By Niall Doran
A Vintage Boxing Weekend
What a jam packed weekend we’ve got this week, both in the States and the UK! I can’t recall a weekend with so many high level and genuinely competitive fights for quite sometime.
Last weekend the UK boxing scene showed just how fickle and tough to call this sport can really be when two big UK prospects (and big odds on favourites) Frank Buglioni and Tony Conquest both dramatically got upset and knocked out. It goes to show that anything can happen in this game and often times the underdog really can upset the apple cart.
With so much quality professional action this weekend it was hard to narrow down what fights I wanted to focus on but I’ve singled out 5 betting markets that I think could be fun and worth a small flutter on if your looking for a bit of value. Whether your looking for individual markets, group round betting or looking to include one/a combination of different bets on a double, treble, accumulator/parlay. Lets have a look!
Bernard Hopkins vs Beibut Shumenov
A tough test for “The Executioner” turned “Alien” this weekend, no doubt. However I think his ring craft, gile & drive to break records should see him win this very close contest. At best priced 1/2 to win outright he is good value but having not won by knock out since Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 I think the real value to be had is backing Hopkins to win on points at best priced 4/6. This is only slightly better but shows how realistic the bookies think this legend of the game can win over the distance once again.
Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin vs Lukas Konecny
I’m a big fan of Kid Chocolate, I honestly think he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He does most things well and has a decent punch to boot. He’s up against a teak tough man from the Czech Republic this weekend who’s mixed in solid class over a career that has spanned 54 fights and never been stopped.
No doubt Konecny will give it everything but I think the class of Quillin will really start to tell in the second half of the fight. I’d be surprised if Quillin stopped him early and to be honest I’d be surprised if he stopped him at all given his opponent’s durability. At 1/12 to win outright it would certainly be worth putting him in an accumulator/parlay but I think closer to the fight you will see more odds open up and I’d keep an eye on Quillin to win on points this weekend in Washington.
Shaun Porter vs Paulie Malinaggi
This is probably the toughest fight to call out of all the action this weekend. It really is a genuine 50/50, right down the middle, bonafide, “pick um” fight!
Porter is a man highly underestimated but with his win over Devon Alexander people are beginning to realise how good he is now.
I just think the the now 33 year old Paulie “Magic Man” Malinaggi will barely edge this one with a points win as the underdog at best priced 9/4 and once again become welterweight champion of the world.
Scott Quigg vs Tshifhiwa Munyai
In a fight for the WBA super bantamweight championship I’m looking to see a hungry, motivated explosive Scott Quigg turn up in Manchester Saturday evening.
The man he is facing comes into this in decent form, has never been stopped and has an epic nickname in “The Atomic Spider”!
I don’t see his nickname doing him any favours however, and I ‘d be looking to have Quigg backed to become the first man to stop him (possibly late on) and win by KO/TKO at best priced of around 4/6.
Anthony Crolla vs John Murray
In another absolutely razor thin fight this weekend, this clash of Manchester could really provide some serious light-weight fireworks!
There’s no love lost from Crolla trainer Joe Gallagher’s part either, as been former trainer to John Murray – a few choice words have been exchanged by the two recently.
Murray said today he will be looking to come in and knock Crolla out with his aggression and strength. I always tend to think its a mistake when a fighter says he’s really looking just for the knock out and for that reason I’m going to go with a Crolla win on points at around 5/2, possibly in a fight of the year contender!
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The post DBB Bets/Predictions #5 – BHop, Quillin, Malinaggi, Quigg & Crolla appeared first on %%Boxing News and Views/%%.
