Fight fans have been treated with plenty of action in recent weeks, and this weekend is no different. With Frank Warren and BT, BOXXER and Sky Sports and DAZN all providing quality contests, there’s bout after bout on the box.
Before we get to the headline DAZN card in the early hours of Sunday morning, IFL TV throws their hat in the ring with a show from Dubai featuring Rocky Fielding, Badou Jack and Ohara Davies.
Fielding Fancied for Comfortable Victory
Fielding has only fought once since his crushing third-round defeat to Canelo Alvarez in 2018, and he is on the comeback trail against Emmanuel Danso. The Merseyside man is clearly easing his way back in gently against a very limited opponent, and quotes of 1/40 about a Fielding win tell you all you need to know.
Davies was due to be facing Ismael Barroso in an exciting fight, but the Venezuelan pulled out just a couple of days before the bout. Two Tanks will now take on Nicholas Mwangi, and that has removed any betting interest from the fight. Mwangi has managed only 14 professional fights at the age of 34, and there is nothing of note on the Kenyan’s card. Much like Fielding, it’s likely to be an easy night for the Hackney puncher.
Lopez Can Put On a Show
Moving onto the weekend’s headline card, Teofimo Lopez makes the first defence of his WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles against mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre in New York.
The Takeover won the belts when outpointing Vasyl Lomachenko in October last year, and that made it 16 professional fights without defeat for the Arkansas puncher.
Kambosos is also unbeaten, but the vast majority of his victories have come in low-key bouts. The exception is his 2020 victory over former world champion Lee Selby. That does look decent form, but you have to wonder how much Selby had left in that contest, which casts doubt on the solidity of the performance.
The Aussie only managed a split-decision win against Lightning, and the Welshman came into that fight after being taken the distance by an ageing and regressive Ricky Burns.
Other than the Selby bout, you are really scratching around to find any form at the level that’s going to be required to upset Lopez.
There are doubts surrounding the Takeover and his preparation for this contest. Lopez hasn’t fought since he beat Lomachenko, he became a father just a couple of weeks ago, and he has to cut plenty of weight to make the 135-pound limit. However, the American is one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet, and he can show why by stopping this fight earlier than the prices predict.
Take the under 8.5 rounds line at a nice looking 4-5.
*All odds correct at time of writing.