So, here re our top Daniel Dubois v Razvan Cojanu betting tips. We’re back in London this weekend for an evening of championship boxing. The plush surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington provides the setting and we’re set for an enjoyable outing as BT Sport provide live coverage to those who can’t get themselves along to the venue, although a sell-out crowd is expected.
Some of British boxing’s most talented fighters are on a bill topped by Liam Williams v Joe Mullender for the British middleweight crown. Johnny Garton takes on Chris Jenkins for the British welterweight strap in the chief support, with Anthony Yarde looking to continue his progress with a win over Travis Reeves, a bout that will decide the short-term future of the WBO Inter-Continental belt at light heavyweight.
There’s plenty there to ensure fight fans are in their seats early but the one bout that caught our attention from the off was Daniel Dubois v Razvan Cojanu over 10 rounds on the undercard. Dubois is an exciting heavyweight who is expected to move towards major honours this year, starting with another victory in front of his adoring fans. He has captured the imagination of supporters early and his list of admirers grows with every win. Will he take his victories into double figures on Saturday? Let’s take a closer look at what the betting expects.
Heavy Hands
21-year-old Daniel Dubois exploded onto the scene in early 2017 when delivering a stunning first round TKO to Marcus Kelly at the Manchester Arena on the undercard of Terry Flanagan v Petr Petrov. The Londoner would have to get used to fights ending prematurely and that debut win was a taste of things to come as he went on a run of knockouts, dealing with each of his first eight opponents before the end of the fifth round, three of them halted in the opening three minutes of the fight. That run saw him pick-up titles as he moved through the ranks.
Dubois is already the proud owner of Southern Area and English titles. As is so often the case with prospects with heavy hands, critics suggested he was learning little by knocking everyone out and would perhaps come unstuck when faced with a live opponent who could take his power. His stamina was also under scrutiny, but Daniel proved his fitness and tactical ability last time out when dragged over 10 rounds by the rugged Kevin Johnson, a man who has seen it all during his time in the game. The points margin was convincing, the scorecards handed back at 100-91. Another test passed with flying colours.
Another Knockout Win
The Johnson win came in October of last year and we’ve not seen anything from Dubois since, so we’re expecting to see the Englishman in good condition, rested following a busy year and ready to kick-on with his career. Bookmakers want nothing to do with opposing Daniel and have done everything they can to put punters off backing him to win the fight with most firms offering no more than 1/100 on him gaining win number 10 of his career. That’s a clear message from those who hold the purse strings on how they expect this fight to go. It’s also a stance that pushes most players into the method of victory market as they search for the value.
Dubois to add another knockout to his tally is the obvious choice here and that’s how we suggest approaching this fight. He was taken the distance last time and will be fit enough to do the same again here, but we believe it was more a case of proving a point that he could do it, as well as avoiding an opponent who is always dangerous. Back Dubois to win by KO/TKO or, if you’re looking for a better price, we’d suggest a wager on him getting the job done inside the first three rounds. Both make more sense than the young man taking another points result.
Cojanu Difficult to Stop
You’d be forgiven for not knowing an awful lot about opponent Razvan Cojanu but he’s a talented fighter who will arrive confident in his ability to test the home favourite. The 31-year-old travels from his Californian base with a professional record showing 16 wins against five defeats in a record that can be traced back to 2011 when losing on debut. The Romanian born boxer has been campaigning at a good level of late with his last three opponents being Joe Parker, Luis Ortiz and Nathan Gorman. That’s seriously impressive, but he lost each of those outings.
Cojuna has been stopped twice already, which is interesting when previewing this match, but he’ll provide a decent test for Dubois, considering he went the 12-round distance with Parker and Gorman, stopped in two by Ortiz. If Daniel is able to stop an opponent former world champion Parker couldn’t get rid of, it’ll go as a massive positive on his record, launching the prospect towards bigger and better things. Dubois doesn’t just have to win this bout, he must impress when doing so, proving he belongs at a much higher level than this.
Razvan Deserves his Price
Cojanu stopped Zhiyu Wu in two rounds back in December 2016 but that was his last victory and he has gone on that three-fight losing streak since. On paper that looks woeful and its little wonder bookies are dead against the away win, but a closer look shows there’s no shame in dropping each of those fights, considering each of the three opponents are world ranked. The fact he lasted the distance in two of those three explains why he’s been given a shot at Dubois.
It also tells us why Team Dubois will have to play this one smart. They are in with an experienced operator and if they try to blast him out of there early it could come back to haunt them. This will take a more measured approach and Daniel will be asked to prove his boxing brain once again, rather than just showcasing his punch power. The away win has been written off and those who enjoy an interest play at big odds can chance their luck on the underdog at a stunning 16/1 with Bet365. That’s big, but for good reason and we don’t expect to see too much interest in the bet. The draw is bigger still, offered at 33/1 by Unibet, which is market best price. Another chunky offer but another that will be friendless in the build-up to this fight.
Take an early night
This looks a case of how Dubois wins the fight, rather than if, and that has certainly been reflected in the pre-bout betting. Traders expect the Englishman to win this at a canter and we must say we agree. It was pleasing to see Daniel go the distance last time but we’re taking a return to the knockout form he’s more accustomed to and will back Dubois by KO/TKO as our main bet with an interest on him getting the job done in rounds 1-3.
Cojanu will look to use his years of experience to get through the opening few rounds but in Dubois he’ll face a raw and rugged opponent who will aim to get his big shots going early. When the local lands and the crowd warm into this fight Rezvan will realise the potential of the man in the opposite corner. Enjoy the show.