* 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.
Do whatever is necessary to secure the TV buttons this weekend – it’s a huge one! We’ve got Demetrius Andrade defending his world title against Ireland’s Jason Quigley late on Friday night and on Saturday there’s a 5-star fight between Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter for the welterweight world championship.
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There’s also a whole gaggle of good scraps at Wembley Arena and the undercards. Let’s get stuck in.
Saturday 3am: Demetrius Andrade V Jason Quigley – Andrade On Points
Andrade claims to be the most avoided boxer on the planet and, to be fair, when Quigley called him out he gave the lowly-ranked Irishman his shot. Andrade really wants the money fight with Canelo Alvarez and the fans just want to see him in a scrap with a top-10 opponent.
There’s no doubt the unbeaten middleweight champ is uber-talented but after fast starts he goes into cruise control. The bout with Wales’ Liam Williams in April was a perfect case in point as Andrade dropped his opponent in the second session and then coasted to a unanimous victory on points.
Quigley, 30, seems to have almost the complete package for a boxer; amateur pedigree, power, work ethic, but when he’s faced any half-decent opponent he’s struggled. Jason just lacks the head movement and reactions to avoid enough blows to make it at the very top level.
Luckily for Quigley the only people Andrade normally puts to sleep are the fans. The American has only stopped two of his last seven opponents and I expect more of the same-old from Andrade – even if it isn’t the most exciting to watch – and a small bet on Andrade On Points is interesting.
Saturday 2am: Julio Cesar Martinez V McWilliams Arroyo – Martinez In Round 5-8
The second world championship bout on the New Hampshire bill is big swinging flyweight Julio Cesar Martinez versus veteran Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo. The Mexican titleholder, 26, has stopped 11 of his last 12 opponents and he’s best known for bashing Brits Andrew Selby, Charlie Edwards and Jay Harris.
McWilliams, 35, was a 2008 Olympian and he’s challenged for a belt on two occasions, but his best days are behind him and he’s been dropped in a few fights recently. Martinez has levelled rivals early and late, but this time I’m predicting he gets the business done in the middle rounds between 5 and 8.
Saturday 9pm: Hosea Burton V Dan Azeez – Fight Not To Go The Distance
The best bout at Wembley this weekend is the pick-em light heavyweight contest between rangey slickster Hosea Burton and the gritty Dan Azeez for the Lord Lonsdale belt. Londoner Azeez has collected Area and English straps on his way to this point while Burton has had twice as many fights mostly out of the limelight.
I expect the fight will build through the 12 rounds from tactical jabbing, to combinations, to blood-and-guts, and I think whoever is shows more will to win will stop the other guy – I can’t call which way it will fall so I’m sitting on the fence and going for the Fight Not To Go The Distance.
Saturday 10pm: Richard Riakporhe V Olanrewaju Durodola – Durodola By KO
Another showdown scheduled for fireworks is the headline scrap featuring Richard Riakporhe and Olanrewaju Durodola. Riakporhe is younger, bigger and on home turf, but the veteran Nigerian – who has 33 kos from 36 wins – is on good form and has the nickname ‘God’s Power’ – I am not betting against that. Durodola By KO is the pick.
Sunday 4am: Terence Crawford V Shawn Porter – Crawford In Round 10-12
After all the other action the best has been saved til last – three-weight world champion Crawford defends his welterweight title against old friend and two-time titleholder Shawn Porter – you can look forward to supreme quality and dogged brutality in equal measures.
The formidable ‘Bud’ Crawford brings his belt to Las Vegas off the back of eight consecutive KO wins, with five of those coming since he moved up to 147lbs. Overall, the man from Nebraska is unbeaten as a professional in 37 contests and he first won a strap back in 2014 against Ricky Burns in Glasgow.
‘Showtime’ Shawn is a career welter who has won and defended belts on two separate runs, and his only defeats have been hard-fought, tight contests with champions Errol Spence, Keith Thurman and Britain’s Kell Brook.
The obvious bet is a points win for Crawford but we could land a whale in this one: Porter was dropped in the 11th round by Spence and the 12th round by Adrien Broner, and I think Crawford’s accuracy and spitefulness might be just enough to put Porter down and out in the final rounds of this one. Crawford In Rounds 10-12 could be a great pick.
Boxing tips this weekend
Saturday 3am: Demetrius Andrade v Jason Quigley – Andrade On Points
Saturday 2am: Julio Cesar Martinez v McWilliams Arroyo – Martinez In Round 5-8
Saturday 9pm: Hosea Burton v Dan Azeez – Fight Not To Go The Distance
Saturday 10pm: Richard Riakporhe v Olanrewaju Durodola – Durodola By KO
Sunday 4am: Terence Crawford v Shawn Porter – Crawford In Round 10-12
* 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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