Weekend Boxing Odds – Several boxing cards set for this weekend are getting attention from the oddsmakers as fighters attempting to return from losses could be called the common theme.
The weekend’s activities get started on Friday as former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has his promoter’s hat on as he hosts a boxing card in Louisville, Kentucky.
The main event sees former Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz (19-2) facing veteran Francisco Santana (24-6-1). The last time we saw Diaz was in May of 2017 when he lost a world title fight to Terence Crawford. In that fight he was outclassed by the all-world Crawford and it will be interesting to see if that loss carries any long term effects for Diaz. Santana is a veteran who has been in there with good people, but unless Diaz is flat or gunshy, Santana is there to give him rounds.
The undercard sees Chris Van Heerden (25-2-1) attempt to win his third fight in a row as he faces Timo Schwarzkopf (18-1). Van Heerden, a South African who moved to Southern California, is still trying to put his September of 2015 meeting with Errol Spence Jr behind him. Spence Jr went on to become IBF world welterweight champion, so Van Heerden’s eighth round loss doesn’t look so bad now.
Shifting over to Saturday night we see the return of former world champion Arthur Abraham (46-6), as he faces off against Patrick Neilsen (29-2). Abraham lost in July of last year to Chris Eubank Jr while Nielsen is coming off a loss to England’s rugged John Ryder in October. For both men, it settles a regional rivalry as Abraham is fighting at home in Germany against Nielsen, who is from neighboring Denmark. Nielsen will bring his southpaw game and a decade advantage in youth to the table against the now 38 year old Abraham. Nielsen is going to need to find some pop in his punches to hold off Abraham, who knows no other way of fighting than to come forward.
Nielsen may be a live dog in this one, and he is a considerable underdog at the books. At 27 years of age, he is still entering his prime and he may be able to stay one step ahead of the aging Abraham, who will be there in front of him to get hit.
Also on Saturday, super welterweight prospect Erickson Lubin (19-1) attempts to bounce back from his first career loss at the hands of Jermell Charlo this past October. That stunning first round KO loss by Lubin put the brakes on a fast rise through the rankings. Providing the opposition is Mexico’s Oscar Cortez (26-3). With all due respect to Cortez, who at 24 years old can be labelled a hard worker, there is nothing on his resume that prepares him for Lubin. This fight is set to air on FOX and FOX Espanol, so check your local listings for start times.
Weekend Boxing Odds
Fri 4/27 KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, Kentucky
Welterweight 10 rounds –
Francisco Santana +950
Felix Diaz -1700
Welterweight 10 rounds –
Timo Schwarzkopf +310
Chris Van Heerden -400
Welterweight 10 rounds –
Paddy Gallagher +825
Brad Solomon -1500
Sat 4/28 – Baden-Arena – Offenburg, Germany
Super Middleweight 10 rounds –
Patrick Nielsen +950
Arthur Abraham -1450
Sat 4/28 – Don Haskins Convention Center – El Paso, Texas – FOX
Super Welterweight 10 rounds –
Oscar Cortez +3100
Erickson Lubin -7600
Weekend Boxing Odds / Check out boxing news and features at The Sweet Science.
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