Boxing Tips:
Artur Beterbiev v Anthony Yarde – Beterbiev to win in round 9-12
Artem Dalakian v David Jimenez – Jimenez to win by points or decision
Karol Itauma v Ezequiel Osvaldo Bode – Itauma to win in round 3-4
*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
10.30PM SATURDAY: BETERBIEV V YARDE – BETERBIEV TO WIN IN ROUND 9 – 12
The Russian-Canadian champ has won every one of his 18 professional fights by KO and he’s picked up three of the four major titles. The one remaining strap is held by Dmitrii Bivol – the bloke who recently put manners on Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – but before Beterbiev can go for undisputed he has to deal with his mandatory challenger.
Yarde earned his second shot at world honours with a devastating KO win over unbeaten British rival Lyndon Arthur in December 2021. Since then the Londoner flattened Bulgarian dud Stefani Koykov in three rounds, taking his career wins to 23 with a frightening 22 inside the distance.
Three-and-a-half years ago Yarde faced a similarly daunting task when he met 175-pound head honcho Sergey Kovalev in the Russian’s backwater hometown of Chelyabinsk. Although the experienced champ won most of the rounds before stopping Yarde in the 11th, the Brit was competitive throughout and proved his world class credentials.
Beterbiev never faced compatriot Kovalev in a paid contest but he did defeat him as part of a stellar amateur career – the fearsome puncher won an amateur world gold medal and competed in two Olympics – Artur even won one and lost two against current heavyweight supremo Oleksandr Usyk.
Despite all this, there is a case to be made for Yarde – Beterbiev has been dropped twice as a professional, he’s only boxed two rounds in the last year, he’s fighting on away soil in the UK, and, most conspicuously, he turned 38 in January.
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Anthony likes to counter-punch and he’s alway shown patience and composure before letting rip with his rapid hands and destructive power. I think this fight will start cagey but build into an all-action drama, and I am tempted by the massive odds on a late stoppage win for Yarde – who is an excellent finisher – but I see the champ retaining his titles.
It is almost eight years since Yarde turned pro but his amateur background consisted of only about a dozen contests – the experience deficit that the home fighter has is huge. Beterbiev is known as a banger but he’s much more than that, and if something isn’t working he can adapt.
Age is my biggest concern for the titleholder and we’ve seen fighters appear to grow old overnight, but I don’t that will happen for Beterbiev – he keeps himself in incredible shape outside of boxing camps, he’s never had any major injuries, he’s only been in one close fight where he didn’t take significant damage, and last June he looked better than ever obliterating fellow champ Joe Smith in two rounds.
Prior to the Smith win Beterbiev’s three most recent fights resulted in a round 9 KO and two round 10 KOs, while Yarde’s iron chin was finally cracked by Kovalev in round 11. I think this one will go deep into the contest but Beterbiev will be too strong and land too often, and the Russian will come away with another very late victory this Saturday.
9.30PM: DALAKIAN V JIMENEZ – JIMENEZ POINTS OR DECISION
Wembley is quite a random location for Ukraine’s Dalakian to defend his flyweight belt against Costa Rica’s Jimenez, but the big fights weren’t coming to Kiev so London has got lucky hosting this firefight between two aggressive little-men. The champ, 35, is the better known boxer and he’s the favourite in Paddy’s book.
Jimenez’s extensive amateur career included a world bronze medal, but he’s only had 12 fights as a pro. The challenger edged a tight decision win over rising star Ricardo Rafael Sandoval with a late knockdown to secure this championship opportunity, and I think in that fight he showed that he has enough to take the title.
8.30PM: ITAUMA V MADERNA – ITAUMA TO WIN IN ROUND 3 – 4
Britain’s Itauma is another big prospect coming to the professional game with amateur credentials. The light heavyweight won the Youth Olympic gold in 2018 and as a pro he’s unbeaten – the southpaw from Kent is strong and fast, with a great jab, and he has KO’d his last five foes.
Argentina’s Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna comes to the UK with Olympic pedigree but those days are far behind the 36-year-old who has lost four of his last five. When the going gets tough Maderna quits, and I think Itauma will be able to pin his awkward opponent down and beat him into submission after a few rounds.
Boxing Tips:
Artur Beterbiev v Anthony Yarde – Beterbiev to win in round 9-12
Artem Dalakian v David Jimenez – Jimenez to win by points or decision
Karol Itauma v Ezequiel Osvaldo Bode – Itauma to win in round 3-4
*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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