Boxing betting tips: Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer and more Sky Sports previews

Boxing betting tips: Saturday January 20

2pts Natasha Jonas to win by decision at 6/5 (Coral, Ladbrokes)

2pts Jack Cullen to win by decision at 7/5 (BetVictor, BoyleSports)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

NATASHA JONAS aims to continue her Indian summer when she takes on Mikaela Mayer at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Jonas’ journey in boxing has been quite a story already and she can write another chapter this weekend as she headlines a big show in her hometown for the first time, but the 39-year-old will need to be at her very best to overcome the high-profile American in the opposite corner.

The first female boxer to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games in 2012, Jonas announced her retirement from the sport in 2015 to concentrate on raising her daughter, only to return as a professional a couple of years later. 'Miss GB' bounced back from an early setback against Viviane Obenauf (TKO4) to challenge Terri Harper for her super featherweight world title in 2020 and was very unlucky to come away with only a draw, with many observers believing she did enough to claim the belt.

After just coming up short on the scorecards when pushing the great Katie Taylor all the way at lightweight following year, it looked as though Jonas’ world title ambitions were over. However, an unlikely opportunity arose at super welterweight and the popular Scouser jumped up three divisions to stop WBO champion Chris Namus inside two rounds and realise her dream.

Jonas completed a brilliant 2022 by unifying the belts at 154lb with dominant unanimous decision victories over WBC champion Patricia Berghult and IBF ruler Marie Eve Dicaire, before dropping to welterweight to win the vacant IBF strap with an eighth-round stoppage over Kandi Wyatt in her sole outing last year and now defends that belt against Mayer on home soil.

It would be a career-best victory for Jonas if she prevails here, but the same can be said for Mayer and that is what makes this such an intriguing contest.

A good amateur who represented USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Mayer became WBO super featherweight champion in 2020 and successfully defended it three times, picking up the IBF title along the way. The 33-year-old went for more glory when facing Alycia Baumgardner for all the 130lb belts at London’s O2 Arena in October 2022 but lost her unbeaten record via a razor-thin split decision in a nip-and-tuck fight that could have gone either way.

Having somehow made super feather for so long, the 5’9” Mayer finally stepped up in weight for her two subsequent outings, both in the UK, as she recorded wide-margin points wins against Lucy Wildheart and Silvia Bortot last year. With little to fear regarding what was coming back in those ‘keep busy’ outings against smaller opponents, Mayer was able to do as she pleased but that won’t be the case against Jonas, who has always been known as a puncher and has carried that up in weight.

Along with her natural punching power, Jonas has been able to utilise her speed against bigger opponents and her quicker hands and feet have been a big factor in her success against them. Whether firing sharp counters or going on the front foot to rattle off rapid combinations, Jonas has been able to punch with her opponents at these higher weights and get her shots off first.

Mayer is well schooled with good technique and a fine jab, so it is likely she will want to keep this long and box on the outside, where she is very effective. She also operates with a high work-rate, and it can be tough to get past those long levers when she gets into a rhythm and peppers her opponents at range.

However, although she will still have a height and reach advantage, it won’t be as much as she is used to and she may have to fight, rather than box, more than she would like. We saw in her 10-round war with Maiva Hamadouche in 2021 that Mayer is not shy of a tear-up, but trading at close quarters should suit the quicker, heavier-handed Jonas. Also, the latter showed in her wins over Berghult and Dicaire that she can quickly close the distance against bigger foes and land her power punches, before getting back of out of harm’s way.

This isn’t an easy fight to call and that is reflected in the odds, with Jonas just edging favouritism at 10/11 as Mayer has been supported into a best price of 6/5 this week. Cases can be made for both women, but there are a few factors that could tip this in the favour of the home fighter and that is where I am leaning.

This will be Mayer’s first outing at 147lb and while she certainly has the frame for it, she hasn’t had time to become accustomed to the extra weight in the ring and it remains to be seen if the added pounds suit her. Conversely, Jonas has been around this weight for several fights now and has looked better than ever.

I believe the southpaw style of Jonas could cause Mayer serious problems as well. The latter has very little experience of fighting left-handers, especially in the paid ranks, and that must be a concern for backers of the challenger.

Home advantage could also be a big factor for Jonas, especially if this goes the distance (2/9), and the locals will be out in force to give their very vocal support. That could be enough to get her over the line in what is likely to be a tight decision if the judges are required, and I think the crowd could be rewarded with a JONAS POINTS VICTORY at 6/5.

• CLICK HERE to back Jonas to win by decision with Sky Bet

Cullen to prove a point

Providing chief support is the rematch between Zak Chelli and JACK CULLEN for the latter’s British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles.

The pair fought to a draw over 10 rounds in the summer of 2020 and the layers believe there won’t be much between them again, with Cullen a slight favourite at 4/5 over Chelli, who can be backed at 5/4.

Chelli rattled off six straight wins following their first fight, including a big victory over American Anthony Sims Jr, but he was on the opposite end of a shock result when outpointed by Mark Jeffers in July and has only had a four-rounder since.

Cullen subsequently had a notable victory himself. over former world title challenger Avni Yildirim, and there was no shame in his two stoppage defeats to unbeaten prospects Kevin Lele Sadjo (TKO4) and Diego Pacheco (TKO4). The latter is destined for big things and Cullen showed he had benefited from being in the ring with such a talent when knocking out Mark Heffron inside three rounds to claim these belts four months ago.

Both men like to get on with things and we should get plenty of action here, but Cullen is the man with the momentum, and he is fancied to outwork his man for a POINTS VICTORY at 7/5.

• CLICK HERE to back Cullen to win by decision with Sky Bet

Posted at 1510 GMT on 19/01/24

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.