Boxing fans had some disappointing news last week when it emerged that David Haye 
had injured his bicep while training for his forthcoming fight with Liverpool-based Tony Bellew and although the fighters are in discussions to rearrange the date at some time in the New Year, it has left fight-fans somewhat disappointed that the two won’t be facing off again just before Christmas.
Despite other heavyweights such as Dillian Whyte and the still-suspended Tyson Fury had called out Bellew in the hope of having a match on the date of the original, that night of boxing has now been cancelled. However, if you are looking for some quality boxing to bet on over the next few months, then Coral Sport already has you covered.
Despite the postponement of Bellew v Haye 2, there’s still some fantastic boxing to enjoy over the coming weeks and months, as well as the prospect of some massive super-fights to enjoy in 2018 and beyond.
Cotto Bows Out In His Final Fight This Coming Weekend
One of the most popular, talented and hard-working boxers of the current generation, Miguel Cotto will face Sadam Ali in the final fight of his career as he defends his WBO World Junior Middleweight Title over 12 rounds in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Cotto has held world title across five different weights in a stellar career where he has fought a large number of the top-rated fighter’s active across the weight ranges in that time, including the likes of Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Paulie Malignaggi, Antonio Margarito and Sergio Martinez.
The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds and Coral Sport have the likeable Puerto Rican veteran as the massive 1/12 favourite to finish his career with a win over the Yemeni-American Ali, who has an impressive 24-1 record so far fighting out of New York and he is probably better value than his 6/1 price suggests.
Ali’s one defeat came against Jesse Vargas when he fought for the vacant WBO Welterweight title back in March 2016, but since then he has beaten two Mexicans in Saul Corral and Jorge Silva and then won a unanimous decision against Venezuelan Johan Perez last time out in July.
DeGale Back In Action With Lee Selby On The Same Bill In London On the 9th December
Current IBF Super-Middlweight Woirld Champion James DeGale gets back in the ring after eleven months on the 9th December as he faced Caleb Truax in what many fight fans is something of a mismatch.
Certainly, Coral’s odds of 1/50 on a DeGale win suggest that they certainly feel that is the case against an American that has a 28-3-2 record, but who crucially has never fought outside of his native United States.
For DeGale this is very much a chance for him to get back into rhythm after requiring surgery following his majority draw with Badou Jack, the WBC Super-Middleweight Champion, back in January and by all accounts, it should be a comfortable night for the home fighter.
Lee Selby however faces a sterner test against the unbeaten Mexican southpaw Eduardo Ramirez in what will be his fourth title defence. Ramirez has a 20-3-0 record in his fights and he is a typically strong and durable opponent who will give Selby a stern test with his IBF Featherweight World Title on the line.
If Selby wins this then a likely fight in the new year with bitter Leeds-based rival Josh Warrington, the mandatory IBF challenger, is on the cards in what promises to be one of the most exciting domestic fights of 2018.
There is also young heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois, aged 19, who has signed up with Frank Warren in the hope of becoming the youngest ever British-born Heavyweight World Champion, the current Southern Area Heavyweight Champion has a 5-0 record so far in his career and faces a former opponent of Anthony Joshua in Dorian Darch, who lasted under two rounds against the current World Champion in Cardiff in 2014.
Billy Joe Saunders And David Lemieux Face off on Sunday 17th December
Perhaps the most evenly contested match up of December sees Billy Joe Saunders put his WBO World Middleweight Championshop belt on the line against former IBF Champion David Lemieux in Montreal in the early hours of Sunday morning UK Time.
Lemieux will be fighting in his home town and will have partisan support from the home crowd, but Saunders is confident of holding on to his title and accused Lemieux of fighting “B-Grade” fighters so far in his career.
Saunders is ranked at just 5/6 to win this with Lemieux a 10/11 shot and the draw is a 22/1 chance in what promises to be a hugely entertaining and interesting fight, especially with the winner likely to have Gennady Golovkin in their sights at some point in 2018.
Super Middleweight Super Series Semi Finals has Plenty of British Interest
Three out of the remaining four fighters remaining in the World Boxing Super Series Super Middleweight division hail from the UK and with the two semi-final matches coming up in February 2018 with a late spring-time date expected for the final, it promises to be a massive few weeks for three of the UK’s most talented boxers.
First in action are two of Britain’s most polarising fighters as current WBA Super Middleweight title holder George Groves takes on IBO Super Middleweight holder Chris Eubank Junior at the Manchester Arena on 17th February 2018.
Coral have Eubank as the 8/11 favourite to win this bout against Groves who is an 11/10 chance, with 25/1 being the option for the draw.
Then 11 days later, the other UK-based fighter, Liverpool’s Callum Smith will take on german Jurgen Braehmer in a fight that is likely to take place in Berlin, Germany, although that has not yet been confirmed. The hard-hitting Smith is a 1/10 favourite with Coral at the moment, although those odds may lengthen when the venue is confirmed. Braehmer is ranked a 5/1 outsider with the draw a 33/1 chance.
Looking ahead to 2018 and the year of the Superfight?
2018 is also promising to be one of the most exciting in the history of boxing with the potential for some massive fights at several different weight levels taking place during the year.
Most interest is at heavyweight where Anthony Joshua has stated his desire to unify the division by taking the two belts he doesn’t yet possess, Joseph Parker’s WBO belt and Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt. There is also the prospect looming of Tyson Fury’s return to the ring and if Joshua can unify the division then a fight with Fury would be the next logical step, if the Mancunian can get back into fighting shape and avoid any more entanglements with the British Boxing Board of Control.
We also have the prospect of Haye v Bellew 2 being reorganised for some time in spring with May perhaps a likely month for this second fight. This is also the period when the final of the World Super Series Boxing will take place with a final between either Chris Eubank Jnr or George Groves against either Callum Smith or Jurgen Braehmer.
There’s also interest in what arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world Gennady Golovkin will do in 2018. A rematch with Saul Alvarez after their draw is on the cards after the WBC ordered a rematch between the pair. A 5th May date has been mooted and the winner could then face Billy Joe Saunders, depending on how the fighter gets on in his fight this December.
As always, you can enjoy fantastic boxing betting throughout the winter and across 2018 with Coral Sport.
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