We’ve got a couple of major fights coming up in November, and it’s never too soon to look ahead at some predictions and odds for the events. With headline bouts coming on both the 16th and 23rd, it should be a great month of action for boxing fans, highlighted of course by the return of Manny Pacquiao to the ring in what some believe is a bit of a make-or-break fight for his career.
In previewing each of the headline November bouts, we’ll be taking a look not just at the fighters involved but the betting odds as well. At Betfair’s live scores section, fans can view sporting news, headlines, and live scores, but can also navigate to updated advance betting odds on major events. The following three fights are all listed already on the site, with each fighter receiving independent backing odds. So, on to the previews!
Andre Ward vs. Edwin Rodriguez
This HBO “World Championship Boxing” fight is actually a bit of a sneaky gem on the sport’s calendar this year. Ward is the defending super middleweight champion, but has been out of the ring for over a year nursing a shoulder injury and then re-training himself. Both fighters are undefeated, which is always an intriguing setup for a bout, though it’s worth noting that the last time Ward came back from an absence – last September, in fact – he decimated his challenger. Ward is given 1/18 odds to win, compared to Rodriguez’s 6/1, making Ward the heavy favorite to defend his title.
Carl Froch vs. George Groves
Froch is the heavy favorite in this one, with 2/9 fixed backing odds to Groves’ 10/3, and it’s no wonder why. As Froch was keen to point out to SkySports, this is a bit of a different level of boxing for Groves, and though he’s young, hard-hitting and undefeated, he may well be in over his head against the more experienced Froch. This one would be a stirring upset, however, given Froch’s borderline excessive confidence.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios
In terms of pure betting odds, Pacquiao is considered a fairly secure pick in this match, with 1/6 odds to the 4/1 backing odds of Rios. However, those odds do not suggest that the match is out of reach for Rios, and given what a significant event this is for Pac-man, the pressure on the favorite could even things out a bit. Pacquiao has suffered consecutive losses (though the only one with any merit was his December 2012 knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez), so the storyline when these two fighters meet in Macao will be simple: either Rios buries Pacquiao’s career, or Manny gets back on top, and there’s renewed hype for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.
Speak Your Mind