrgovic/Dubois sounds like something that could be in play. It would also be another five vs five card led by the rival promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn and that would be a major night for British fans who have been frustrated that their biggest names have not been fighting on these shores.

Queensberry and Matchroom have still had, and have, some big nights in the United Kingdom, but Boxxer may feel they are picking up any perceived slack from the top promotional companies.

Hopefully by next week we will have news about the long talked about fight between Light Heavyweights Anthony Yarde and Joshua Buatsi, while they are going to have Chris Billam Smith vs Richard Riakporhe for a World Title in the summer. Some still hope those two major fights could be placed on the same card, which would be immense, and Boxxer have a solid looking card coming up on Sunday.

Picks from that one will be on another thread, but the focus on this one is on the first PBC card to be broadcasted in their new deal with Amazon Prime.

Over the next couple of months heading into the Euro 2024 we have some major Boxing nights and this will really put a strong first six months on the board for the fans of the sport.

With the money being invested by Saudi Arabia, many more major nights are expected over the second half of the year too and that can only be good news for the fans. The best part is that some major Unifications are going to be signed off too and this is only positive for the sport, which has perhaps handcuffed itself far too often in recent years.

Now if the governing bodies can take the World Titles from those holding them hostage, it should give the next generation of stars a real opportunity to push through.

This is certainly the case this weekend when Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora fight for two of the four belts in the Light Middleweight Division after Jermell Charlo's remaining World Titles were taken from him.

We need this and the winner is expected to face Terence Crawford next so there is another potential monster fight coming up in the summer.

Again, this can only be good news for the sport and the fans and the only hope is that PBC can bring a bit more activity to the fighters they have under their stable.

This opening card in association with Amazon Prime looks a decent one, although it is a shame that none of the main broadcasters signed it up in the United Kingdom and fans here will have to go through a Pay-Per-View channel rather than having it attached to any subscription.

It is hard to imagine too many buying the card on Easter Weekend with the main event taking place in the early hours of the morning in the UK, and that is the real shame.

At least these fights are being made and on Easter Sunday we do have a non PPV card taking place in London that looks pretty good too.

Tim Tszyu vs Sebastian Fundora

Twelve months ago this might have been a much more intriguing fight than many believe it is now, although personally it is not an opinion that I share.

Tim Tszyu has really shown his character in continuing to take on the challengers he has, even after Jermell Charlo strung him along and eventually pulled out of defending his Light Middleweight World Titles against the Australian. Some may have waited, but Tszyu continued to develop and Charlo has shown little appetite for taking on a fighter that may have progressed beyond him now.

It is still a potential Super-Fight, even after Charlo was well beaten by Canelo Alvarez in a surprise bid to win the Super Middleweight World Titles, but Tim Tszyu is not thinking about that and instead focusing on his own career.

Over the last twelve months, Tim Tszyu has beaten Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza and he has picked up the WBO World Title, albeit not exactly in the manner he would have hoped. Now he has an opportunity to add the WBC World Title to his collection and with the carrot at the end of the stick being a potential defence against Terence Crawford next, which is potentially a tougher fight than facing Jermell Charlo even if Bud is coming up in weight.

The win over Brian Mendoza last time out stands out as it might have been Sebastian Fundora in the opposite corner if things had been different.

The Towering Inferno won the interim WBC World Title when beating Erickson Lubin in a really good fight and he then defended it against the aforementioned Carlos Ocampo. However, Sebastian Fundora's unbeaten run and interim World Title were ripped away from him by Brian Mendoza in a brutal Seventh Round Knock Out.

Eleven months have passed since Sebastian Fundora's defeat, but he has been given this opportunity after Keith Thurman was forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight with Tim Tszyu. He had been preparing for a fight on the undercard so there won't be many excuses for Sebastian Fundora to not be in shape, and it does feel the much bigger adjustments have to be made by Tszyu on relatively short notice.

