It's huge night from British boxing at London's O2 - here's how we're calling an undercard Eddie Hearn describes as 'one of his best ever'...
Eddie Hearn is claiming this weekend’s Bad Intentions card to be one of the best he’s ever produced in his time as a promoter.
Here’s our top picks in the betting on a huge night of British boxing:
Chris Eubank Jr v Gary O’Sullivan
Big punching middleweights Chris Eubank Jr and Gary O’Sullivan lock horns in a WBA World Title Eliminator, meaning the winner should face American Daniel Jacobs for the WBA strap.
We could be set for a barnstormer considering both men are very aggressive, come-forward fighters. Eubank Jnr is the slightly bigger puncher, boasting a formidable 71% KO ratio.
The pair do have one thing in common. Both have been handed the only defeat of their careers by world champion contender Billy Joe Saunders.
The manner of those defeats however, gives a good indication as to how this bout could go.
Spike was utterly outclassed and slumped to a heavy unanimous decision loss. 26-year-old Eubank on the other hand, came on very strong in the second half of their fight and narrowly missed out via a split decision.
Eubank is therefore a 1/6 favourite, whereas O’Sullivan is 4/1 to cause a shock upset.
The youth and world-class conditioning of the Englishman has given him a reputation of finishing fights just as strong as he starts them.
The interim champion has adopted his father’s mentality of living the gym lifestyle and prides himself on training harder and being more physically fit than any of his opponents.
Eubank Jr is also 5 years younger than O’Sullivan which will surely have its benefits come fight night.
His immense stamina allows him to through punishing blows for the entire 12 rounds and I can’t see O’Sullivan being able to stand up to that.
Eubank Jr is 4/9 to win by KO and 9/2 to finish it in rounds 10-12.
Chris Eubank Jr v Gary O’Sullivan betting
Tony Bellew v Mateusz Masternak
The vacant European Cruiserweight title is on the line, as Tony Bellew faces his most difficult test to date at 200 pounds.
The Bomber is the 2/9 favourite and rightly so, however his Polish opponent Masternak is an experienced operator with his best win coming against former Cruiserweight World champion Jean Marc Mormeck.
The Pole also boasts a decent 67% KO ratio.
However, despite only being 28-years-old it appears the European’s best years could be behind him.
Since suffering a crushing KO loss to Grigory Drozd in 2013, Masternak has gone on to lose two more fights, most recently to the distinctly average South African Johnny Muller in June of this year.
Masternak is therefore 3/1 for the win.
Englishman Bellew shouldn’t be caused too many problems, having looked much healthier and stronger at Cruiserweight, finishing 4 out of his 5 fights at the weight within the distance.
Bellew is the taller man by 3 inches and will certainly be able to impose his size and use his jab-left hook combination to good effect.
The Liverpudlian is 10/11 to seal a point’s victory, or 7/4 to go one step further and win by KO.
Tony Bellew v Mateusz Masternak betting
Kevin Mitchell v Ismael Barroso
The winner of this one will go on to fight newly-crowned Lightweight Champion Anthony Crolla.
The stakes are high, and the well-known Kevin Mitchell will have to overcome the relatively unknown South American Ismael Barroso for his shot.
Mitchell enters the contest a 1/3 favourite, whereas Barroso is a slight 9/4 underdog.
Barroso is a 32-year-old Venezuelan who’s yet to fight outside of the Americas.
His credentials are rather impressive, however.
18 wins, 0 losses and an 85% KO ratio means Mitchell will certainly have to show his Latino opponent respect.
Saturday night will be Barroso’s first 12 round bout and with no top quality names on his record, gauging how dangerous the Venezuelan will be is difficult.
Mitchell therefore, will have to draw on his superior experience and boxing skills that were so evident the last time he fought a Venezuelan, world champion Jorge Linares.
‘The Hammer’ was truly exceptional against probably the best lightweight on the planet in Linares and was winning the fight until horrific head injuries halted his progress and stopped the fight.
Londoner Mitchell will be by far the biggest test of Barroso’s career and his experience of fighting top class boxers like Linares may well give him the win.
Mitchell is 7/4 to win on points and 11/8 to be victorious by KO.
