There are stacked cards both sides of the Atlantic this weekend, as the likes of Terence Crawford, Danny Garcia, Dereck Chisora and Amir Khan all take to the ring looking to fill the back pages with wins. With a mixture of match-ups, it’s a good weekend to find value in the boxing markets.
Terence Crawford to beat Amir Khan by KO, TKO or Disqualification (BetVictor)
Amir Khan travels to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night to take on pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford for the WBO welterweight title. With a flawless record of 34-0 (25 KOs), Crawford is making a huge name for himself in the sport with his switch-hitting style. The Nebraskan recently moved up from super lightweight after becoming the undisputed champion at the 140-pound limit, and now with a world title at 147-pounds, the 31-year-old is firmly in the conversation as being one of the best fighters on the planet.
Khan, once again, is stepping into the lion’s den. The Boltonian’s resume reads impressively, having fought at the highest of levels since his debut in 2005. Now in the twilight of his career, King Khan has chosen Crawford instead of a money-spinning grudge match with Kell Brook, and he is firmly of the belief that he can cause a big upset at MSG.
Three of Khan’s four losses have come via KO. Prescott, Garcia and Canelo all found Khan’s chin, with Amir arguably winning in all of those fights before the fatal blow came. Contentious points deductions against Peterson caused his fourth defeat, however, Khan knows he has the skill set to dance with the best in the sport. A scare against Samuel Vargas in his last outing will have raised concerns in the Khan camp; despite this, Khan has alluded to his struggles getting “up” for a fight of such little magnitude.
Under the lights of the Garden on Saturday, Khan needs to box to a detailed game plan – set out by legendary trainer Virgil Hunter – and avoid the bombs that Crawford will throw from impossible angles. Khan has what it takes to stay competitive in the first half of the fight and is likely to be ahead on the cards, but it’s hard to imagine a fighter of Crawford’s pedigree not to find the questionable jaw of Amir Khan.
If this fight goes the distance, it may be a nervy wait on the scorecards with a close contest. This being said, a mid-to-late stoppage for Crawford is where the money lies.
Senad Gashi to beat Dereck Chisora @ 6/1 (BetVictor)
Chisora vs. Gashi is on the Allen-Browne undercard at the O2 on Saturday, and with Chisora making it abundantly clear in recent years that he struggles for motivation against lower-ranked fighters, Gashi could prove a banana-skin opponent in East London. His two wars against Dillian Whyte showed the best Chisora has to offer, however, without that spite behind his punches, Saturday’s challenger may get some joy.
Only a small stake is worth lumping on Gashi. It’s unlikely, but the price holds real value knowing Chisora’s unpredictable past.
David Allen to beat Lucas Browne @ 4/11 (BetVictor)
The White Rhino is the people’s champion in boxing. David Allen has gathered thousands of supporters through his honesty in the sport, knowing fully well the ceiling to his talent. Former world champion Lucas Browne is a great test for him, but one he should pass. Browne turns 40 on Sunday and is well past his best; a KO defeat to Whyte last year may have turned out the fire in the stomach of the Australian.
Allen looks fit and ready for this fight having teamed up with former middleweight world champion Darren Barker. If he sticks to his game plan and lets his hands go, a stoppage win is highly likely, much to the approval of the expected 8,000 inside the O2 Arena.