Straight out of the gate is the huge size disadvantage with Sebastian Fundora having dimensions that you would expect from a big Light Heavyweight. It is still quite remarkable that he is making 154 pounds at almost 6'6 in height, although the criticism has long been that Fundora does not make use of his length as he should.

That will help Tim Tszyu who has shown his strength in close quarters and there have definitely been some vulnerabilities about Sebastian Fundora that the Australian can exploit.

The manner of the Knock Out defeat eleven months ago is hard to ignore- you do have to wonder what that has taken from Sebastian Fundora and the inactivity since is not ideal when facing someone like Tim Tszyu.

My expectation is that this is going to be a rough, stand in the trenches kind of fight, but the Knock Out loss suffered by Sebastian Fundora may have snapped some of the aura around him. Erickson Lubin had him seriously hurt and there is little doubt that Tim Tszyu has harder punches than both Lubin and Brian Mendoza and he has shown enough resiliency to whatever has come back his way.

Sebastian Fundora may have his moments, but Tim Tszyu looks to be improving all of the time and he is expected to break through the taller man with some big shots both to the head and body.

Unless something drastically has changed, Sebastian Fundora is likely going to stand right in front of Tim Tszyu and that is likely to be a poor game plan against a fighter that will be looking to make a statement to Jermell Charlo, Terence Crawford or whoever may be next on his hit list.

Both Lubin and Mendoza put Sebastian Fundora down in the Seventh Round, the latter for good, and Tim Tszyu may be able to do so in and around the same kind of time. He did have to break down Tony Harrison late on and got to Carlos Ocampo very early, but this time there is some feeling of this developing into a fight in a phone booth type of contest and the Australian can come out on top in the mid-Rounds.

A solid undercard has been put together and fighters looking to get into the World Title mix in the Light Middleweight Division will face off when Brian Mendoza returns to face Serhii Bohachuk, who was Fundora's original opponent on the card.

The odds favour Bohachuk, but this should be a decent scrap to watch and Brian Mendoza has had a taste of fighting for World Titles and will want to come again.

You have to believe Serhii Bohachuk will come out on top, but the big test for him is whether he can keep up his run of twenty-three wins and twenty-three Stoppages. The Ukrainian was upset by Brandon Adams so this is a fight Mendoza will feel he can win and one to enjoy.

Erislandy Lara should have too much for Michael Zerafa in a Middleweight bout for the WBA World Title held by the former. However, inactivity from both veterans is hardly ideal preparation, and that should mean Lara is able to defend his World Title on the cards.

Julio Cesar Martinez has not really kicked on his career as would have once been hoped and he has not really looked the same fighter since losing handily to Chocolatito in March 2022.

This is his third fight since then and he is facing an unbeaten opponent in Angelino Cordova, which is a potential banana skin for the Champion. He should still win, and it may just be worth a small interest on the Champion getting this one finished in the Championship Rounds.

The chief supporting bout on this card is between Rolly Romero and Isaac Cruz, two fighters who have suffered recent losses to Gervonta Davis and who have been chasing that rematch with Tank since.

Both fighters are perhaps living off their performances against Tank Davis- Isaac Cruz was the more impressive of the two, but that is perhaps the reason he is such a strong favourite in this one.

He did not look at his best in a Split Decision win last time out and Isaac Cruz is moving up in weight to take on the WBA Light-Welterweight Champion, while he has been relatively inactive.

However, his last fight did take place since we last saw Rolly Romero in the ring in his controversial win over veteran Ismael Barroso.

Injuries have forced Romero to spend some time out of the ring and the winner of this one is expected to take on Barroso, who has won the interim title in Romero's extended absence.

The feeling has long been that Rolly Romero may be one of the weakest World Champions there has been for some time and it is hard to imagine him keeping Isaac Cruz from building up some steam.

Barring a massive improvement from the performance against Ismael Barroso, this does feel like decent match making from Isaac Cruz and his team. Moving up in weight means dealing with heavier hands than he is used to, but Cruz should be able to land plenty of his own against an opponent who is not nearly as good as he thinks he is.

