Boxing Picks 2024- Queensberry vs Matchroom, Five vs Five (Saturday 1st June)

Five vs Five, Queensberry vs Matchroom

The Saudi money has been rolling into Boxing and these two companies are the biggest beneficiaries so far.

With that in mind, the Saudi officials called for a Frank vs Eddie card to back up the expected main event featuring Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Unfortunately another injury suffered by Beterbiev has pushed that Undisputed fight back to later this year, although Bivol will remain on the card. However, that means the Queensberry vs Matchroom bouts are now the headliners and you have to be pleased with the fights we have.

Dmitry Bivol should be a comfortable winner in his bout, but the focus will be on those promotional fights with the winning team picking up a three million dollar bonus.

First up is Willy Hutchinson vs Craig Richards and there has been plenty of needle between the fighters this week.

This is a big step for Willy Hutchinson who has been Stopped dramatically once before, but bounced back in his move back up to Light Heavyweight. However, he has not taken on anyone of the calibre of Craig Richards, who has only come up short against Dmitry Bivol and Joshua Buatsi in recent times having given both plenty to think about.

It is a level that deservedly makes him a favourite, although Richards has been relatively inactive in recent times.

He did return with a Stoppage of Boris Crighton in February and I do think Craig Richards can weather an early storm and potentially finish off Willy Hutchinson late on. Spider has more power than his Stoppage rate would suggest and Hutchinson has yet to show he can step up to this level so another for Craig Richards and adding two points to the Matchroom slate looks the likely outcome.

One of the best looking fights on the card is between Nick Ball and Raymond Ford and it should really be a Unification at Featherweight.

Nick Ball will feel he did enough to beat Rey Vargas in March, while Ford was coming from behind for a late Stoppage win to earn a title of his own.

It is a short turnaround for both, which could be a factor, but this has the makings of a quality contest with the styles likely to gel very well.

My gut feeling is that Nick Ball might be able to drag Raymond Ford into a fight and that could see him edge this one, but the American showed his own grit and character in the win over Otabek Kholmatov.

This is a bout that I am very much looking forward to.

Next up is Queensberry Captain Hamzah Sheeraz with double points on the line for the British Middleweight contender.

As with many of the Saudi cards, Sheeraz is in a tough fight against unbeaten Austin Ammo Williams and both fighters have shown a supreme amount of confidence about their chances of winning. The victorious party will be heading into a likely World Title bout next in one of the most open Middleweight Divisions we have seen in a long time.

There is absolutely no doubt that both fighters are taking a step up against one another and with similar resumes behind them.

Confidence is not lacking, but the Hamzah Sheeraz size and power could be the telling factor.

He is a very good boxer who will use the jab to set things up and the feeling is that Sheeraz will keep that ramrod of a shot going to end up timing Ammo Williams onto something big.

The American will be slick and look to counter and poses a real threat, but Sheeraz has looked really strong at the weight and he can come through with an impressive win.

Daniel Dubois vs Filip Hrgovic does not have the full IBF World Title on the line as expected, but they have been given an Interim Belt which may be upgraded before we get to September 21st when the winner of this one is expected to headline against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.

At 26 years old, Daniel Dubois has time on his side, but a third loss would hurt.

He is facing an unbeaten, confident Filip Hrgovic who has taken a lot out of sparring beatdowns he used to give a much younger Dubois. The Croatian also feels that Daniel Dubois has shown too much 'quit' and that he will wear him down and break him down mentally and physically.

However, Filip Hrgovic has not really impressed in recent bouts and the win over Mark De Mori means absolutely little in all honesty.

Prior to that he could have lost against Zhilei Zhang and the Points win over Demsey McKean is not going to have impressed too many.

So there is some pressure on El Animal at 31 years old to show that he is ready to move to the next level.

It brings some intrigue, but the feeling is that Filip Hrgovic's ability to take a big shot may prove to be a difference maker.

Riding out what is likely to be an early Daniel Dubois storm, Hrgovic may feel he can get on top of this one and wear down the British fighter when things begin to feel like they are getting away from him. Beating down Jarrell Miller for a late Stoppage will help the Daniel Dubois confidence, but Filip Hrgovic is a different animal, pardon the pun, and may just close the show before the judges scorecards are needed.

