Our winning run came to an end last week as Luis Ortiz went the distance against Christian Hammer. Ortiz was widely expected to get the KO win, however, may have just lured the big three heavyweights into his future path with an underwhelming points win in Brooklyn.
This weekend has shows either side of the Atlantic, with the light-heavyweights taking centre stage on both shows. At the Turning Stone Resort Casino, New York, the WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (15-0) takes on 29-year-old Joe Smith Jnr, still basking in the fame of knocking out Bernard Hopkins surprisingly in 2016.
Bivol is one part of four exceptional world champions at the 175-pounds limit. Joining Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev, these titlists are on a collision course of unification fights in 2019, sewing together the fractured belts for one undeniable face of the division. First, however, Bivol needs to take care of his American opponent who has only tasted defeat twice in his career to date.
It’s Bivol’s fifth defence of his WBA strap after smashing Trent Broadhurst for it inside a round in 2017; in that time he has gone the distance with Jean Pascal, Isaac Chilemba and KO’d Sullivan Barrera in the final round of their bout just over a year ago.
For Bivol, it’s a test to get back to destructive winning ways. “He’s a strong guy,” said Bivol. “I saw his fight against Bernard Hopkins, and he’s really strong. He has the same age like me, he’s young. But he has some minus points like many fighters that I will use to my advantage for my win. He moves forward a lot. This is a good challenge for me, to stop him.”
“I saw in his eyes when I met him, he wanted my belt. And I’m glad, because only that way it can make a good fight.”
Bivol knows a stoppage win is the only way he can be regarded as one of the best light-heavy champions this weekend, with Gvozdyk’s recent displays holding him as many pundits #1. Smith Jnr has only been stopped once, back in 2010, and with Bivol alluding to thoughts of moving down to 168-pounds in the past, it may be another case of the champion needing the twelve rounds to dissect his challenger. Bivol is a spiteful puncher, but whether he has true power at 175-pounds remains to be seen.
At 19/10 with BetFred, it’s a price too good to turn down, with Bivol becoming frustrated by a tight Smith Jnr guard. Bivol has entered the twelfth round in his last three fights.
Dmitry Bivol to win by decision or technical decision vs Joe Smith Jr @ 19/10 (BetFred)
In the UK at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, two headline fights underline the problem we face all too often in boxing. Daniel Dubois takes on Razvan Cojanu at heavyweight and Anthony Yarde steps in against Travis Reeves at the light-heavyweight limit: Dubois and Yarde are both priced at 1/100 to win their respective fights.
Let’s fill in the gaps. If you were to stake £10 on both Dubois and Yarde winning the fight, it would return 20p. Mismatching at its finest!
