Boxing Tips
7pm Zelfa Barrett v James Dickens
Zelfa Barrett to win on points or decision
8pm Pat McCormack v Robbie Davies Jr.
Pat McCormack to win the fight in round 3-4
9pm Reece Bellotti v Michael Gomez Jr.
Reece Bellotti to win in round 7-12
10:30pm Jack Catterall v Arnold Barboza Jr.
Over 1.5 total knockdowns
*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.
This weekend, there’s the feel of a classic British boxing card – the headline bout is the world-class clash between Chorley’s Jack Catterall and California’s Arnold Barboza Jr, the main support act is the British title fight between Reece Bellotti and Michael Gomez Jr, while on the undercard Olympian Pat McCormack faces Robbie Davies Jr and Zelfa Barrett meets James “Jazza” Dickens.
Co-op Live Arena, Manchester
TV: DAZN
7pm, Zelfa Barrett v James Dickens – Zelfa Barrett to win on points or decision
Barrett really believes he’s world-class, but his performances at the top level have been mixed – in his only title shot so far, he dropped Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in the third round but was eventually stopped in the ninth.
If the Manchester man wants to fulfil his promise, he must deal with Dickens in good fashion on Saturday.
Jazza, 33, has been a solid operator on the British and European scene for more than 10 years now. The Liverpudlian has a great engine, is slick, is game, and can switch stances—he’s a tough night’s work for all but the very best.
His problem is that he’s not a big puncher. He can get caught, and now he’s moving up to super featherweight.
Barrett, 31, can be outworked at times and Dickens will take advantage of that, but ultimately, Barrett’s size and power should be the difference. Dickens has been stopped four times in his career, but only once before round 10. I’m backing Barrett on points.
8pm, Pat McCormack v Robbie Davies Jr. – Pat McCormack to win the fight in round 3-4
For 2021 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist McCormack, 29, it has been a very slow three years.
The Tynesider turned pro with plenty of fanfare, but he’s only managed six fights so far, and at one point, he spent over a year out. Davies, 35, is a massive step up in class for McCormack, but the Scouse veteran is still a big underdog.
Davies has been the British and European champion, but he has lost two of his last three contests and been dropped in all of them.
This scrap is being made at welterweight, a division above where Davies competes. I think McCormack is too big and too strong, and I fancy an early-round win for the rising star.
9pm, Reece Bellotti v Michael Gomez Jr. – Reece Bellotti to win the fight in round 7-12
Bellotti and Gomez were scheduled to clash last year for Bellotti’s British and Commonwealth super featherweight straps. However, a curious withdrawal from Gomez minutes before the fight left Bellotti fuming in front of the camera. The bitterness runs deep, and we’ll see if Gomez still has his fervent support.
Michael Jr. is the son of a Manchester boxing legend and has shown talent to back up his famous name. The challenger has a pretty record of 21 wins and only one loss, but Bellotti has been a class above during his career.
My view has remained unchanged since last year. Bellotti, 34, has shown more boxing ability in recent years, but he can still brawl if necessary. I think Gomez, 30, will make this a scrap, but I expect Bellotti to come out on top and end the fight in the later rounds.
10:30pm, Jack Catterall v Arnold Barboza Jr. – Over 1.5 total knockdowns
Catterall and Barboza have walked similar paths on either side of the pond. Neither has been the golden boy of their generation, but both have reached their early 30s with stellar resumes.
Catterall’s solo defeat was the highly controversial decision loss against Josh Taylor when he was the unified champ, while Barboza has won all of his 31 contests.
Catterall’s recent record is worthy of any title run in the super lightweight division. In his last three bouts, he outclassed Taylor in their rematch, comfortably beat former champ Jorge Linares, and put in a career-best performance against another recent titleholder, Regis Prograis.
Barboza’s record is unblemished, but it doesn’t have the name recognition of Catterall’s. The American’s best win came in November against former champ Jose Carlos Ramirez, but he’s never fought for a title or even competed over the championship 12-round distance.
With only one KO win since 2019 for Ramirez and no stoppage wins for Catterall over the same period, the fight will likely go the distance and be close on the judge’s card.
Both men raise their game to the opponent and I expect the fight on Saturday to have peaks of action and periods of inactivity.
Barboza has the height and reach advantage, and coupled with a solid jab, he’ll score from the outside, but I think Catterall is the more varied boxer. I favour Catterall to take the win, but there isn’t much value in that bet.
I am looking at the knockdown market for a good price, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we had another up-and-down fight like Jack’s with Prograis, in which both men touched the canvas. The bet here is for over 1.5 knockdowns.
Saturday’s Boxing Tips
7pm Zelfa Barrett v James Dickens
Zelfa Barrett to win on points or decision
8pm Pat McCormack v Robbie Davies Jr.
Pat McCormack to win the fight in round 3-4
9pm Reece Bellotti v Michael Gomez Jr.
Reece Bellotti to win in round 7-12
10:30pm Jack Catterall v Arnold Barboza Jr.
Over 1.5 total knockdowns
*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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