Ismael Barroso ran out of steam and this allowed Tony Weeks to make his bogus call to stop the fight, even when the veteran was not hurt. It is incredibly unlikely that Isaac Cruz is going to slip away in this one and he may just find the big shots after the halfway mark that may end up seeing him become a new World Champion without the need to hear the scorecards.

The PBC card is the big one on the night, but we do have another World Title being contested in California when Gilberto Ramirez faces Arsen Goulamirian for the WBA Cruiserweight World Title.

The Mexican bounced back from a comfortable defeat to Dmitry Bivol at Light Heavyweight to beat Joe Smith Jr at Cruiserweight. However, this is the first genuine Cruiserweight Gilberto Ramirez will have faced and a Champion that is unbeaten.

In saying that, Arsen Goulamirian has been inactive through injury and delayed fights and you can understand why Ramirez has been set as the favourite. The money has been coming in on the Champion though and it may be a fight where the winner ends up Unifying against the upcoming Chris Billam-Smith vs Richard Riakporhe II bout in the United Kingdom.

A more active Goulamirian would likely have too much for Gilberto Ramirez, but he still looks a considerable price for the 'upset' even as the away fighter.

On Friday evening there is another Top Rank card taking place and headlined by Oscar Valdez who returns after losing by a comfortable margin against Emanuel Navarrete last August.

That is the second loss in three fights, albeit against Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson, but Oscar Valdez has the chance to pick up an interim World Title in the Super Featherweight Division.

He faces Liam Wilson, who impressed in a losing effort against the aforementioned Navarrete in February 2023 when trying to win the full World Title in this Division. The winner of this one is likely going to be upgraded to full World Champion once it becomes clear what Emanuel Navarrete wants to do going forward, and Wilson has been active enough to win two fights in a row since losing to the Mexican.

You would have to give the edge to Valdez, although this is a fighter who has not looked the same since popping in a failed drugs test.

The power has not been the same, but Wilson's two defeats have both been inside the distance and Oscar Valdez may just be able to wear him down in what could be a really good main event.

There are some decent looking fights on the undercard, but a future headliner is the one looking to get that much closer to a World Title fight.

Raymond Muratalla wants to get to that level as soon as possible in the tough Lightweight Division and there are some potentially big names lined up to fight him.

He has to keep things ticking along and Muratalla can break down and Stop Xolisani Ndongeni.

Arnold Barboza Jr Stopped the South African in January in the Eighth Round, but that was also up at Light-Welterweight.

You do have to wonder if getting down to the 135 pound limit for the first time since 2019 is going to have taken something from the tank, but Raymond Muratalla is much more patient in his work and won't rush anything.

If it comes he will go through the gears, but Raymond Muratalla may have to wait until just after halfway for his shots to really make a telling contribution and he can avoid having to hear the scorecards for just the fourth time in his professional career.

MY PICKS: Tim Tszyu to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Erislandy Lara to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Julio Cesar Martinez to Win Between 7-12 @ 4.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Isaac Cruz to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.20 Coral (1 Unit)

Arsen Goulamirian to Win @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Raymond Muratalla to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.87 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 13-16, + 11.52 Units (45 Units Staked, + 25.60% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Teofimo Lopez vs Jamaine Ortiz (Thursday 8th Febraury)

There is a rare Thursday night treat from the world of Boxing this week as Top Rank takes advantage of fans who may be heading to Las Vegas early.

The Super Bowl is played in the City on Sunday so a Saturday evening fight night slot may not have captured the headlines as much as this Thursday night offering may do.

It helps that the card is being headlined by a bonafide potential star, if he is not one already.

On Saturday we do have a couple of cards being run in the United Kingdom from Matchroom and Queensberry, both taking place a short distance from one another in London, but it is the card headlined by Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams that will be one of most importance.

