* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
“The Leeds Warrior” Josh Warrington is on a revenge mission this Saturday to beat the man who inflicted his first career defeat earlier this year, Mexico’s Mauricio Lara, and this time he’s got more than 10,000 rowdy fans to cheer him on. Supporting the main man are women’s boxing superstar Katie Taylor who faces American Jennifer Han and crowd favourite Conor Benn against gritty veteran Adrian Granados.
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10:00pm: Josh Warrington V Mauricio Lara – Warrington by KO
Back in February, Warrington was an unbeaten boxer who had been world champion, had famous victories against British rivals Lee Selby and Carl Frampton, and was in line for a mega-match on the Las Vegas Strip or at MSG – all he had to do was win a tune-up fight against a little-known man from Mexico City.
The young Lara, aptly nicknamed “Bronco” and fresh from five impressive wins in less than 12 months, wasn’t at Wembley just to make up the numbers. Mauricio showed power and poise, and had Warrington down and in serious trouble by the fourth round – the Brit battled on but was finished by the excellent underdog in the ninth.
It was clear at the weigh-in Warrington was in tremendous physical shape but he didn’t have his normal intensity – with no fans and an unknown opponent he wasn’t in the right mindset, and the ring rust from the longest layoff of his career showed from round 1.
There’s no way Warrington is overlooking Lara this time and while the “Warrior” likes to take the front foot I think he’ll try to use speed and footwork to score combinations and then move out of danger. Calling Lara a slugger is disrespectful to his skills, but there’s no doubt he’ll be rough and throw big shots.
Neither man will lose this fight with a whimper and both will be desperate to score the knockout in front of the huge crowd. Dip into the Power Prices for this bout and you’ll find tasty odds on both fighters to be knocked down.
Don’t listen to anyone who says Warrington, 30, is past his prime – I fully expect him to win a tough fight this weekend. I think the Yorkshireman will pull away in the second half of the contest and for your best bet I am going to take full advantage of the Power Price on Warrington by KO.
9:00pm: Katie Taylor v Jennifer Han – Taylor in rounds 3-4
We all know how good Taylor is but in women’s boxing there isn’t always a big-name opponent to get the juices flowing. The great Irish fighter may need to change division but, for now, she defends all four lightweight titles against Texas’ Han.
The challenger is unbeaten for more than seven years but in the last 36 months she’s only had one fight after spending time away from the ring to start a family. Han, 38, has suffered three close decision defeats and only notched one KO win in a 22 fight professional career.
Taylor is no knockout merchant either, having scored only one win inside the distance in her last eight bouts, and, of course, Paddy has adjusted the odds appropriately – but we can get a bit creative and find some big prices that offer plenty of value.
Katie has three third-round KOs and even when she has wound up with points wins she’s often looked dangerous early on – the Irishwoman has dropped four further opponents in rounds 1-4. Han is moving up two divisions and could be rusty, and there are colossal odds on this getting stopped after a couple of sessions with Taylor to Win in rounds 3-4.
8:00pm: Conor Benn v Adrian Granados – Benn in rounds 1-4
This contest was scheduled for the end of July but after Conor caught coronavirus it was added to this stacked bill. I don’t think that delay or the illness will affect the Essex geezer with the famous fighting father, and this weekend is another step up for the rapidly improving Benn – Granados only losses to elite champions.
There are huge odds on offer for a Granados KO despite the Mexican-American having notched up 15 noteworthy stoppage wins in his career, but my money is going on an early win for the man on home turf.
The improvement in Benn is really impressive and that’s not hype or because of tin-can opponents. ‘The Destroyer’ has studied to polish up his footwork and he’s fine-tuned his conditioning to combine speed and power.
Granados is only 31 but he’s had a tough 13-year career, and although he’s only ever been stopped once he’s been dropped in four fights. Every one of Benn’s 12 KOs have come in rounds 1-4 and I think we could see another on Saturday.
Boxing tips this weekend
10:00pm: Josh Warrington v Mauricio Lara – Both Fighters to be Knocked Down, Warrington by KO
9:00pm: Katie Taylor v Jennifer Han – Taylor in rounds 3-4
8:00pm: Conor Benn v Adrian Granados – Benn in rounds 1-4
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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