Jai Opetaia puts his IBF cruiserweight belt on the line against New Zealand’s David Nyika, who is the massive underdog to cause an upset on the Gold Coast this Wednesday night.
Boxing odds have Opetaia at $1.10, so he’s the skinny favourite to improve to 27-0, and we have our best boxing bets for the title fight in Australia.
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Opetaia vs Nyika Tips
Opetaia is a dominant force in the cruiserweight division, and we can’t see Nyika standing in his way.
He improved to 26-0 with a sixth-round TKO win over Jack Massey, and although he hasn’t fought the best in the division, he got the better of Mairis Briedis when fighting in Saudi Arabia, which is a good win to have on your record.
We don’t rate Nyika on the same level. The Kiwi, who fought well as an amateur at the Commonwealth Games, is 10-0 as a professional, but he hasn’t been fighting anyone close to the level of Opetaia, and we always thought he was well below the best in this division.
Size matters in this division and Opetaia appears to have the significant power edge, and that should result in the Australian campaign reigning supreme on Wednesday. However, there is no value in the $1.10 odds, so we’re backing him to win by knockout at $1.39.
It’s still not an overly juicy price for punters, but it’s a good multi bet inclusion this week, and it should be relatively risk free. We don’t see Nyika lasting too long in the ring, so Opetaia should win with a big KO.
Bet: Jai Opetaia by KO/TKO @ $1.39
Opetaia vs Nyika Prop Picks
Our boxing predictions have Opetaia winning by knockout, and punters get better odds when trying to predict the exact round.
We think Nyika will hang around for a few rounds, and we’re giving him credit for his unbeaten record and his ability to win medals at international competitions. However, with that being said, Opetaia is a power puncher and he’ll work the body before going upstairs.
We’re picking Opetaia in Round 5. It gives him enough time to settle into the fight before launching an attack, and he’s unlikely to fight recklessly in the early stages. Punters get $9.75 for a Round 5 knockout, and although it’s a tough bet to cash, the odds make it worth the risk.
There is also value in betting Opetaia to win by knockout, which doesn’t include a TKO finish. A knockout comes when a boxer lands a single punch, whereas a TKO is when the ref steps in and stops the fight. Opetaia is powerful enough to finish Nyika with one punch, and the Kiwi might not be able to get up front it.
Opetaia by KO pays $4.80, so there is good value with those odds. He has excellent knockout power, which could send his opponent face first to the canvas.
Bet: Opetaia in Round 5 @ $9.75
Opetaia vs Nyika Undercard Picks
(Winners in bold)
Ben Mahoney vs Fan Zhang
Max McIntyre vs Abdulselam Saman
Teremoana Jnr vs Osasu Otobo
Austin Aokuso vs Leti Leti
Shaun Potgieter vs Justis Huni
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