Eddie Hearn for Matchroom Sports hosts a fantastic evening of championship boxing at the 02 Arena in London’s Docklands on Saturday, a show that will be screened live on Sky Sports. Followers will see a packed card, including two heavyweight bouts of note, certain to shape the short-term futures of the men involved. Here are our Dereck Chisora v Senad Gashi betting tips.
David Allen takes on dangerous Australian Lucas Browne over 12 rounds in a top of the bill clash and that is supported by Joe Cordina v Andy Townend for the British lightweight title. Dereck Chisora gets the chance to bounce back to winning ways when matched with Senad Gashi, and viewers also get the chance to catch up on the careers of Josh Kelly and Connor Benn.
It’s a hard-hitting card and one that will draw in and hold the attention of lovers of the noble art from the first bell. There’s also enough on the bill to ensure casual backers have an interest and you can spice up the evening with a bet on your favourite fighters, with bookmakers offering a list of gripping markets on the night’s best bouts.
Have your say on the winner of each and throw them together to build a nice priced accumulator or take more of a risk and aim for the bigger odds when playing one of the many specials offered, including the method of victory market.
There’s lots to get through, with the competitive nature of the evening making it tricky to tell which boxers are deserving of your stake money. We have drafted in our expert team of former professional fighters and tipsters to help guide you to a profit.
Chisora Aiming to Bounce Back
Dereck Chisora returns to the ring for the first time since losing an all-British classic with fellow Londoner Dillian Whyte at the tail-end of last year in a rematch that made headlines. The victor has been thrown into contention for a shot at major honours, but the bout was so competitive it appears Chisora hasn’t lost a lot in defeat and he remains on the fringes of the big fights. If both men win on Saturday it’s likely we’ll see Chisora matched with Dave Allen next, and that would be one for the fans if it goes ahead.
Defeat to Whyte moved the 35-year-old’s record to 29 wins against nine defeats, with 21 of his victories coming by way of knockout, stopped three times himself. It’s difficult to see where he goes from here if he loses to little-known Gashi, but few expect that to happen. Bookmakers have the Brit priced as red-hot favourite with backers having to make do with the 1/9 available at William Hill, a little better than the 1/10 you’ll get with most other firms, but there’s still not enough there to make it worth a bet, even in stacked accumulators.
That quote will push backers of Del Boy into the method of victory market where they will find better prices available. Chisora carries a 55% KO average into this one and has claimed each of his last seven wins inside the distance. That form leaps of the page at us and there’s 4/9 at Bet365 on him getting the desired result without the need for the scoring judges. A points win is priced bigger, but it doesn’t appeal to us, even at the 11/4 you’ll get when betting at William Hill.
Underdog Makes No Appeal
Opponent Senad Gashi makes this trip from his Spanish base with a 17-2-0 record and this isn’t his first visit to these shores, or indeed this venue. The 28-year-old boxed on the undercard of Whyte-Chisora last year when losing to Carlos Takam, stopped in seven rounds by the African puncher. That did little to boost his stock, although we must remember just how tough the victor is. Gashi has now lost two of his last three.
The other negative result came at the hands of Tom Schwarz last year when finding himself disqualified in the sixth round when fighting for the German BDB heavyweight title and WBO Inter-Continental title. Senad has a decent record on paper but with two losses in three, it looks like he may just have found his level and struggles when stepped up a division. That’s certainly what he has here as Chisora is a league or two better than most of the men he has faced to date and that will become apparent very quickly.
Bookies give Gashi little chance, if indeed any, of beating Chisora and offer a chunky 11/2 (Bet365) to anyone who disagrees and wants to have their cash on the underdog. That price is big enough, but it grows if pushing your luck and backing the away win in the method of victory market. Senad’s best chance looks to be in Chisora putting in a below-par performance, which is a possibility. The KO/TKO upset is 9/1 at Bet365, the points win unlikely at 18/1 with the same firm. Neither do anything for us and we’ll stick with the local lad.
Not in His Class
We were surprised Chisora was put in with Gashi as he doesn’t look to be in his class and will offer little more than a great chance for the favourite to get back to winning ways ahead of a fight with Allen later this year. That makes this an easy bet to have and we’ll add Del Boy by KO/TKO at 4/9 (Bet365) into our accumulators.
Those looking for a bit more of a price to back as a super single can follow our thinking in the group betting market. Take the jolly to get rid of his man between rounds 1-6 at 9/4. If Chisora does as expected he’ll get to work early and make a real statement by blowing his rival out of the water early, which will appeal to armchair fans.
Big hitters will be amazed to find 1/3 – top price at Ladbrokes – on this one not lasting the distance. That bet will be paid out as a winner regardless of who has their hand raised, as long as the bout doesn’t go on to test the scoring judges sat at ringside. We make that a bet you can back for big stakes as we were expecting to find closer to the 1/5 mark. Fill your boots.
Allen Favourite to Grab a Vital Win
Dave Allen has watched on as fellow British heavyweights have enjoyed the big pay days, but he has gone quietly about his business, climbing the ranks and moving towards a fight that will signal his intentions. He gets that here when stepping in against Aussie Lucas Browne who has won 28 of 29, knocking 24 of his opponents out.
The one loss on Browne’s record came against Dillian Whyte when the Londoner stopped him in six rounds last March. Allen’s record shows he has lost four and drawn two of 22 but does arrive on a three-fight winning run. The bookies have The White Rhino as favourite, but we make this closer to a 50/50 and fancy taking a chance on Browne upsetting the odds, and the crowd, in London.
Traders at Bet365 appear to have written the away fighter off a little too easily and they offer 9/4 on the hard-hitting Australian, which makes more sense than taking 4/9 (Ladbrokes) on Allen. If Lucas is going to turn the tables, it’s likely he’ll do it by KO/TKO and that gives us a crack at 15/4 (Bet365).