Two of the biggest names in the sport — Dmitry Bivol and Deontay Wilder — will fight on the same boxing card (against different opponents) in a few short days. Do you know who you’re betting on yet? If not, you’re going to want to read this as we lay out expert betting advice on the two upcoming boxing bouts.
- What: Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad; Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang
- When: Saturday, June 1
- Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad Betting Pick
Originally, this card was supposed to be headlined by Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. It’s one of the biggest fights in the sport, a showdown between the two best light heavyweights. However, Beterbiev suffered a ruptured meniscus and is now out. In his place is fringe contender Zinad. As you can tell by the Bivol-Zinad moneyline, it’s not expected to be close one bit:
If you’re like many fight fans and/or bettors, you’re probably wondering, “who the hell is Zinad’s anyway?” To his credit, he’s 22-0 over his career with 16 KO’s. The issue is, that’s come against mostly unknown completion. This is Zinad’s first-ever shot at a world title so it’s hard to gauge how good he is or isn’t.
One thing is for sure, Bivol is the real deal. He came into mainstream spotlight when he handily beat Canelo Alvarez in 2022. However, Bivol has been making his way through the lightweight division for the past decade. Bivol is 22-0 and a top-five-ranked pound-for-pounder in the entire sport.
With this bet, wait until some props or over/under comes out cause there’s zero betting value with Bivol’s moneyline. Zero! We anticipate Bivol winning this fight like he usually does — with unbelievable cardio and pace. He’s not a knockout artist so a decision win is likely. So look for an exact method of victory prop or just take the over when it’s out.
Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang Betting Pick
Now this is the fight we’re most looking forward to. It features two ex-heavyweight champions that are nearing the end of their careers. This predicament explains why the Wilder and Zhang moneyline odds are razor close. Check this out:
Wilder is the bigger name, especially after a trilogy with Tyson Fury. However, the “Bronx Bomber” looked like a shell of himself last time out, losing to Joseph Parker in December — which negated a planned super fight with Anthony Joshua in the process. Wilder is 38 years old now and took A LOT of damage in that Fury series, which begs the question, how much does he have left in the tank?
Zhang is also coming off a loss to Parker in early March so it’s a super short turnaround. He’s even older though at 41 years old. The loss was only the second of his career, however.
The thing with Parker is he’s fast and in his early ‘30s. It’s that speed which bothered Wilder, who if we’re being honest, is a one-trick pony with his power shots. Wilder never got that KO shot against Parker due to that movement. Zhang doesn’t glide around the ring nearly as well as Parker. That’s why we predict Wilder will finish Parker with a devastating punch. Yes, he’s old, but he still has that deadly power in his fists, which will prove to be the difference in this one.
Filip Hrgovic vs. Daniel Dubois Betting Pick
Hold your horses — there’s one more major fight on the Saudia Arabia card and it’s for the vacant IBF heavyweight title. This card is so stacked because it features five fights pitting Matchroom vs. Queensberry promotions. Anywho, here’s how the Hrgovic-Dubois odds shake out at the top boxing betting sites:
This is a really good fight. Hrgovic is the reigning champion and has all the momentum. The 2016 Olympian is 17-0 with 14 KO’s to his name. However, he’s drawn the ire of fight fans for “rabbit punches” — shots to the back of the head — that they believe should be grounds for disqualification but haven’t been called on Hrgovic yet.
Personally, we’re not all that impressed by Hrgovic. His natural ability is quite limited. In fact, we’d give Dubois the advantage in most metrics — speed, power, athleticism, and youth. If not for those rabbit punches, Hrgovic becomes very beatable. This is why we think it’s worth taking the underdog here. Dubois plus-money odds feel like a steal.
How To Bet On Boxing?
This is one of the best, most well-rounded boxing cards you’ll probably get all year. Most events are one-fight cards with a main event worth watching and that’s it. Not this one, which is loaded with former world champions. To bet on these boxing fights, start with one of the bookies below (these five sites rated the highest in our latest sportsbook reviews).
Plus, you could even bet for free by using a big-money sign-up bonus. Reference the table below for a list of the very best deals available right now. As you can see, deals range from $500 to $2500 in free play so this isn’t chump change. You can bankroll your entire betting from this card with these promos so don’t overlook them.
