BOXING TIPS
Thomas Faure v Dan Azeez – Azeez to win in round 5-8
Tony Yoka v Carlos Takam – Yoka to win in round 7-8
Robbie Davies Jr v Darragh Foley – Davies on points or decison
Diego Pacheco v Jack Cullen – Pacheco on points or decision
Tim Tszyu v Tony Harrison – Harrison on points or descision
9PM SATURDAY: THOMAS FAURE V DAN AZEEZ – AZEEZ TO WIN IN ROUND 5-8
Azeez has blown away the domestic opposition and now he’s ready to take down the continental titleholder. Faure has the belt but he hasn’t really got the résumé – the Frenchman has only competed against his relatively weak compatriots, and he has 21 wins but four losses, with the last loss coming by KO.
The reality for Azeez is that he has already beaten better light heavyweights than Faure, and he’s still improving. In the last four years he’s beaten Rocky Fielding, Reece Cartwright, Hosea Burton and Andre Sterling, all in rounds 7-9.
I think both men will look to establish dominance with the jab, and the taller Faure might have some success early on. But the champ’s flashy combos are slow and arching, and Azeez will land with his hard, straight shots.
The man from Chateauroux is tough, and he’ll have the Parisian crowd behind him, but with only two KO wins in 26 bouts he doesn’t have the power to keep the Londoner off him. I think Azeez can clean out Faure a bit quicker than his British rivals, so I’m backing the challenger to take the title in rounds 5-8.
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10PM SATURDAY: TONY YOKA V CARLOS TAKAM – YOKA TO WIN IN ROUND 7-8
Yoka was the 2016 Olympic heavyweight champion destined for massive things, but last May he ran into Scottish-based Congolese boxer Martin Bakole and lost his precious unbeaten record. So, after 12 professional bouts, Tony is on the rebuild, but he hasn’t gone after a soft touch, he’s taking on French-Cameroonian veteran Carlos Takam.
Carlos has been in with Joyce, Joshua and Povetkin, and the 42-year-old is still teak touch – as he demonstrated in September when he went 10 rounds with rising Russian monster Arslanbek Makhmudov. Unfortunately for the experienced big man, he’s coming up against a man who’s too big, too quick, and too fresh – I think the ref or the doc will stop the contest with Takam busted up.
9.15PM SATURDAY: ROBBIE DAVIES JR V DARRAGH FOLEY – DAVIES ON POINTS OR DECISION
Davies’ career has stuttered up to this point – he has notched up decent wins against Joe Hughes for the British strap, and Hank Lundy for some wishy-washy continental bauble – but he’s also lost big fights to Lewis Ritson and Gabriel Valenzuela. That doesn’t mean the Liverpool super lightweight can’t headline his home arena, and this weekend he faces Ireland’s Foley.
The Sydney-based Irishman has a solid record of 21 wins and four losses, and he’s pushed stalwarts Tyrone Mckenna and Akeem Ennis Brown the distance and never been stopped. Davies has only three KO wins in his last nine bouts, and I see this as another decision victory for the home fighter.
10PM SATURDAY: DIEGO PACHECO v JACK CULLEN – PACHECO ON POINTS OR DECISION
The best fight in Europe this weekend is the super middleweight scrap between Pacheco and Cullen on the undercard in Liverpool. Pacheco is a hot prospect from America – the 21-year-old super middleweight is rangy and he can bang – but “Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver” is also rangy, and he will be happy to duke it out on the inside.
Cullen has wins against Avni Yildirim and John Docherty but he’s lost against fringe world-level guys like Felix Cash – in fact, he’s lost three times and each one was by KO. We know what level Jack is, and this is a step up for Pacheco – Cullen is ridiculously long odds to win and is well worth a punt, but the best bet is Pacheco on points.
4AM SUNDAY: TIM TSZYU V TONY HARRISON – HARRISON ON POINTS OR DECISION
If Pacheco-Cullen is a very good fight, this is a great one. There isn’t a title attached, but this is like a final-final eliminator. Tszyu was set to scrap for a belt but the titleholder pulled out with injury, so to the Australian’s massive credit he took on the toughest test outside of the super welterweight champions.
Tszyu, son of the legend who faced Ricky Hatton, is still improving and has power, speed, and a fan-friendly style. Harrison has the experience – the American has been the champ, and he has beaten some very good guys including Jermell Charlo.
Harrison has been stopped three times late on and there is a real possibility that Tszyu overwhelmes him, but I think he has the skills and enough know-how to get the away fighter another signature win – and big returns from Paddy!
BOXING TIPS
Thomas Faure v Dan Azeez – Azeez to win in round 5-8
Tony Yoka v Carlos Takam – Yoka to win in round 7-8
Robbie Davies Jr v Darragh Foley – Davies on points or decision
Diego Pacheco v Jack Cullen – Pacheco on points or decision
Tim Tszyu v Tony Harrison – Harrison on points or decision
*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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