Alright, the first month of the year brings some solid boxing heat. Now, there is this main event come the second weekend of 2024 that could set up an even bigger bout at 175 pounds. Quebec City will see a very solid card of boxing fights. Who will win in the Light Heavyweight Boxing Top Bets and advance to face Dmitry Bivol this summer?
Numbers rolled in early for this bout, thanks to the following prime online Vegas boxing betting sites.
Beterbiev is a reasonable Light Heavyweight Boxing Top Bets pick. Let us be honest. Artur Beterbiev faces an unusual and dangerous opponent next Saturday night. Callum Smith can and will knock anyone out. Smith is 29-1 with 20 knockouts and even fought Canelo Alvarez. Unfortunately, Smith had one of his worst fights at the worst time.
Smith’s third defense with the Super Middleweight titles proved to be his last as he lost soundly on the scorecards to Canelo. 119-109 on two scorecards and 117-111 on the other did not do justice to the beating that Smith took. Some believed it was a comeuppance after the John Ryder fight. Now, Smith moves to the title scene at 175 after two tune-up fights. Is the third time too much a hill for the British fighter to climb?
This is partly why some think Beterbiev is a reasonable choice to survive and move on. The 38-year old may be rusty but has an advantage with far more ring experience at 175 pounds. Beterbiev is 19-for-19 in the knockout department. Now, the bout takes place eight days before the Russian-Canadian’s 39th birthday. Smith has the ability to take an immense pounding.
Yes, Artur Beterbiev understands what he is up against. Will he get caught looking ahead to the Bivol bought? He should not and yet there is always that possibility.
This bout features two solid hitters at 175 pounds. Beterbiev is one of the best fighters ever in this division or could be. Now, again Beterbiev is almost 39 and comes off an extra five months off after emergency dental surgery in August. So, the Light Heavyweight Boxing Top Bets anticipate somewhat of a surprise here between Beterbiev and Callum Smith on January 13th. Could this be the first decision of his career?
Many keep asking about that 9.5 Round prop. There lies an expectation that Beterbiev is going to go into the championship rounds versus Smith. That number keeps fanning out. The Over of 9.5 rounds is now EVEN. It may tilt towards -110 in some places. So, the intrigue lies in the fact Smith steps up and can take anyone out at any time. Again, his ability to take a punch against Canelo has to be respected here.
ESPN PPV and Sky Sports anticipate the potential for a knockdown or two but could there be a wrinkle or two in that? Stay tuned there. While Beterbiev could indeed knock out Smith late, there is something which does not feel right here. The rust is one thing but the specter of Bivol is still something else. No one expects the champion to lose here. However, a decision is again quite possible.
With the moneyline starting to lengthen more, maybe taking a small wager on the decision is not half bad The best moneyline we could find was -450. A win by decision is going to be a better bet.
Light Heavyweight Boxing Top Bets ask can Callum Smith shake things up? Fortunately, Smith gets to face Beterbiev at maybe his most vulnerable. He knows what is at stake. The British pugilist can really crash the party and wreck a summer clash of clashes. Beterbiev last fought on January 28th of 2023 while Smith put on the gloves in 2022. It is Beterbiev who is more used to a rhythm. His training regimen was interrupted by that mouth surgery.
Okay, any fighter can be dangerous and Smith can be especially fearsome in this scenario. He feels a bit slighted and has waited and waited for this moment. Smith relentlessly trained for this fight (which was originally supposed to take place in August). Now, the British fighter carries a huge chip on his shoulder here especially with Bivol already signing a mega unification fight essentially.
Now, can Smith keep his distance and pile up the points early? That is very possible. This gets Beterbiev chasing and then opens up the possibility of a knockout. If Smith lets the champion shorten the ring then he is in deep trouble. The fight boils down to this very simple construct. Smith by a knockout rolls in at +750 and a decision at +800. Go for the surprise KO.
Hello to more props for this setup bout for an even bigger fight. So, remember more online boxing odds. If one shops around a good while, there are some desirable wagers to be made. Beterbiev again by decision tips the scales at a whopping +450. Consider the same win by knockout ranges from -225 to -275.
Some asked for a few other predictions. Okay, if one opts for a knockout. Look at both fighters to get that done in Rounds 10-12. Yes, the middle rounds are possible but risking the championship rounds pays out greater.
Light Heavyweight Boxing Top Bets like Beterbiev by decision.
More online betting Vegas sites mean more potential wagers.
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Lead arranger of news and injury reports for Rotoballer Hockey. Also did the news lead for NASCAR on the same site coming out of COVID. Strategy and mapping out of various sports betting and sports articles for MyNHLTradeRumors and gambling.com. Runs a hockey and fantasy hockey podcast that teaches fantasy hockey players how to improve their skills. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines.. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris has primarily focused on sports writing and fitness. On social media, he will answer any question in many different aspects. Even Chris's ability to wager on Entertainment and US Elections is well documented. He was able to predict Joe Biden's inevitable dip in approval rating below 40%. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a lot of places from DraftKings to USA Today and much more. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of amazing fantasy hockey championships from expert to high-stake leagues. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Do Not Think, Just Do.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network