The final fight on this card is a crossroads bout in the Heavyweight Division and may end up deciding which of the promotional companies come out on top.

Deontay Wilder is not only the surprise name lining up behind Eddie Hearn, but has been selected as Captain by Matchroom which means double points if he can come out of this one with his hand raised.

The former WBC World Champion looked very different in a comfortable loss to Joseph Parker back in December and admitted he was tentative in letting his hands go. Some believed Wilder had become softer, but the American is adamant he has rediscovered himself as he looks to potentially move into another big fight with Jared Anderson in August.

He is opposed by another of Joseph Parker's recent victims in the form of Zhilei Zhang who managed to show a bit more than Wilder in that defeat. He put Parker down twice, but the near 300 pounder ran out of gas and was beaten on the cards with his lack of activity in the fight proving to be costly.

There is no doubt that Zhang hits plenty hard, but Deontay Wilder has shown an ability to absorb big shots and much will depend on how much he has left in his own tank when it comes to willingness to detonate his right hand.

Big Bang is certainly capable of taking a shot, but you do have to wonder if he will have the same resistance throughout this fight.

We have seen Deontay Wilder carry his power into the late Rounds and it may be as much to do with fatigue as the actual shot that puts Zhang away in this one.

After his last performance, it may be hard to believe in Wilder, but he may just have found something to get back on the horse and looks a big price to stop Zhilei Zhang and push him to the back of a pretty long queue.

MY PICKS: Craig Richards to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Hamzah Sheeraz to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Deontay Wilder to Win by KO/TKO @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 22-35, + 15.17 Units (80 Units Staked, + 18.96% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2022- Canelo Alvarez vs Dmitry Bivol (May 7th)

You can't argue with the outcome of the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano event at Madison Square Garden.

Both have to be applauded for raising the stock of their sport and it was a genuinely good watch.

Now I want the next generation of stars to really push for Women's Boxing to be equal to the Men's and it has to begin with Twelve Round Title bouts, quickly followed by three minute Rounds.

My feeling that Taylor is more resistant to the idea came true in the torrid middle Rounds she suffered on the night- I think three minute Rounds would have seen her stopped as she was battered around the ring by Amanda Serrano.

However, the likes of Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall are at the peak of their powers and they can write their own names down in history by becoming the first Women to compete in a three minute Round bout with the potential pound for pound number one on the line.

We have already seen in MMA that the female fighters can handle the same requirements as the male fighters and Boxing needs to follow suit sooner rather than later.

It was a fight that will deserve a rematch if that is the direction that Katie Taylor wants to go, although talk of fighting Cris Cyborg or Holly Holm is far less of a danger for the veteran. Those are less interesting too, and at this stage I would not be massively surprised if Taylor and Serrano do it again, this time in a Stadium in Ireland.

On the same night we saw the development of Shakur Stevenson as he moves into star level and there is a real feeling that he is the true 135 King in the making, despite the likes of Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia leading the way. He dominated Oscar Valdez and never looked in doubt as the clear winner and I am not sure Unification fights at 130 are appealing now he has beaten the consensus number two in the Division.

However, most are tied up at 135 which leaves the obvious fight for Stevenson to take another leap in level.

Vasily Lomachenko.

Both are under the same promotional team and the only question may be how long Lomachenko is going to be out of the ring as he continues to defend his homeland. If he is ready to return in the fall, like his compatriot Oleksandr Usyk is set to return in the summer,  I do think that is a super-fight that both would love to put together.

I got the Picks wrong for the two main events last week, but the limited stakes coupled with three big winners means another strong showing for the Boxing Picks.

With one really big card coming up on Saturday, my Picks for the week can be read below.

Canelo Alvarez vs Dmitry Bivol

The biggest star in Boxing has returned to a traditional big weekend in the calendar and it is the latest challenge for Canelo Alvarez to take on.

We've all known for a long time how good Canelo is, but I never thought I would see him fighting a legitimate Light Heavyweight World Champion and especially not one that is unbeaten and looking pretty fresh.

