Artur Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) is putting his WBC and IBF light-heavyweight belts on the line this Saturday, June 18, against Joe Smith Jr. (28-3, 22 KOs). Taking place at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater, this matchup between two top athletes in boxing will be one you can’t miss. Check Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr. Betting Analysis below.
Last Fight Record
Beterbiev has an unbelievable 100% KO ratio in his career. He has finished his opponent in all 17 of his professional boxing bouts.
Smith Jr. is currently riding a 4-fight win streak, with two of those wins being via stoppage.
Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr. Betting Analysis
Artur Beterbiev
Beterbiev is one of the most dominant fighters the light-heavyweight division has ever seen. He will still be looking to keep that KO streak alive in this unification fight.
He is a pressure fighter that comes out of the gates as such. Beterbiev will look to pressure his opponents and get them against the ropes and throw combinations at what seems like a never-ending rate.
Beterbiev is a big favorite in this one. You have already seen a big upset happen inside this division with similar odds, with Bivol and Canelo, so you can never count the underdog out, and Beterbiev will have to be his best self in the ring on Saturday.
Joe Smith Jr.
Joe Smith Jr. has a size advantage and an experience advantage over Beterbiev. He will need to use his slick boxing skills more than he ever has to weather the storm from Beterbiez and win this bout as a big underdog at +500.
Boxing betting odds can be hard to make plays on because you see many of these kinds of numbers. There is little to no value in betting on the favorite, so it makes the fan betting boxing cheer for the underdog. Smith Jr. will be dangerous at any second in this fight with his counter punching ability and boxing skills.
Look for plays other than the moneyline in this one for the best value.
Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr. Betting Preview
For this one, you will be able to find Beterbiev as a -700 favorite. This makes betting on boxing brutal for fights like this because of the value in the better fighter. Prop bets and parlays will show you the most value, which is worth looking into.
The over/under is 8.5 rounds,z, and that might be the play to make according to the boxing odds for this event. Joe Smith Jr. is a tough, experienced, slick boxer that will no doubt be ready to go all 12 rounds in this one.
It will be tough for Beterbiev to finish Smith Jr., and I also don’t see Smith Jr. being able to catch Beterbiev and finish him. Even with the big counter punches that Smith throws, it is always a possibility.
Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr. Betting Prediction
In this bout, I will be cheering for a gutsy performance by Smith. He will be outmatched in speed and pressure, but he is experienced enough to carry this fight into the late rounds. Beterbiev will probably know he might be in for a 12-round war in this one.
I see both men landing shots clean in the early rounds. Smith Jr. needs to stay off the ropes and take control of the ring as much as possible to combat the crazy pressure Beterbiev brings. The counter shots from Smith Jr. should keep Beterbiev at range and respect the danger of coming into the pocket and throwing long combinations on Smith Jr.
I predict that Smith Jr. will last most of the fight and either make it go to decision or will be stopped in the late rounds because of the accumulation of shots being absorbed through 10+ rounds. For the best value, I will be playing the over at 8.5 rounds in this one.
Final Prediction: Over 8.5 rounds at -145
How To Bet On Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr.
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