7pm: Nathan Heaney v Jack Flatley – Flatley KO/TKO
8pm: Eko Essuman v Samuel Antwi – Essuman to win in round 7-12
8:30pm: Michael Magnesi v Anthony Cacace – Magnesi points or decision
9pm: Amanda Serrano v Sarah Mahfoud – Serrano to win in round 7-8
10pm: Joe Joyce v Joseph Parker – Joyce to win in round 9-12
WELCOME TO PADDY POWER NEWS!
This weekend the Manchester Arena is hosting boxing’s big event, where Joe Joyce meets Joseph Parker in a fight that will determine who is the best ‘Joe’ in the heavyweight division and who is in line to challenge for gold. The undercard is stacked high with well-matched bouts that makes for a busy night of boxing and plenty of punchy betting tips.
10PM: JOYCE V PARKER – JOYCE TO WIN IN ROUND 9-12
Unbeaten Joyce and former champ Parker are within touching distance of a title shot, but first they have to prove that they are a worthy contender by winning this good old fashioned ‘Joe-off’. Paddy makes Britain’s Joyce a solid favourite but it’s a step up in the professional game for the 2016 Olympic silver medallist.
Joyce, 37, came to boxing late but in a few years he collected a bounty of gold and silver that would make a pirate happy. The Londoner also got the experience of fighting all styles from every corner of the globe, and that has enabled him to tear through the professional heavyweight division and get to be a top name in just 14 contests.
Parker, 30, won a silver at the youth Olympics in 2010 but he turned to the paid code shortly after. At the age of just 24, the New Zealander faced Andy Ruiz for a vacant world title and he won the strap via the judges cards on home soil.
In 2018, a decision defeat to Anthony Joshua stripped Parker of his title and unbeaten record, and a loss on points to Dillian Whyte included the first knockdowns of his career. But the ex-titleholder has tried to reinvent himself by working with Andy Lee at Tyson Fury’s gym – and they’ve promised to add a ruthless streak to the smart skillset of the affable Kiwi.
The problem for Parker and his team is that Joyce’s chin looks impregnable. ‘Juggernaut’ Joe has been caught clean several times but they bounced off him like raindrops off an armoured truck. Like all good machines, Joyce has been tested, and the finding was that he has five times the bone density of a normal man.
The Brit is 6’6’’ tall and weighs 19 stone, and his plan is to walk straight forward and punch holes in his opponents. To be fair, when he was fully motivated and switched on against Daniel Dubois he showed some head movement and subtly in his shot selection, but ultimately he caved in Dubois’ eye socket and forced the bright prospect to retire.
Joyce doesn’t really have a plan B, but I think Parker will choose to try to earn some respect in the early sessions. The underdog has quick hands and he should be able to land lots of eye-catching shots, he just has to watch out for staying in the pocket too long and getting clubbed by Joyce.
For a man of his proportions, Joyce has an incredible engine – and I think that will be the deciding factor this weekend. Parker has faded in fights before, and I expect that after a good start Joyce will drag him into the deep end and stop him late on.
9PM: SERRANO V MAHFOUD – SERRANO TO WIN IN ROUND 7-8
Puerto Rican Amanda Serrano is back down to her optimum weight of featherweight this Saturday, where she will look to unify the championship with Sarah Mahmoud. The Faroe Islands fighter is a solid boxer and, as an unbeaten titleholder, she’ll have confidence and ambition, but Serrano is another level and can win inside the distance.
8:30PM: MAGNESI V CACACE – MAGNESI POINTS OR DECISION
In the men’s super featherweight division there’s a cracking contest between Italy’s Michael Magnesi and Belfast’s Anthony Cacace. Anto’s career has been derailed by injuries and he’s only competed three times since 2017, on the end of the spectrum Magnesi has boxed 10 times in that period winning nine by stoppage.
Cacace is the favourite on Paddy’s book, and he has the higher level experience – his only defeat was a close decision against the technically superb Martin J Ward for the British title. But I have to favour the younger, fresher man to take the win.
8PM: ESSUMAN V ANTWI – ESSUMAN TO WIN IN ROUND 7-12
There’s not much to choose between Ekow Essuman and Samuel Antwi – the welterweights set to clash for Essuman’s British and Commonwealth straps – but Essuman just seems to have the edge in size, experience and class. I expect a close fight, but Essuman should start to take over in the middle rounds and could force Antwi to quit before the final bell.
7PM: HEANEY V FLATLEY – FLATLEY KO/TKO
Nathan Heaney has built a cult following in the Midlands but for the first time in his career he’s facing a seasoned British middleweight in Jack Flatley. Jack has lost a couple of times and Nathan’s team will assume from his record he can’t punch, but I think Flatley has too much grit and stops Heaney.
Saturday’s Boxing Tips:
7pm: Nathan Heaney v Jack Flatley – Flatley KO/TKO
8pm: Eko Essuman v Samuel Antwi – Essuman to win in round 7-12
8:30pm: Michael Magnesi v Anthony Cacace – Magnesi points or decision
9pm: Amanda Serrano v Sarah Mahfoud – Serrano to win in round 7-8
10pm: Joe Joyce v Joseph Parker – Joyce to win in round 9-12
*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