Talk of potentially fighting Oleksandr Usyk for a World Heavyweight Title surprises no one (there were rumours he would take on Andy Ruiz Jr in an all-Mexican Heavyweight Title fight if Ruiz Jr had won his rematch with Anthony Joshua) and I honestly think there isn't a fighter in the world that Canelo would not WANT to take on.

He will be the Challenger this week, but there is no mistaking who the 'A Side' of the card is and I do think Canelo Alvarez will be a winner again.

This is arguably the most intriguing fight Canelo has had since the rematch with Gennady Golovkin and I don't think talk of a trilogy will be massively distracting either.

I know what everyone says about Canelo- some will talk about the PED suspension, some will say he has never beaten Golovkin (I had them at 1-1 for what it's worth), while others still will talk about 'cherry picking' his opponents. Canelo has gotten in a position to be able to choose who he fights and knows he will make millions doing so, but Dmitry Bivol is a live opponent.

It is harsh to suggest his opponents since the rematch with Golovkin have not been live- they were a combined 195-8-1 between them and outside of Rocky Fielding and Avni Yildirim, all for legit current or former World Champions. This is also the third unbeaten opponent he has taken on in a row and the second in succession who has been naturally bigger than him.

At some point Canelo needs to be given credit by all.

After all that, I actually think this is the toughest fight he has taken on in some time.

Dmitry Bivol may not have the flashy style and he has been guilty of perhaps coasting in fights instead of putting the foot down and finishing off opponents. I've been critical of his approach when it has felt like Bivol is clear and hurting his opponent, but he keeps winning.

This time last year he did have an awkward and closer than expected win over Craig Richards, but the deserved victory over Joe Smith Jr has been franked by how well the latter has done to become a World Champion in his own right.

I think he is a tough fighter and I do think Dmitry Bivol will have his moments of success, but Knocking Out Canelo looks a tall task at the moment.

With that in mind, I am not sure how Bivol can win this fight- he certainly won't earn any favours on the cards, and his cautious approach won't be nearly as eye-catching as the shots Canelo is likely to land.

The main question for me is whether Canelo Alvarez can stop him.

I think he does hit hard, but Bivol is a good operator and my feeling is he can stay out of trouble longer than Sergey Kovalev who lasted Eleven Rounds before being dropped hard by Alvarez. That was a faded Kovalev and one who had almost been stopped by Anthony Yarde, but Dmitry Bivol is fresher and should be able to ride the Rounds out even if he feels he is well behind.

A Callum Smith style end to the fight would not surprise me with Dmitry Bivol seeing it as a success to become the first to last the distance with Canelo Alvarez since December 2020.

He definitely deserves more respect than he is getting, but that inability to move into gear three or four is a concern and that is why I feel the end is going to look like Dmitry Bivol is happy getting to the cards.

The early Rounds should also be plenty competitive, but I think Canelo Alvarez will get all the 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the crowd with his output against the less flashy, straight-forward Champion and he will win by a 116/112, 117/111 margin before moving on to a potential date with Gennady Golovkin in September.

Onto the undercard.

I was really looking forward to Filip Hrgovic taking the next step in his career in a hugely influential spot on the this card in Las Vegas, but it is sad to hear he has withdrawn as he deals with the passing of his father.

Family comes first always, and the fight with Zhilei Zhang has been pushed back with the IBF Mandatory spot on the line.

The late withdrawal has meant Zhang will still head to the ring and I expect the big man to have his own way with late notice Scott Alexander.

It has been a year since we last saw the veteran American and his record has nothing of note on it- the only boost for fans of Zhilei Zhang would be in becoming the first man to stop Alexander.

He is very fortunate to have an unbeaten record having run out of gas very early against Jerry Forrest, but Zhilei Zhang was back in another early win last November and I expect the 39 year old to have an early night here. Zhilei Zhang needed just Two Rounds to beat Craig Lewis, and I expect he will produce a showcase win here before he has to fight Hrgovic when I expect the career to be ended in brutal fashion.

