Bodog’s Bumper Boxing Betting Preview
Boxing betting hasn’t been this popular in quite a while. Thanks to the growing interest in “exhibition” matches featuring celebrities from sports and social media, more people around the world are watching the sweet science today than ever before. It might not please the purists, but YouTube stars like Jake Paul are the engines that are driving this growth – and bringing bettors by the thousands to Bodog Sportsbook, home of the best boxing odds in the business.
Whether you subscribe to the old school or the new school of boxing fandom, there’s something big for you this weekend at Bodog. Saturday’s slate includes two must-see main events, one for the Paul Posse and one for traditional boxing enthusiasts.
Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva
Paul may be incredibly annoying to anyone over the age of 30 (and quite a few millennials and Gen Zers), but don’t sleep on his boxing skills. The former Disney star has some power behind his punches, winning four of his five professional fights by knockout, as well as his lone amateur fight on record.
The one outlier was a split-decision win over Tyron Woodley in August 2021. Paul knocked out Woodley in their December rematch, but that was after Woodley stepped in on short notice to replace Tommy Fury. Their first bout is the important takeaway for bettors. After beating another former MMA star in Ben Askren, Paul tested himself against a more competent striker in Woodley, and nearly lost.
This Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, Paul will touch gloves with one of the best strikers in MMA history. Silva is the former UFC Middleweight champion and longtime No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in that sport. However, Silva is also 47 years old, and he’s the +165 underdog on Bodog’s boxing betting odds board as we go to press.
It must be tempting to bet on Silva in this spot. He’s officially 3-1 as a professional boxer, with his only loss coming way back in 1998 via first-round retirement. Silva returned to the squared circle in June 2021 with a split-decision win over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a fight where Silva was clearly the better man.
Chavez may have been well past his prime, but the victory proved that Silva’s striking could translate to the boxing ring against a seasoned opponent. Paul has never faced someone with Chavez’ credentials. Paul has also never faced anyone bigger than himself – until now. And Silva was not the first choice for the Paul camp, who had both the aforementioned Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr. back out of scheduled fights this past summer.
It’s still Paul’s show, though, so it’s understandable to see him favoured on the boxing betting lines. This is an eight-round fight at the Desert Diamond Arena, with a catchweight of 187 pounds, and it will be aired on Showtime PPV. The card starts at 9 PM ET and will include former MMA fighter Uriah Hall (–500) taking on former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell in cruiserweight action.
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Jamaine Ortiz
There’s no questioning the bona fides of Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs). The former lightweight champion is sixth overall on the pound-for-pound rankings at The Ring, who also have the Ukrainian sensation as the No. 1 contender to current champion Devin Haney. This will be Lomachenko’s third fight since dropping his titles to Teofimo Lopez via unanimous decision at the MGM Grand in October 2020. A return to the top would surely see “Loma” talked about as one of the best boxing comebacks in recent memory.
Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) will be Lomachenko’s opponent this Saturday at Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Massachusetts native is a +900 underdog at press time after opening at +750, but those new odds are still shorter than they were for many of the “tomato cans” Lomachenko has faced recently.
As they should be. Ortiz is a talented fighter coming off of a unanimous decision win over Jamel Herring, the former WBO junior lightweight champion – who announced his retirement this past May after losing to Ortiz. And while Ortiz doesn’t appear on the Ring ratings at 135 pounds, the new USBA and NABF champ is ranked ninth in the division by the WBC.
Still, Ortiz is stepping into the lion’s den here. Lomachenko is preparing himself for a title fight and a large payday against Haney, one of his fellow clients at Top Rank – the promoters of Saturday’s card in New York. This fight is designed to build an audience for that potential payday. Anything short of a knockout by Lomachenko would be a disappointment; you can bet on that exact result at –130, while Ortiz is +1800 to likewise defeat Lomachenko by KO/TKO/DQ.
Nothing is set in stone, though. Lomachenko may be in his theoretical prime at age 34, but his body has been put through the wringer. He racked up an amateur record of 396-1, winning Olympic gold in both 2008 (at featherweight) and 2012 (at lightweight); this was after participating in hockey and gymnastics under the watchful eye of his father and trainer Anatoly.
All that punishment has taken its toll. The younger Lomachenko suffered a torn labrum during his loss to Lopez, in the same right shoulder he dislocated during his win over Jorge Linares at MSG in 2018. Lomachenko also dislocated a knuckle in 2019 while knocking out Anthony Crolla at Staples Center, but it’s that shoulder his supporters should be most worried about.
Whatever happens Saturday, it’s definitely worth tuning in to ESPN+ to witness. The broadcast begins at 10 PM ET, with four other bouts on the card including a featherweight tilt between two-time Olympic gold medallist Robeisy Ramirez (–2000) and Jose Matias Romero. It’s all part of one of the busiest days on Bodog’s boxing calendar, so make sure to check our odds page for the latest lines, and we’ll see you at the ring.