Boxing Betting Tips
Chris Billam-Smith v Richard Riakporhe – Richard Riakporhe To Win The Fight In Round 5 – 8
David Benavidez v Oleksandr Gvozdyk – David Benavidez To Win The Fight In Round 9 – 10
Gervonta Davis v Frank Martin – Gervonta Davis To Win The Fight In Round 11 – 12
Boxing may have turned a corner, folks. These days we are getting great fights almost every week. They aren’t all on the same card but this weekend we’ve Chris Billam-Smith vs Richard Riakporhe for a cruiserweight title in London, and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis taking on Frank Martin for a lightweight strap, and David Benavidez versus Oleksandr Gvozdyk on same bill in Vegas.
Chris Billam-Smith v Richard Riakporhe – Richard Riakporhe To Win The Fight In Round 5 – 8
TV: Sky Sports Action, Saturday, 10:30pm
This championship bout at 200 pounds features two Brits who sit comfortably in the top five fighters of the division, and it’s a rematch of a razor-close 2019 war. Chris Billiam-Smith is the one bringing the belt to the ring, but it is the unbeaten Richard Riakporhe who is a solid favourite in Paddy’s book.
The South London-born challenger gets home advantage at his beloved Crystal Palace’s home ground, but ‘The Gentleman’ will be bringing his loyal fan base up from Bournemouth to create a football match atmosphere on Saturday night, it is the first time in four fights that Billam-Smith is competing outside of his home town.
Despite the credentials of both men, they are probably still two names bubbling under the surface of mainstream sports recognition, but the stadium fight this weekend will see them break through. Neither man joined the professional ranks with a huge amount of hype from the amateur code but the winner will be in a position to unify the division.
Billiam-Smith, 33, won the strap from former gym-mate Lawrence Okolie in 2023 with an outstanding performance that saw him drop the 2016 Olympian three times on his way to a clear points win. Chris’ follow-up contest with Mateusz Masternak in December wasn’t as fluid, but his pressure was telling in the middle rounds before a pulverising body shot ended the fight in round 8.
Riakporhe, 34, had two outings in 2023 – a crunching win over former champ Krzysztof Glowacki in four rounds before devouring Dylan Bregeon in just two rounds in November. The London banger has laid out each of his last five opponents.
Back in 2019 fresh-faced Billam-Smith and Riakporhe each only had nine paid bouts, but they were matched up against each other in a tough fight between novices. In the seventh round, the ref judged that ‘CBS’ was held up by the ropes under a barrage from ‘The Midnight Train’, and the point deduction for that was enough to give Riakporhe the decision on the judges’ cards by the slimmest of margins.
Riakporhe is an intimidating boxer, standing 6-foot-5 tall, with a long reach and destructive power, most opponents can’t handle him. Chris spent years sparring Okolie a man of similar dimensions and threat, and he won’t be bothered by his challenger’s physique.
Both men have improved vastly since they first met, but the thing that stands out to me is the way Riakporhe can now set up his big power shots. Billam-Smith is unbelievably gritty but if anyone gets caught clean enough by the Londoner they are going to sleep, I think Riakporhe can end the fight in the middle rounds and become Britain’s next world champion.
David Benavidez v Oleksandr Gvozdyk – David Benavidez To Win The Fight In Round 9 – 10
TV: Prime Video PPV, Sunday, 3am
David Benavidez is considered one of the biggest talents in boxing but it seems the champ at super middleweight, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, is deciding to dodge the American for now, so Benavidez has decided to test the waters at light heavy. The man in the opposite corner, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, is a former champ and Olympic bronze medallist, this is a great scrap.
In 2019, Gvozdyk faced Artur Beterbiev in a clash of unbeaten light heavyweight champions, the Ukrainian was slightly ahead on the cards going into the 10th round when the fearsome Russian turned up the heat and won by KO. After two-and-a-half years out of the ring, Gvozdyk returned in 2023 and notched up three wins against average opposition.
Benavidez, 27, was a monster at 168-pounds and he’ll still be big at 175, so I have no concerns about the weight change. If this was the 2019 version of Gvozdyk, 37, I would pick him to be too clever and skilled for the rising star, but I think Benavidez’s pressure and power will tell and result in a late KO win.
Gervonta Davis v Frank Martin – Gervonta Davis To Win The Fight In Round 11 – 12
TV: Prime Video PPV, Sunday, 4am
The main event in Vegas is a humdinger between unbeaten champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, 29, and unbeaten challenger Frank Martin, 29, for a lightweight trinket. Martin is a very good operator and in most divisions, he could pick up a bel, but Davis is top five pound-for-pound for me, and his power is the deciding factor.
With 27 KOs in 29 wins, Tank has blown through some of the best while winning belts in three divisions – in his last bout he took out Ryan Garcia in seven rounds. Martin is quick, slick and can fight, but he hasn’t faced anyone elite, I’m backing Gervonta to finish his man in the final few rounds.
Saturday Night Boxing Tips
Chris Billam-Smith v Richard Riakporhe – Richard Riakporhe To Win The Fight In Round 5 – 8
David Benavidez v Oleksandr Gvozdyk – David Benavidez To Win The Fight In Round 9 – 10
Gervonta Davisv Frank Martin – Gervonta Davis To Win The Fight In Round 11 – 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.
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