Boxing betting tips: Tyson Fury to fail for a second time vs Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are set to clash once again on Saturday, December 21, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The first fight looked 50-50 going into the bout, and the opening half of the clash suggested the same, with both men separated by razor-thin margins.
Entering the later rounds, things took a turn. Fury, unsteady on tired legs, got caught with a beautiful left counter in the ninth.
After 20 seconds of scrambling, ‘The Gypsy King’ found himself against the ropes with the referee declaring a knockdown.
The rest of the fight featured mostly one-way traffic, and Usyk cruised to a close but fair split decision win.
Sports News Blitz tipster Sam Condy has taken a break from the NFL this week to delve head-first into the Paddy Power boxing markets.
The event is stacked with intrigue, leaving plenty of opportunity from some betting action.
The undercard
Before looking at the main event (what everyone is really interested in), there are some undeniably intriguing match-ups to get stuck into.
Moses Itauma vs Demsey McKean
Early on the undercard, British youngster Moses Itauma takes on veteran heavyweight Demsey McKean.
Itauma burst onto the professional scene in 2023 and has since cemented himself as one of the top prospects in the division.
Currently undefeated, the 19-year-old has racked up 10 wins with eight coming by way of stoppage.
Itauma’s explosive power and surprising speed have made him a favourite amongst British fans.
McKean boasts an impressive record, having faced off against heavyweight elite, Filip Hrgovic.
His only loss was to Hrgovic and with 14 stoppages to his name, he’s certainly no pushover.
While the Aussie may be a step up in class for the young Brit, Itauma should face no real adversity on Saturday.
His power and speed have proven overwhelming for all of his opponents so far, and things shouldn’t change this weekend.
Expect a stoppage on Saturday and another highlight-reel performance from the youngster.
Suggested bet: Moses Itauma KO/TKO @ 1/4
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Isaac Lowe vs Lee McGregor
Also on the undercard, a battle of the British sees Issac Lowe face off against Scotsman Lee McGregor.
The featherweight clash should be full of fireworks, with McGregor a man who likes to put his opponents out early.
The 27-year-old from Edinburgh has been staging a comeback through 2024 after suffering his maiden loss to Mexican Erik Robles Ayala in 2023.
McGregor has won his last two bouts, with neither fight making it past the halfway point.
Lowe is a great fighter, who knows how to win. However, he will likely struggle to contain the aggression of his adversary.
Both of his losses have come by stoppage from men with heavy hands, and it looks like a third loss may be added to his record on the 21st.
Suggested bet: Lee McGregor @ 1/2 (KO/TKO odds not yet released)
Serhii Bohachuk vs Ishmael Davis
The penultimate fight of the evening sees Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk face off against Brit Ishmael Davis in a super welterweight clash.
Davis will be hoping to bounce back after suffering his only defeat in his previous outing, at the hands of Josh Kelly.
However, the Ukrainian veteran may prove too big a step up for the 29-year-old. With 24 wins and 23 by way of knockout, Bohachuk is a formidable foe with undeniable power.
Expect a fight where a technically-sound Davis will rack up rounds on the scorecards, though he will likely struggle to escape Bohachuk as the fight enters the closing stages.
Suggested bet: Serhii Bohachuk KO/TKO 3/10
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Main event
And now for the fight you have all been waiting for.
Headlining the night, heavyweight’s two top dogs will go toe-to-toe in a second showdown.
It’s always tricky to predict a Tyson Fury fight, as he’s a somewhat inconsistent fighter.
On his best day, no one in the division beats him. However, we’ve not seen a ‘Gypsy King’ performance of that calibre for a few years now.
Usyk, on the other hand, is the epitome of consistency, and he never seems to have an off day.
Even when he has been hurt in the past - the Daniel Dubois fight for example - the two-weight champion always seems to bounce even better than before.
The Ukrainian is a pressure fighter, he wears down and frustrates his opponents.
An expert at hitting while not getting hit, his tricky footwork allows him to quickly create angles and openings while staying out of danger himself.
Despite the result the first time around, this is arguably an almost 50-50 fight.
We don’t know what version of Fury we will see; will it be the sleek and sharp, Wilder Two Fury or the clumsy out-of-shape version we saw against Francis Ngannou?
Nonetheless, I am still edging ever so slightly to Usyk on this one. No one has found a way to deal with his constant pressure so far.
While Fury’s technical brilliance may see him win the early rounds, his gas tank will slowly deplete, and I think he will find himself counted out in the closing rounds of the contest.
Suggested bet: Oleksandr Usyk to win the fight in Round 7 - 12 @ 9/2
Boxing accumulators are always fantastic fun. With one punch able to change everything, it leads to some edge-of-your-seat viewing.
This accumulator is pretty likely despite the odds. The Usyk pick is the biggest risk taker, with round predictions always a tricky one.
Additionally, when the odds are released for a Lee McGregor stoppage I will probably change over to that as I don't see McGregor being taken the distance.
Accumulator odds: 12.41/1
