Fury v Usyk undercard boxing tips
7pm: Moses Itauma v Ilja Mezencev
Itauma To Win the Fight in Round 3 – 4
8pm: Joe Cordina v Anthony Cacace
Cacace Points or Decision
8pm: Agit Kabayel v Frank Sanchez
Kabayel Points or Decision
9pm: Jai Opetaia v Mairis Briedis
Opetaia 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.
The historic main event in Riyadh on Saturday is getting all the attention, but the Saudi’s aren’t just putting on one big fight, there’s a whole undercard of great fights! Paddy has priced up a whole 5-star buffet of markets and we’ve picked out the biggest value bets on offer.
9pm: Opetaia v Briedis – Opetaia Points or Decision
Jai Opetaia came from Australian obscurity into the mainstream in 2022 when he beat cruiserweight champ and consensus division No.1 Mairis Briedis, and just under two years later the duo are getting it on again in the rematch. 2012 Olympian Opetaia, 28, is the younger man by 11 years and he’s is a big favourite on paper.
Latvia’s Breidis was odds-on in the first fight but, despite breaking Opetaia’s jaw in two places, the southpaw Sydneysider had enough grit to see out a unanimous win on points. Briedis, 39, has not fought since that night, while Jai has beaten British-level duo Ellis Zorro and Jordan Thompson.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Briedis and he’s no spring chicken, but the 200-pounder is a rough, tough customer who gave Usyk his hardest professional fight in 2018. I think Opetaia is too fresh and too fast, but his knockouts have come against a lower calibre opponent and I think he’ll win on points again.
8pm: Cordina v Cacace – CACACE POINTS OR DECISION
The fight for the British and Irish hardcore is the super featherweight title clash between Cardiff’s Cordina and Belfast’s Cacace. Cordina won the belt with a devastating KO of Kenichi Ogawa in 2022 and followed that up with an outstanding defence against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov, but he was less impressive in his most recent bout in November.
There are some question marks over Cordina’s engine and it might be because he’s tight at the weight – the 2016 Olympian has never scored a KO after round six and he has a habit of taking rounds off.
Cacace is unbeaten since 2017 but he’s only been in three bouts in the last four-and-a-half years. When the southpaw has been in the ring he’s notched up good wins at European level, and with his injuries behind him he’ll be chomping at the bit in his first world title fight.
Cordina is a firm favourite and there’s no doubt he’s the classier boxer, but with only two KO wins in his last eight contests and a possible stamina issue there could be an opportunity for Cacace who has reach, power and heart.
Both men have that aggressive edge and both look in great shape, but it could be a case of how much is taken out of them by making weight. I expect a cracking fight that goes the full 12 rounds, and I think the underdog can get the decision.
- Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk undercard: What other fights are taking place?
8pm: Kabayel v Sanchez – Kabayel Points or Decision
Also on the undercard, there’s an intriguing heavyweight scrap between unbeaten contenders Agit Kabayel and Frank Sanchez. Kabayel wasn’t really supposed to be here, but he beat Russian bogeyman Arslanbek Makhmudov in the last edition of Riyadh Season, while Cuba’s Sanchez has been steadily building his hype.
Paddy makes Frank the favourite but the biggest names on his record are slow fighters like Efe Ajagba and Junior Fa. Kabayel is a tricky boxer happy to land touching shots and then move off, and he’s shown his metal against big punchers Makhmudov and Chisora. I’m backing Agit to win it on the cards.
7pm: Itauma v Mezencev – Itauma To Win in Round 3 – 4
One of the biggest prospects in the entire sport is 19-year-old British heavyweight Itauma. He’s still building his professional experience against the lower rungs of the European scene, and this weekend he faces Mezencev with his pretty-looking record of 23 wins and only three losses.
What you really need to know is about Mezencev is that his wins are against German part-timers, and two of his losses were by KO against mediocre class. Itauma has six first round finishes but the German-Kazakh is the best boxer the prospect has faced, and I think this bout might go a couple of rounds longer than usual.
Saturday’s Boxing tips
9pm: Jai Opetaia v Mairis Briedis
Opetaia Points or Decision
8pm: Joe Cordina v Anthony Cacace
Cacace Points or Decision
8pm: Agit Kabayel v Frank Sanchez
Kabayel Points or Decision
7pm: Moses Itauma v Ilja Mezencev
Itauma To Win the Fight 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.
Read More
- Punch in your knockout boxing betting tips at Paddy Power News
- Who is the favourite to win Saturday’s Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight?
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