Boxing Tips: Your best bets for Saturday’s big fights including Bryan v Dubois

Our tipster Matt Gipon looks to land some big blows on Paddy this Saturday.

Boxing

*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

One day British heavyweight Daniel Dubois will be a big attraction in boxing, but at the moment he’s still in the backwaters. At least this weekend those are the glamorous backwaters of Miami and all he’s got to do is cruise through phoney champ Trevor Bryan.

WELCOME TO PADDY POWER NEWS!

Over in the UK there’s a card stacked with solid match-ups on Saturday night: cruiserweight contenders Richard Riakporhe and Fabio Turchi go at it in the headline bout, Chris Kongo looks to move up the levels by beating veteran welterweight Sebastian Formella, and Germaine Brown versus Zak Chelli is set to be a tasty super middleweight encounter.

11.30pm: Bryan v Dubois – Dubois to win in rounds 4-6

TV: BT Sport 1

Sometimes a title isn’t really a title in boxing, and this weekend’s fight between Trevor Bryan and Daniel Dubois isn’t for a proper belt because Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have those – but that doesn’t mean this isn’t big bout for Dubois and one more chance for Don King to try his old trick of arriving with the guy with the trinket but leaving with the winner.

Bryan was a decent amateur and as pro he’s unbeaten in 22 contests, but his paid career has been textbook padding of the highest order. In 2017 and 2018 Trev faced just three opponents and each had 20 or more losses on their ledger, and the only names on his record are washed-up cruiserweight BJ Flores and the beyond-washed Bermane Stiverne.

There’s no point even considering a Bryan win, even the ring walk times have been adjusted for the UK audience. The American is overmatched in terms of skill and athleticism, but he’s even further behind in terms of dedication. Dubois, 24, will come to the ring on Saturday as a shredded 240-pound machine, but Bryan, 32, will just be flabby and hopeful.

Daniel has put the painful 2020 defeat to Joe Joyce behind him and come back with two early KO wins under new trainer Shane McGuigan. The Londoner has fast hands, clever combinations and the solid experience of 17 victories and one defeat.

Shane McGuigan

The biggest wins of ‘Triple D’s’ career have been fifth round KOs of tricky customers Nathan Gorman and Tom Little, a fourth round stoppage of the rugged Richard Lartey, and second round finishes of boxing beanpoles Bogdan Dinu and Razvan Cojanu. The only man to take Dubois the distance was wily anti-fighter Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson.

You won’t be able to get evens for Daniel to win in rounds 1-3, such is the expectation of an early night in Miami, but I think Bryan will have some ambition to hold on to his unbeaten record and, with his amateur background, he might fall into the Gorman and Little category.

We don’t see so much of the 90-year-old Don King these days, but we might be seeing a bit more of him this side of the pond if he can attach himself to the quiet Brit after Saturday night’s demolition job. Dubois to win in rounds 4-6 is the pick.

10pm: Riakporhe v Turchi – Riakporhe to Win in Rounds 7-9

TV: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action

Richard Riakporhe has been in a holding pattern for about three years. The 6’5″ south London cruiser beat the likes of Tommy McCarthy and Chris Billam-Smith back in 2019 but he’s been held back to gain the experience he missed out on coming to the game late. This Saturday is another decent test and Fabio Turchi has a few tricks that could make him competitive.

Richard Riakporhe

The stocky Italian southpaw was an international in the vested code and he competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing, while as a pro his only loss came via a split decision to McCarthy also in 2019. I am almost tempted by the upset pick here as Turchi is a big price for a pedigree competitor in a two-horse race.

What puts me off the upset is Turchi’s two stoppage losses as an amateur and Riakporhe’s brute strength. The local favourite showed he’s an improving technician in his win over Deion Jumah a few months ago, and when Turchi tires and tries to get inside Richards reach he’s going to get caught and put to sleep. I’ll take Riakporhe to Win in Rounds 7-9.

9pm: Kongo v Formella – The Draw

TV: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action

The main support act at Wembley is the 147-pound contest between Bermondsey’s Chris Kongo and Hamburg’s Sebastian Formella. The away fighter is best known for his losses to Conor Benn and Shawn Porter, but both times he showed real grit by making it to the final bell.

Kongo will have the reach advantage and he boxes well from range, but Formella will be busy and has nous of a 35-year-old veteran. Neither man has stunning power and it’s likely to go the distance – Kongo could be too fresh but I think it will be close, and I’ll be backing The Draw at big odds.

8pm: Brown v Chelli – Chelli to win by KO

TV: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action

The fight between Germaine Brown and Zak Chelli is another evenly matched contest set for fireworks. It should be an intense battle between Brown’s speed and activity and Chelli’s hard counters. Zak is only 24 and still improving, and he’s on a streak of three KO wins – Chelli to win by KO is the pick in this one.

Boxing Tips

11.30pm: Trevor Bryan v Daniel Dubois – Dubois to win in rounds 4-6
10pm: Richard Riakporhe v Fabio Turchi – Riakporhe to Win in Rounds 7-9
9pm: Chris Kongo v Sebastian Formella – The Draw
8pm: Germaine Brown v Zak Chelli – Chelli to win by KO

*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

READ MORE

The latest UFC odds are on PaddyPower.com now

The Paddy Power Guide To Responsible Gambling – Everything You Need To Know