The lightweight division is buzzing with talent at the moment and WBC champion Devin Haney, one of the big names in the section, takes on Jorge Linares in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Haney was elevated to world champion after Vasyl Lomachenko was promoted to Franchise Champion by the WBC and in doing so the 22-year-old became the youngest world belt holder in boxing.
The American is the overwhelming favourite at 1/14 to win as he looks to hit the jackpot against the Venezuelan, who is 6/1 to cause a big shock.
Haney’s a Rising Star
‘The Dream’ is short on top-level experience, but he has good wins over Antonio Moran and Zaur Abdullaev on his card and he remains unbeaten in a 25-fight professional career.
Haney, 22, also won seven national titles as an amatuer and has a boxing brain beyond his young years.
Linares has had 52 bouts as a pro and the 35-year-old has mixed it with the likes of Lomachenko in top-level fights. The Venezuelan has also been in with British fighters Kevin Mitchell, Anthony Crolla and Luke Campbell. However, the latest of those bouts came in 2017 and Linares has since been stopped by Pablo Cesar Cano.
Haney should Overwhelm Linares
It’s a big ask for the 35-year-old to trouble Haney at this stage of his career, but it would still be a good name on the American’s card, as he chases fights against the likes of Lomachenko, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis.
It’s likely that Haney will overwhelm his fading opponent and backing him to win by KO, TKO or Disqualification, available at 1/2, looks the way to go.
Oubaali can Comfortably see off Donaire
On the undercard, the unbeaten Nordine Oubaali rates a strong selection when he takes on Nonito Donaire.
The Frenchman, who is 20/57 to prevail, stepped up in class to beat Takuma Inoue and retain his WBC bantamweight title and he is unlikely to give it up here.
Donaire has mixed it at the top level, but there are plenty of miles on the Filipino’s clock and he looks to face a tough task. Take Oubaali to see off his rival in comfortable fashion, with the 2/1 on offer for the fight not to go the distance particularly appealing.
Quigley Finally Back in Action
There’s also an interesting clash between Jason Quigley and Shane Mosley Jr. This fight promises to be an entertaining contest and it’s good news that the bout has been rearranged to take place in Vegas.
Irishman Quigley’s career has been rather held up in recent times, but he remains a fighter with bags of potential and he can make a splash in his first fight for 16 months.
The Ballybofey banger was beaten by Tureano Johnson in 2019, but that’s the only blemish on a 19-fight pro career and Mosley has been in with mainly low-level opponents.
The American’s defeat to Brandon Adams shows the level the 30-year-old is operating at and he looks in for a tough ride against Quigley, who is 1/1 to win by Decision or Technical Decision.
*All odds correct at time of writing