The odds are up at BETDSI for the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights event that is tonite in NYC and is headlined by Karim Mayfield versus Emmanuel Taylor. It is close to a pick ’em fight, as right now Mayfield sits as the (-125) favorite over Tayor, who is returning (+105).
Mayfield is coming off his first career loss, to Thomas Dulorme. Dulorme clinched and tied up the stocky Mayfield, preventing him from working on the inside. Mayfield will be looking to put that fight in his past, and on network TV, he is going to be looking to have a stand out performance.
Style-wise, Taylor will be taller and his defense is geared to protecting the head, which could leave his body open for Mayfield on the inside. Taylor also is known as a stalker who comes forward and applies pressure trying to cut off the ring. Chasing down the athletic Mayfield may be a tall order for Taylor, who could take a beating to the body coming in if Mayfield is on his game.
Taylor too, is coming off a loss, to Chris Algieri, who is now one of the hottest names in boxing and being talked about for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. He was basically outclassed by Algieri, who stayed active and but up a defensive wall that stymied Taylor all day. Taylor is going to need to bring a better game than in that last outing to this fight, as the quick and explosive Mayfield will be trying to stay one step ahead.
Also on the card are welterweights Bayan Jargal and Cletus Seldin. The books have Seldin a 3 to 1 favorite (-300) over Jargal, who returns at (+250). Seldin is an undefeated 13-0, and the Brooklynite, known as the “Hebrew Hammer” brings some of boxing’s old ethnic charisma along. He started boxing late, while in his 20’s, but comes from a solid athletic background and he put his time in as an amateur. Jargal is a journeyman who is 2-5 in his last seven, though that includes bouts where he went the distance with Breidis Prescott and Chris Algieri. If you think he might be too tested for Seldin, there may be value in this ‘dog bet.
