Boxing betting tips: Conor Benn and Vasyl Lomachenko previews and best bets

Boxing betting tips: Saturday December 11

1pt Conor Benn to win by decision at 12/5 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

2pts Vasyl Lomachenko to win in rounds 7-12 at 7/5 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

The recent progress of CONOR BENN has captivated British boxing fans and he bids to take another step up the ladder against Chris Algieri in Liverpool on Saturday night, live on DAZN.

Few believed he was capable of following in the footsteps of his famous father, Nigel, in winning a world title when controversially nicking a decision over Cedrick Peynaud (5-4-3 at the time) in December 2017, but his improvement over the subsequent four years now sees him spoken about as one of the sport’s hottest prospects. Key to that development has been the right opponent at the right time, so is Algieri another piece of excellent matchmaking by promoter Eddie Hearn?

Bringing a 25-3 record over from the US, Algieri is a former world champion and his losses have been to world-class operators in Manny Pacquiao (2014), Amir Khan (2015) and Errol Spence Jr (2016), with only the latter being able to stop him (TKO 5). A wealth of experience comes with that sort of CV and although he is 37 now, he certainly doesn't look it and the qualified nutritionist clearly 'lives the life'.

After two years out of the ring, the American got 10 much-needed rounds under his belt when comfortably outpointing Mikkel LesPierre in August and looked pretty decent in doing so. To use horse racing parlance, he should come on for the run and travels to the UK with greater aspirations than his odds of 5/1 would suggest. Algieri is supremely fit and that shows in his style, with a high work-rate being his trademark along with a good, long jab. Added to that, he is no stranger to pressure fighters like Benn, with his world title victory coming over the immovable Ruslan Provodnikov in 2014, and that will stand him in good stead here.

However, the good news for Benn is that, in opting for volume over power, Algieri doesn't carry much pop on his punches and may struggle to deter the 1/8 favourite, who will be coming forward all night long. We saw what Benn can do when not fearing what is coming back against Sebastian Formella 13 months ago, as he bullied the German all around the ring for 10 one-sided rounds, and he will fancy his chances of doing the same here.

Although Algieri does have more strings to his bow than Formella, he can certainly be caught and has been down 11 times in his career. The Spence fight aside, he has generally recovered well to weather the storm and he may have to do so again against an attacking whirlwind like Benn. 'The Destroyer' blitzed the usually sturdy Samuel Vargas in just 80 seconds in April, a performance which made ripples much further afield than just these shores, and it is just 8/11 that he adds to his tally of 12 stoppages (from 19) on Saturday.

That said, he did show he still has a bit to learn when having to settle for a decision victory against Adrian Granados in Leeds three months ago. While the visitor looked uncomfortable at times, he was never in danger of being stopped and Benn found it difficult to create openings against his opponent's negative style. Rather than cutting off the ring, Benn found himself following his man around for much of the fight and will need to have learned plenty from that if he's to get the stoppage here.

Like Algieri, Granados had also competed regularly at world level, and it could be that the American knows enough to see the final bell in this contest. He will be put under pressure for long periods, with Benn's rapid hands and feet allowing him to dart in with dangerous and constant two-fisted attacks to body and head. However, provided he can get through the expected early onslaught from Benn, Algieri will be answering back and can give the younger man something to think about, but possibly not enough to stop the ascendency of the Essex native.

BENN BY DECISION is a top price of 12/5 and that looks the way to go, in what can prove to be a good learning fight for the favourite.

• CLICK HERE to back Benn to win by decision

Favourites should be too good

Katie Taylor also fought on that Headingley card in September and she shares the bill with Benn again as she defends her belts against Firuza Sharipova.

The undoubted star of the female game, Taylor is defending all four major lightweight belts and is 1/14 take her perfect record to 20-0. As the 35-year-old nears the end of her glittering career, she will be looking to cash out in a super fight against Amanda Serrano sooner rather later, so can't afford take her eye off the ball here. There have been signs that a long career may be catching up with her a little and she could be worth opposing from a betting point of view in the near future, but Sharipova (11/1) may not be the one to upset her.

After losing to former top amateur Sofya Ochigava on her professional debut, the 27-year-old from Kazakhstan has won all 14 subsequent starts but against limited opposition and this is a big step up in class for her. Taylor can extend her winning sequence further and let's hope the blockbuster with Serrano is up next.

The attention then turns to New York where the brilliant VASYL LOMACHENKO takes on Richard Commey in the early hours of Sunday morning on Sky Sports.

With all the top lightweights in action over the last couple of weeks, Lomachenko will be desperate to make a statement as he looks to regain his crown in a red-hot 135lb division. The dazzling Ukrainian suffered an upset points loss to Teofimo Lopez in October last year, but the recurrence of a shoulder injury was cited as the reason for the lacklustre performance and major surgery followed.

That seemed to have done the trick as he looked back to his old self when dominating Masayoshi Nakatani on his way to an impressive ninth-round stoppage in June, and the stage is set for him to shine against Commey. With Lopez on the wrong end of an upset against George Kambosos Jr a fortnight ago and the other two champions, Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis, failing to impress in points wins last weekend, Lomachenko will be in line for a blockbuster against one of that victorious trio if he prevails.

Commey is a serious assignment, as a former champion who is the bigger man here and has the power and skills to go with his size. However, nobody can match the skills of Lomachenko and, just as the bigger Nakatani was steadily broken down for a second-half stoppage, the same could happen to Commey. His aggressive style should play right into the hands of the superb counter-puncher in the opposite corner and, while Lomachenko isn't the biggest puncher, his sharp, accurate blows can take their toll somewhere after halfway at 7/5.

• CLICK HERE to back Lomachenko to win in rounds 7-12 with Sky Bet

Posted at 0950 GMT on 11/12/21

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