There's boxing from London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday night and our Chris Oliver previews the action with his best bets.
Boxing betting tips: Saturday action (March 21)
1pt George Liddard to win in rounds 7-12 11/5 (William Hill)
1pt Jimmy Sains to win by decision 19/10 (Betfred)
George to reign in London
London’s Copper Box Arena is the venue for an intriguing British and Commonwealth middleweight title contest on Saturday night, live on DAZN.
The highly-promising GEORGE LIDDARD puts his belts on the line against the tried-and-tested veteran Tyler Denny in a domestic bout which represents a huge opportunity for both men.
For Denny, it’s a chance for him to jump straight back into the big time and show that he isn’t washed up at 34. Whereas Liddard is aiming to continue his rapid ascent by claiming another big scalp and confirming he is one of the best prospects in British boxing,
The last time we saw Liddard he made a serious statement by stopping Kieron Conway in the 10th round to claim these belts in very impressive fashion. The experienced Conway was arriving on a five-fight winning streak and was seen as a big step up for Liddard, who is only 23 but boxed beyond his years that night as his relentless pressure eventually told in an enthralling battle.
That took Liddard’s record to 13-0, with eight of those wins coming early, and his promotor, Eddie Hearn, has long been banging the drum about his man being the next big thing, and he could be right.
The Billericay man, who is a best price of 1/8, will have plenty of support in East London this weekend and it should be a great atmosphere, but Denny will be aiming to silence those fans and he is capable of doing so on his best form.
Despite being an 8/1 chance, Denny (21-3-3, 1 KO) represents a serious test for the favourite if he can find his top gear and he boasts some impressive victories in recent years.
A fantastic post-pandemic run saw him go unbeaten in eight contests and he picked up the European title along the way, with a victory over the previously unbeaten Felix Cash in June 2024 being the highlight.
That run earned him a crack at the dangerous Hamzah Sheeraz at Wembley Stadium the following September but he was blown away inside two rounds by the big-punching victor.
He has bounced back with two routine decision wins against moderate opposition, but this represents a big step back up in class and he will have his hands full with Liddard.
The favourite likes to be on the front foot, applying pressure and setting a high tempo from the get-go. That’s what he did against Conway and he never took his foot off the gas, so Denny will be made to work at a high pace here and that could really show in the second half of the fight.
Liddard puts his punches together nicely and likes to throw combinations when in range, while his work to the body is also notable and he went downstairs to great effect against Conway last time.
However, he faces a new puzzle in the shape of the awkward Denny, who is very experienced and can be hard to hit cleanly. The older man has the tools to make things awkward in the early rounds and things could get very interesting if that is the case, with Denny also known for having a good engine.
However, I think Liddard will be able to close the distance and impose his strength and physicality on Denny, who may be made to feel his age as the fight goes on.
Liddard has had no trouble with the left-handers he has faced in the past and Denny’s southpaw style may not be too much of a factor in this one.
The champion’s high output, relentless approach and work to the body can begin to have an effect on Denny as we get into the middle of the fight and, after a very competitive opening few rounds, Liddard can take over down the stretch.
It’s 8/11 for Liddard to win by stoppage but I see it coming in the second half of the fight if he does get the job done inside the distance and the favourite to win in rounds 7-12 is available at 11/5. That’s where my money will be going and I fancy Liddard to make another statement with a stoppage victory late on.
Sains to strike
At the same weight and from the same gym as Liddard, JIMMY SAINS is also making waves on the domestic scene and he takes on Derrick Osaze on the undercard.
In a perfect 11-fight career to date, Sains has stopped 10 of his victims and the 1/6 favourite is just 4/5 to claim another stoppage victory here.
However, Osaze (13-3), who is available at 6/1, is very durable and he went the distance with both men in the main event, having lost over 10 rounds to Denny and Liddard in 2021 and 2024 respectively.
Sains had to go the distance with the tough Gideon Onyenani last May and there could be some value in him winning by decision again here at 19/10. Sains can bang but is still learning and Osaze takes a shot very well, so the favourite may have to work a little harder for the victory than the odds would suggest.
Posted at 1200 GMT on 20/03/26
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