Boxing Betting Tips

YouTube Boxing

In recent years, a new trend has emerged in the boxing world: YouTubers with little or no previous experience in the sport have started to organize and participate in high-profile fights, drawing significant attention from audiences. Personalities like Jake Paul, Logan Paul, and KSI have been at the forefront of this movement, using their vast social media followings to generate buzz and hype for their boxing matches.

While many traditional boxing fans may criticize these events as a mere spectacle, the reality is that they have been extremely successful in drawing viewers and generating revenue. For example, the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren boxing match in April 2021 reportedly generated over 1.5 million pay-per-view buys and an estimated £50+ million in revenue.

Upcoming Bouts

There are a few potential matches with no fixed date but bookmakers are on hand to give you the odds should these bouts go ahead.

Upcoming Boxing Fights In 2023

The best boxing betting sites feature extensive coverage of all fights in the calendar. Here’s a look at some of the most hotly tipped upcoming boxing fights in 2023.

Canelo Alvarez vs John Ryder: Saturday 6th May

Billed as ‘The King is Coming Home’, 6 May will see Canelo and the Gorilla do battle at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. With WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring super middleweight titles on the line, this is not a fight to miss. 

Alvarez is undoubtedly the favourite to win, with his odds sitting around 1/12 — not a surprise, considering he’s a 4-division world champion. Bookies have placed Ryder, on the other hand, at around 10/1 odds.

Pre-Fight Records:

• Canelo Alvarez: 58–2–2 (39 KO)
• John Ryder: 32–5 (18 KO)

KSI vs Joe Fournier: Saturday 13th May

MF & DAZN: X Series 007, taking place 13 May, sees popular YouTuber KSI take on Joe Fournier at Wembley Arena. There’s certainly some animosity between the competitors — Fournier previously called out KSI and the Paul Brothers for not fighting ‘real boxers’ in October 2022. 

Could this be a chance for the YouTube generation to prove themselves and deny the naysayers? Bookies reckon so, placing KSI as favourite to defend the MF cruiserweight title. 

Pre-Fight Records: 

• KSI: 1–0
• Joe Fournier: 9–0 (9 KOs)

Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron: Saturday 20th May

One of the most anticipated fights in women’s boxing, the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland will see undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor take on Chantelle Cameron in a bid to take her two indisputed super lightweight titles following a public challenge. Taylor is currently the favourite to win, but with both fighters currently undefeated, this bout is sure to be a spectacle.

Pre-Fight Records:

• Katie Taylor: 22–0 (6 KOs)
• Chantelle Cameron: 17–0 (8 KOs)

Devin Haney vs Vasyl Lomachenko: Saturday 20th May

Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko is set to fight the undisputed lightweight champion, Devin Haney on 20 May. The bout has been years in the making, with Haney controversially claiming he could defeat any white boxer when asked if he would put an end to Loma’s hype back in 2020.

Haney vs Lomachenko will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada, US. With the stronger record of the two, it’s no surprise that Haney is the bookies’ favourite to take the win.

Pre-Fight Records:

• Devin Haney: 29–0 (15 KOs)
• Vasyl Lomachenko: 17–2 (11 KOs)

Lawrence Okolie vs Chris Billam-Smith: Saturday 27th May

27 May will see East Londoner Lawrence Okolie defend his WBO cruiserweight title — a mantle he’s held since 2021 — against the Epsom-born Chris Billam-Smith. Taking place at Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, Okolie is currently favourite to win by a considerable margin.

Pre-Fight Records:

• Lawrence Okolie: 19–0 (14 KOs)
• Chris Billam-Smith: 17–1 (12 KOs)

Best Betting Sites For Boxing

Looking for some inspiration when choosing a boxing betting site? Here’s a look at some of our favourites.

bet365

Sportsbook giant bet365 is a fantastic spot to bet on boxing thanks to its large range of markets, including round betting and method of win. The site supports in-play betting and live streaming, and new customers can bag £30 in free bet credit when they stake £10 on qualifying markets. 

William Hill

Along with all the standard boxing wagers, William Hill takes bet requests via the #YourOdds promotion, giving you the freedom to bet on nearly anything. One current example is ‘Florian Marku To Win A Full WBA, WBO, WBC or IBF World Title Belt Before The End Of 2023’ at odds of 5/1. Along with a Bet £10 Get £30 welcome offer, William Hill also runs daily odds boost and acca insurance promotions to help you get extra value from your bets.

Betfred

Betfred is a little more limited in terms of boxing markets, with ‘bout winner’ the only option for the majority of fights. That said, there’s solid coverage of the boxing calendar. New punters at this site can receive £30 in free bets when they bet £10 at odds of evens or more. The well-oiled site is also a breeze to use on all sizes of device, although we’d love to see it updated with a more modern appearance.

Paddy Power

Slick sportsbook Paddy Power is one of the best-known names among British and Irish bettors. Of particular note is its ‘Power Prices’ promotion, where selected markets receive a boost. For example, punters can bet on Saul Alvarez to win in rounds 1–4 at boosted odds of 13/2 (was 11/2) at the time of writing. Outside of these Power Prices, the range of boxing markets is extensive. Another benefit to this bookie is its fast withdrawals, which arrive within 1–4 hours for e-wallets.

BetVictor

You’ll find all bases covered at BetVictor when it comes to boxing, with markets on winner, method of victory, total rounds, and specific round outcomes. While this site’s welcome bonus is a modest £10 free bet, it requires staking just £5 to claim. And regular punters can take advantage of the BV Loyalty Club, with £1–£25 of free bets up for grabs every week when you bet £5 or more. 

