Boxing betting tips: Big-fight preview and analysis as Dereck Chisora takes on Kubrat Pulev
Dereck Chisora is up against it when he renews hostilities with Kubrat Pulev in London on Saturday night, writes Chris Oliver.
Boxing betting tips: Chisora v Pulev
2pts Kubrat Pulev to win by stoppage at 9/4 (BetVictor)
2pts Israil Madrimov to win by stoppage at 11/8 (Sky Bet)
Nobody asked for it, but Dereck Chisora versus KUBRAT PULEV Part 2 comes to London and DAZN screens on Saturday night.
While some fights are so good that the clamour for a rematch is so loud that a rematch has to happen, that isn't the case in this instance as they rerun their forgettable encounter from 2016. Forget the split decision verdict as one judge threw in a bizarre card for Chisora, this was a one-sided contest as Pulev dominated from behind his jab from start to finish in a dull affair.
Plenty has happened in their respective careers in the intervening six years, but Pulev is still a warm 2/5 favourite to make it two-nil in the return leg.
Following the first bout, the favourite racked up another five straight wins to earn himself a shot at Anthony Joshua's three world title belts in December 2020. After a lively build-up, the Bulgarian gave a decent account of himself but was ultimately outgunned by the Brit and was knocked out in brutal fashion in the ninth session.
Chisora with questions to answer
Chisora's stock rose dramatically after their first encounter as he went on a string of thrilling wars against good opposition with mixed results. His two bouts with Dillian Whyte were the highlights, where he very nearly won both but eventually lost on each occasion, and he stepped up with stoppage wins over Carlos Takam, Artur Szpilka and David Price.
However, the Finchley veteran has now lost his last three and the signs were not good in the latest of those in his rematch with Joseph Parker in December. After a close first clash, it was all Parker in the return as Chisora took three counts and had to overcome several hairy moments in order to make it to the final bell (UD). Whether you're a Chisora fan or not, it was tough viewing as the Londoner looked to be coming to the end of a fascinating career.
All the attributes that once made his aggressive, come-forward style effective looked to have gone in Manchester that night. The reflexes and upper body movement have slowed dramatically, the engine that enabled him to be so relentless was spluttering and the granite chin that allowed him to take shots in order to land his own appeared to be severely cracked.
The latter was particularly alarming, as he was rocked badly on several occasions by someone not noted for his power and it would have been even uglier had he been in with an opponent with a real killer instinct. At 38 and with more milage on the clock than a travelling salesman's car, the wheels now look to be coming off for Chisora.
Pulev still going strong despite advancing years
The only good news for Chisora (5/2) is that Pulev is now 41 and has also seen better days. A star amateur, he developed into a formidable heavyweight at his peak, but he has also slowed down and the knockouts have dried up in recent years. Still, his only two losses in 31 fights have come to top-class opponents in Wladimir Klitschko (KO5) and Joshua (KO9), still displaying a fine chin in the latter defeat and also catching 'AJ' with some hard right hands of his own.
As these two veterans looks to cash out with one last big pay day, it may not be pretty at times, but Pulev looks to have considerably more left in the tank at this stage and is very hard to oppose. The visitor beat up and almost stopped the durable Jerry Forrest over 10 rounds in May and that sort of form should be too much for this version of Chisora.
The odds suggests that Pulev by decision is the most likely outcome at 11/8 and that may well be the case, but I found Chisora's latest performance against Parker hard to stomach and this could be a fight too far. The 9/4 available about a Pulev stoppage rates the better value here as even if his chin holds up, there is seemingly every chance that an over-the-hill Chisora may need to be saved from himself by his corner or the referee.
Madrimov can outgun Soro in rematch
In contrast to the main event, a rematch we need to see provides chief support at the O2 Arena in the shape of ISRAIL MADRIMOV and Michel Soro.
In round nine of an entertaining first bout, Madrimov rocked Soro badly before unleashing a furious flurry of unanswered punches that forced the referee to step in, but the only problem was that he failed to hear the bell for the end of the round sound about five seconds earlier. Thankfully, Salvador Salva won't be officiating this time and we should get a conclusive result.
Madrimov can pick up where he left off and is fancied to get the stoppage, which is available at 11/8 with Sky Bet. After starting well, the California-based Uzbek allowed the Soro back into the fight in the middle rounds and it looked like it could go either way, before the favourite stepped it up a gear to change the fight in the blink of an eye.
He has the power to do that at any time, as evidenced by his six early wins in eight outings since turning professional following a stellar amateur career, and the 27-year-old is still improving in the paid ranks.
Soro, on the other hand, has had a long, hard career and, at the age of 34, isn't forced to replicate that effort from December. This may be close in the early rounds, but Madrimov's power and speed can tell as the fight goes on and that can lead him to a legitimate inside-the-distance finish on this occasion.
Posted at 1015 BST on 08/07/22
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