Boxing betting preview: The weekend’s action analysed
British boxing has never been busier and fight fans are spoilt for choice this weekend. There are fights taking place all over the country with BT Sport featuring an attractive card from Telford.
We have a look at two of the fights taking place on that show and then cross the Atlantic for a real grudge match between world class super middleweights as we try to pick out some eye-catching betting options. For the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
ANDREW CAIN (10-0, 9 KO’s) v INOUT BALUTA (15-4, 3 KO’s) – SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT
This will be the fight of the weekend. For the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
Cain isn’t just hungry for success, he is absolutely starving. The Liverpudlian has rare power for a super bantamweight and is a dangerous, intimidating presence. He has stopped nine of his 10 opponents and, in 2022, he scored two brutal knockouts whilst spending less than three minutes in the ring. Cain looks like he may just have that certain something that only special fighters have.
Baluta is well known to British fans. He lost a majority decision to the brilliant Michael Conlan, beat former British and Commonwealth boss, Brad Foster, and lost a decision to the excellent Liam Davies. If the Romanian is on his game, only talented fighters beat him and even they can find themselves in an almighty struggle if they turn up a percent or two below their best.
Cain has much more than raw power and Baluta should be good – and tough – enough to draw some of that versatility out of him. Should being the operative word. Cain’s power is a real X-Factor in this fight and we will get to see whether he can have the same destructive effect at this level as he has on his journey through the small halls and undercards of British boxing.
The prediction is for Cain to emerge from the hardest night of his career with an impressive victory. His heavy hands may wear down Baluta later in the fight but it would be a real statement if he became the first man to stop him.
OVER 7.5 ROUNDS – 7/10
NATHAN HEANEY (16-0, 6 KO’s) v JACK FLATLEY (20-3-1, 4 KO’s) – MIDDLEWEIGHT
Last September, the first fight between Heaney and Flatley was just warming up when an accidental clash of heads opened up Heaney’s eyebrow. Heaney was given a technical decision but fans weren’t clamouring for a rematch. They may just be in for a nice surprise this weekend though. There is unlikely to be a long feeling-out period and given the fighters’ styles, things may get interesting very quickly. For the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
Flatley likes to work in the pocket and is rarely in a dull fight. His draw with Troy Williamson was one of the most exciting undercard fights you will ever see and throughout his career, he has being willing to put himself in harms way to get his own work off. Flatley uses some subtle – almost old fashioned – moves on the inside and is fiercely determined.
Heaney finally seems to be earning respect as a useful fighter. Initially, he was written off as something of a novelty act due to his rabid crowd and ‘Delilah’ ring walk. He has been sparring with talented fighters and impressing hardened boxing people and he is still unbeaten in 16 fights. Although he is unlikely to develop shocking one punch knockout power, Heaney is probably the puncher in the fight and he has shown an ability to hurt people to the body. He also has a tremendous engine.
Heaney is big, strong and improving. He is the fighter riding on momentum at the moment and he can overcome an improved Flatley over 12 give and take rounds.
HEANEY BY DECISION – 4/9
DAVID BENAVIDEZ (26-0, 23 KO’s) v CALEB PLANT (22-1, 13 KO’s) – SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
Benavidez is an undoubted wrecking machine but faces his stiffest test since he beat Anthony Dirrell more than three years ago. Plant has mixed with higher quality fighters – Dirrell, Jose Uzcategui, Mike Lee, and, of course, Canelo – and impressed almost every time. Nonetheless, Plant is a wide underdog – surprisingly wide in fact. For the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
The tactics in this one are clear. Benavidez will try to impose his size and strength on Plant and he is undoubtedly the bigger puncher. The confident, slick American will box, move and look to walk Benavidez onto something big. It is the perfect clash of styles and the two fighters genuinely dislike each other. That rivalry makes an already eye-catching fight even more appealing.
This looks like a fight that goes long and might be much closer than the odds suggest. It is tempting to predict that Plant will make it to the finish line having banked enough of the early rounds to walk away with a hard earned, career best victory but the pick is for Benavidez to make sure that even when Plant is firing off his eye-catching combinations, he is close enough to keep chipping away. Eventually, the constant pressure and power should reap their rewards.
BENAVIDEZ BY TKO 10-12 – 13/4
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