Boxing Tips
Sunday, 5am – Devin Haney v Regis Prograis
Draw
Regis Prograis To Win in Round 5-8
Sunday, 10pm: Chris Billam-Smith v Mateusz Masternak
Will The Fight Go The Distance, Yes
Mateusz Masternak Points or Decision
Super Sundays aren’t just for football, boxing is getting in on the action this weekend too. In the early hours, Devin Haney and Regis Prograis face each other in an elite scrap for the Super Lightweight title, and after you’ve had your roast you can sit down and watch Chris Billam-Smith defend his Cruiserweight belt against Mateusz Masternak.
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Devin Haney v Regis Prograis
Chase Centre, San Francisco, USA: 5am
TV: DAZN
Haney’s name is going first on the marketing material, but this is Prograis’ 140-pound strap on the line and he’s not happy about being the ‘B-side’. To be fair to Haney, he was the undisputed, four-title holder at 135 pounds, and he’s chasing greatness by attempting to become a two-weight world champion in San Francisco this weekend.
A couple of years ago Haney was called the “Email Champ” when he was elevated to titleholder status without having to win a championship bout, but since then he has beaten fellow champ George Kambosos twice, and then defended his collection of trinkets against the legendary Vasyl Lomachenko.
Prograis’ rise hasn’t always been in the brightest spotlight, but he beat a line-up of really decent contenders to collect two titles before losing a close mixed decision to Scotland’s Josh Taylor. The southpaw went on to regain a vacant title by stopping the dangerous Jose Zepeda in November last year.
Draw
There is no doubt that Devin ‘The Dream’, is elite – he turned pro aged 17 in Mexico, he’s 25 now, and he’s unbeaten in 30 contests. Haney’s style isn’t always the most entertaining, and he’ll probably try to use footwork and his long reach to pepper Prograis from the outside and avoid getting into a brawl.
‘Rougarou’, on the other hand, will happily have a scrap. The New Orleans native, 34, has also had 30 professional bouts, but he only put on a pair of gloves for the first time when he was 17, he’s 34 now.
He has developed into a silky smooth pressure fighter, and, although Haney might land more shots, I think the judges will favour the style of Prograis and make this a very close call.
Prograis To Win In Round 5-8
There’s a good chance this fight goes the distance but if someone is getting the KO win it will be Prograis. Haney hasn’t recorded an early wins since 2019, and he was rocked at lightweight by Jorge Linares.
Not only is Prograis physically the biggest opponent Haney has faced, he is the first genuine big puncher he’s faced.
Prograis has a KO ratio of 82% and he’s stopped opponents early and late, but in his last five knockout wins he’s iced three of them in round 6. A middle rounds KO would be a shock to most, but that means there are big odds on offer for a win in rounds 5-8 for the talented lefty.
Chris Billam-Smith V Mateusz Masternak
Bournemouth International Centre, England, 10pm
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Sunday evening is an unusual time to schedule a big fight, but with AFC Bournemouth playing at Manchester United on Saturday at 3pm it was the only time the Bournemouth hardcore football-boxing fans could make both events. And they are making both events – the 10,000 capacity Bournemouth International Centre is sold out on Sunday night.
The bout this weekend will be CBS’s first title defence since taking the belt off former gym-mate Lawrence Okolie in May. The fighter from the south coast, 33, has beaten a host of domestic and European rivals in only 19 outings, but he has one defeat – a close split decision loss in his tenth pro contest against the world-class Richard Riakporhe.
Mateusz Masternak, 36, has also fought a line-up of the hardest cruiserweights from all over the world, but over a much longer period. The Pole has had a staggering 52 bouts, and although he’s lost five times, he’s never been outclassed. Masternak lost a tight fight with Tony Bellew for the European strap in 2015, and this is his first shot at a world title.
Will The Fight Go The Distance, Yes
There are similarities between both cruiserweights – they are both dedicated and tough, and they will come to the ring in tip-top shape. But while Masternak has the classic long European style, Billiam-Smith can fight on the inside and has dangerous hooks.
For two strongmen of the sport, they both have mediocre KO ratios around 65%. Neither is a massive puncher, and given how resilient both boxers are, and what’s on the line, I am pretty confident this one is going the distance.
Mateusz Masternak to Win on Points Or Decision
Picking a winner here is hard, and I am surprised CBS is such a healthy favourite on Paddy’s book. I slightly favour Billam-Smith as the fresher man, but Masternak has the experience to make this a really difficult night for the Brit, and I like the price on a Polish decision.
Boxing Betting Tips
Devin Haney v Regis Prograis
Draw
Regis Prograis To Win in Round 5-8
Chris Billam-Smith v Mateusz Masternak
Yes – Fight Go The Distance
Mateusz Masternak 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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