Unfortunately we do not have fight week to look forward to which would have culminated in Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury fighting it out for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. An injury has delayed that event until May and so it is Teofimo Lopez who is the biggest name heading out to defend his titles this month.

Teofimo Lopez vs Jamaine Ortiz

There have been plenty of issues for Teofimo Lopez to deal with outside of the ring and some felt that the fighter who toppled Vasyl Lomachenko might already have peaked.

A loss to George Kambosos Jr saw Lopez hand over the World Titles he had earned, and the decision to move up to Light Welterweight came with a couple of poor performances where it sounded like Teofimo Lopez himself was questioning his own ability.

He always denied that was the case and came through a fight against the linear Champion in the weight class as Lopez deservedly got the better of Josh Taylor.

One retirement and reversal later, Teofimo Lopez is back in the ring this week not only looking to build on the Taylor win, but perhaps impress enough to suggest he should be going with another elite, pound for pound fighter.

Teofimo Lopez has called out Terence Crawford for a fight at Welterweight, although Bud looks to have his eyes firmly fixed on a potential Super-Fight with Canelo.

The Champion has to focus on Jamaine Ortiz this week and they have amateur history against one another, while the only loss suffered by Ortiz came against Lomachenko in a closer than expected fight.

He is moving up for this opportunity, and the question is whether Jamaine Ortiz was really good or Vasyl Lomachenko was not quite to his top level in that fight. Regardless, the Lopez performance against the same fighter was stronger and he is a very big favourite, unsurprisingly, to defend his Title.

One feeling that is hard to shake about Teofimo Lopez is that he has tended to fight up or down to the level of opponent- not many fighters of his age can say they hold solid wins over Lomachenko and Taylor, but there have been some sub-par performances which have been down to outside of the ring issues.

He is clearly talking up the chances of making a statement on Thursday, and Teofimo Lopez does look happier all around.

If he is fully focused, Lopez certainly has the pop to really begin to break down Jamaine Ortiz.

The performance against Lomachenko was a good one and Jamaine Ortiz also beat Jemel Herring, although the latter retired for a short time in the aftermath of that defeat. Inactivity is an issue that could work against Ortiz against a quality fighter like Teofimo Lopez and the Champion may just have enough about him to work a way to a finish without the Judges.

Most are expecting a Decision win for the favourite, but Teofimo Lopez had Josh Taylor troubled at times and the former Champion is a big Light-Welterweight. With Ortiz coming up in weight, Lopez may have the power to have more of an impact and he can find the Stoppage.

The main undercard bout on this Las Vegas fight night features Keyshawn Davis who looks to continue his step up in the Lightweight Division.

A couple of years ago this was a loaded Division, but the likes of Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Teofimo Lopez have moved upwards, as has Ryan Garcia. After collecting all of the Belts, Haney has been letting them go following a successful foray into the Light Welterweight Division.

Keyshawn Davis is one of the up and coming fighters within the Division and there are a couple of vacant World Titles that will soon have a Champion's hand attached to them.

There is still a little bit of a gap to bridge to the very top names in the Division, but this is a chance for Davis to show he is ready against veteran Jose Pedraza.

It has been twelve months since Pedraza was last in the ring losing a close Decision to Arnold Barboza Jr and the veteran has become used to giving some of the quality names in and around the Division a tough test.

Gervonta Davis did finish Jose Pedraza in the Seventh Round, but the latter has since forced the likes of Vasyl Lomachenko, Jose Zepeda, Jose Carlos Ramirez and Barboza Jr to need the Judges' scorecards in wins over him.

The expectation is that Keyshawn Davis will be a little too young and fresh for Jose Pedraza, but he has been forced to go the distance in three of his last four fights and this is a Ten Rounder. It likely means Davis becomes the latest to get the better of the veteran over the full distance and the youngster can bank more valuable Rounds before thinking to increase the level of opponent being faced.

MY PICKS: Teofimo Lopez to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.87 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Keyshawn Davis to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 5-7, + 4.81 Units (17 Units Staked, + 28.29% Yield)