Boxing Betting Markets

While backing a winner is the most obvious choice when betting on boxing, there’s a whole lot more available. Let’s take a look at the most common markets you’ll find at boxing betting sites.

Boxing Betting Tips

Unless you’re simply taking a punt or backing your favourite fighter, it’s wise to spend a bit of time when selecting your wager. Here are a few of our top tips.

Form Guide

Our form guide features expert analysis of the fighters’ recent performances, letting you know whether they’re up to their usual standards or looking a little shaky. It helps to understand a boxer’s style of fighting — a more offensive competitor may be able to dictate the pace of the bout, for example. 

Look at the Statistics

Following the numbers can sometimes help you select a winner. Many punters will back a fighter who remains undefeated, for example. You can also base your selection on the odds — although backing a clear favourite won’t necessarily yield a substantial payout if you win. 

Boxing Strategy

Know your jabs from your uppercuts? A solid understanding of boxing techniques and tactics goes a long way, as well as knowing the rules inside and out. 

Location/Venue

As with any sport, knowing where the showdown will take place can help you pick a winner. Fighters often perform best on their home turf, although that’s not always enough to overcome a significantly stronger opponent.

Read Our Tips

Here at BettingOdds.com, we’ll have plenty of expert tips and advice to help you place your bets. You can also compare odds between boxing betting sites to lock in the best price for your wager. 

Payment Methods at Boxing Betting Sites

Before you can bet on boxing, you’ll need some funds in your sportsbook account. There are several ways to do this, each with different pros and cons. We’ve run through some popular payment methods below to help you decide.

What bookies offer betting on Boxing?

Every major bookmaker will offer some form of betting markets on Boxing. It's one of the major world sports and millions of pounds are bet on it annually. 

What are some Boxing Betting Basics?

Most fights will include basic markets such as Winner, Method of Victory and Round Betting. Obviously the bigger the fight, the more markets will be offered. A  fight such as the recent Heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury And Deontay Wilder would potentially have had dozens of markets.

What is Round Betting?

Round betting is a market offered by most major bookmakers where you can bet on a particular boxer to win in a specified round. E.g. Floyd Mayweather to win in round 9. There is also grouped round betting where you can back a set of rounds for a boxer to finish the fight in. E.g. Saul Alvarez to win in rounds 1-3. 

What methods of victory can you bet on?

There are a few ways of winning a fight in boxing and most of these are covered in the Method of Victory market. The options tend to be split into KO (knockout)/TKO (technical knockout)/DSQ (Disqualification) , Decision/Technical Decision and Draw/Technical Draw.

These are explained below:

KO: The most spectacular finish in boxing. One boxer knocks another boxer down or out and the stricken fighter is unable to continue or beat the 10 count. 

TKO:  A technical knock out is when a referee believes that a boxer is unable to continue in the fight safely and brings an end to the fight. The fighter may still be on their feet but is unable to defend themselves. It can also be deemed a TKO when a fighter is cut badly by a cut and is deemed unable to continue by the doctor/referee. 

DSQ:  The fight may be stopped by disqualification. If one fighter is consistently and fragrantly breaking the rules of the sport then the fight may be stopped by the referee and awarded to the other fighter. Rules broken may include biting, headbutting or hitting low/on the back of the head.

Decision: A decision victory is when the fight reaches its conclusion and either the referee (in minor fights) or three independent judges (in major fights) decide who has won the fight. They generally work on a ten point must system where the best fighter in each round receives 10 points and the other fighter 9 points. Points are deducted for knockdowns/comprehensively won rounds and infringements such as low blows. It's sometimes referred to as a points victory. E.g. Anthony Joshua on points. 

An example of a scorecard could look like this: Mayweather 115-113 116-112 117-111 Alvarez. This would be termed a unanimous decision. Other examples are a majority decision (where a fighter will win on two judges cards and draw on the other) and a split decision (winning on two cards and losing on the other).

Technical Decision: 

A technical decision is a term used when a fight has to be stopped due to an unintentional headbutt and the ringside judges hand in their partially completed scorecards. Usually the fight will have had to go past the fourth round for a technical decision to take place. If it's prior to this then the fight will be deemed a no contest. 

Draw:

A draw takes place when the judges are unable to split the two fighters on the scorecards. Variations of the draw are a unanimous draw (all three judges have the score level), Split draw (one judge picks one fighter, one judge the other and the final judge a draw) and a majority draw (two judges have the fight as a tie and the third judge has one fighter winning)

Technical Draw: 

A technical draw is when a fight is stopped due to an accidental injury(usually a cut). The judges go to the scorecards and if the scores are tied as above then the fight is called a technical draw. 

Can you bet on the fight winner and method of victory?

Yes, this is a common market offered by most bookmakers. E.g. Carl Froch to win by Decision/Technical decision.

What TV Channels broadcast Boxing in the UK?

Most tv channels are linked to a particular promotional company.  Some examples are listed below.

Sky Sports : BOXXER promotions in the UK, Top Rank for US/International fights.  They also have links with Saeurland who are based in Germany.

BT Sports: BT generally work with Queensbury Promotions who are owned and run by Frank Warren. 

Dazn: Dazn is a new streaming service via website, app or smart TV covering several major sports. Its boxing content has been provided by Matchroom Promotions for the last year or so and they have now signed an exclusive deal after leaving Sky Sports. Their chief promoter is Eddie Hearn.

Channel 5: Channel 5 have fairly irregular events shown , mainly from the UK small hall scene. These are generally promoted by Mick Hennessy or Dennis Hobson. 

Boxnation: A boxing specific channel. In its heyday it used to show Frank Warren fights but now mainly shows International cards not picked up by the main channels. 

Frequently Asked Questions