I am also expecting Marc Castro to get back to winning fights with the big stoppage after his scare, while both Shakhram Giyasov and Montana Love should be able to win their fights inside the distance on a big time card.

Those will all just push these fighters forward in the eyes of the fans tuning in for the early action before the big star enters for his bout.

MY PICKS: Canelo Alvarez to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.72 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Zhilei Zhang Win Between 1-5 @ 1.66 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Marc Castro Win Between 1-4 @ 1.66 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Shakhram Giyasov to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.30 Bet365 (2 Units)

Montana Love to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2022: 10-13, + 16.52 Units (42 Units Staked, + 39.33% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2020- Devin Haney vs Yuriorkis Gamboa (November 7th)

I know he may not be for everybody, but I was seriously gutted that Dillian Whyte's rematch with Alexander Povetkin was postponed until January. That came just a couple of days before the latest lockdown in the United Kingdom and I was looking forward to that card in the middle of the month and a couple of weeks before we have a few more freedoms to enjoy before Christmas.

At this time it all about staying safe, but it is important to have elite sport still being shown on television to give people something to think about other than the US elections or the Coronavirus headlines which have been with us for so many months now.

I remain hopeful that 2021 is going to be a much, much better year all around for everyone I know, but for now I am just trying to tick along like so many others.

Last weekend was a wonderful one for Boxing fans around the world with some special fights in the United Kingdom and the United States and the chance to see some of the very best in the sport. Competitive bouts is the only way you can keep Boxing relevant and we have seen some of those with more to come before the year is out.

This week is perhaps not of the level of the last one, but there are some big names getting ready to make a move in their respective Divisions and also the return of King Kong Luis Ortiz who is looking to find his way into one more shot for a World Title having come up short against Deontay Wilder twice before.

A big Matchroom United States card will potentially set up some big Heavyweight fights down the line and also the return of Devin Haney in what is a red-hot Division that has been brought alive by the likes of Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis over the last month.

Filip Hrgovic vs Rydell Booker

Later this year Anthony Joshua is going to be clearing his latest IBF mandatory, but that won't be discouraging Filip Hrgovic from forcing his way into that position after Kubrat Pulev.

He will continue on his path up the World Rankings and is a very, very strong favourite to beat Rydell Booker on Saturday on the Devin Haney undercard.

Filip Hrgovic has changed his nickname to Stone Man, but El Animal has been vicious in the ring and opponents have simply not been able to stand up to the obvious power he possesses. Eleven straight wins have been earned and nine of those have come via stoppage, while the last four opponents since Kevin Johnson have not made it out of the Third Round.

Both opponents who have managed to escape the Fourth Round have gone the distance with Hrgovic so there is a question of whether his power remains strong into the later stages of a bout.

Rydell Booker has shown he is resilient, but at 39 years old his best days are clearly behind him.

Despite that, Booker did manage to hear the final bell in his last bout twelve months ago and that was against the aforementioned Pulev, although the veteran American was well beaten on the cards.

Another unbeaten Heavyweight, Jermaine Franklin, also beat Rydell Booker on the cards in 2019 and you do have to respect the fact that the veteran could have enough wiles and resistance to at least get through what is likely to be a very early onslaught from the favourite and heavy handed Croatian.

It's 'only' a Ten Rounder so you do wonder if Filip Hrgovic is going to have to go to the cards for the third time in his career, but I do think Rydell Booker will find it hard to cope with the pace set by the younger man. Another year in the body makes it difficult and I think Booker is going to be worn down in this one, although I do believe he is capable of getting through the early stages before that happens.

He may go into survival mode fairly early, but I do think Filip Hrgovic has to be looking to put his foot on the gas and make a statement by becoming the first man to stop Rydell Booker. James Toney put him down in the second half of his bout with Booker back in 2004 and I do think Hrgovic hits harder than both Franklin and Pulev who were taken to points by the veteran.

Looking for Filip Hrgovic to perhaps put enough together to get the referee taking a second look is the call here, but I do think this may be the latest stoppage the Croatian has been able to secure in his professional career. Much depends on how much resiliency Booker has left, but I do think there will be enough to hear the bell for the Sixth Round, although I don't believe he hears the final one.

Zhilei Zhang vs Devin Vargas

There are a number of Heavyweights who are looking to position themselves in the World Rankings to earn a World Title shot when the picture is a lot clearer in a year from now.

Assuming Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury do get it on for two bouts for the majority of the belts, fighters like Zhilei Zhang are hoping to remain unbeaten and then move in line to take on one of the big names in the Division.

Already we have seen a lot of talk of Zhang potentially headlining a Heavyweight Championship bout in his homeland in China and he would love that to be against Anthony Joshua. Fighting under the Matchroom banner makes things much easier for that bout to be eventually made and it could be a filler if the Tyson Fury fight does not materialise for AJ.

For now Zhang is looking to tick along as he faces Devin Vargas- the veteran American has been beaten when he steps up his level and in his six defeats, five have come by stoppage.

The majority of those have come early as Vargas looks to trade with opponents and I do think that is what we are going to see here. Zhilei Zhang has shown he has the power to beat someone like Devin Vargas having produced sixteen stoppages from his twenty-one wins.

I fully expect Zhang to make a big statement here and I do think Devin Vargas is someone who will play ball by not being hard to find. This one should end relatively early.

Luis Ortiz vs Alexander Flores

It has been a little under twelve months since we last saw King Kong in a ring, but Luis Ortiz still insists he can win a World Title.

One punch ended his second bout against Deontay Wilder and once again it was Ortiz staring up at the lights. The fight had been going his way before that, but at 41 years old the Cuban still believes there is enough in the tank to challenge the best in the Division.

His best hope may be that the belts will fracture over the next twelve months as those World Titles are going to be tied up by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, but Ortiz can't worry about that and instead has to show that his hasn't gotten too old.

Some will suggest he is considerably older than the 41 years that he admits and a fighter like Alexander Flores is much younger and looking to put himself in a position to earn some big money in the years ahead. Beating King Kong would set Flores up for at least a couple of nice paydays, but this is a Boxer who has come up short when facing Charles Martin and Joseph Parker.

Both of those former World Champions have gotten Flores out of there before the end of the Fourth Round and that has to be the target for Ortiz.

Motivation can sometimes be questioned for Luis Ortiz and we have seen him produce some inconsistent performances. I do think he will understand the importance of looking good and I he is capable of the shots to finish this one relatively early, but there will be some early ring rust to get through.

I do think Alexander Flores is short of the top level, but much will depend on how much he is willing to get through to try and earn the most significant win of his career. I don't think that happens though and a small interest in Luis Ortiz getting this done in the Third or Fourth Round to match the achievements of Parker and Martin is the play.

Devin Haney vs Yuriorkis Gamboa

Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia could set up some huge fights in this Division for Devin Haney, but that will all be for nothing if the American is not able to return from a long lay off with a win on Saturday.

The WBC World Title in the 135 pound Division is on the line and Devin Haney is back for the first time in twelve months. Some of the momentum has been lost with the injuries and the impact the other big names in this Division have made, but Haney can take that back with a big win.

He is a considerable favourite to see off the veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa who has only lost three times before and two of those to Gervonta Davis and Terence Crawford. We have yet to really know if Haney is up to that level, but all of the Gamboa defeats have come via stoppage and at 38 years old he is going to struggle to keep his younger, fresher, stronger opponent off of him.

I do expect it will take time for Devin Haney to warm up to the task, but eventually I expect him to begin to land some spiteful, hurtful shots.

Yuriorkis Gamboa has shown tremendous heart in getting to the Twelfth Round in his defeat to Gervonta Davis, especially as he tore his Achilles in the Second Round. The Cuban has been down a number of times throughout the latter stages of his career and he was down numerous times in the defeat to Davis too.

You do have to feel that he is going to have to suffer some punishment in this one, but Devin Haney should find the punches to eventually crack through the defences for good. It is likely going to happen in the second half of the bout as Haney looks to better what Gervonta Davis was able to do against Gamboa.

MY PICKS: Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Zhilei Zhang to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Luis Ortiz to Win Between 3-4 @ 3.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Devin Haney to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.70 William Hill (1 Unit)