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Boxing Betting Tips

Boxing betting is rooted with the history of Sport Betting - as early Americans used to bet on bare knuckle brawls. As a sport, the sweet science of Boxing is surely far from the bruteness of bare knuckle brawls. As a betting platform, they share the thrill of head-to-head action!

Boxing matches are held year round. And there are four sanctioning bodies recognized worldwide. These are:

  • International Boxing Federation (IBF)
  • World Boxing Association (WBA)
  • World Boxing Council (WBC)
  • World Boxing Organization (WBO)

Boxing, unlike other professional sports, is relatively easy to handicap - it's just a matchup between two fighters. The primary consideration is the boxers themselves. Here are a few Boxing betting tips to guide you with your picks.

Give unknown fighters / underdogs a chance

On February 11, 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, a relatively unknown boxer named James "Buster" Douglas knocked out previously undefeated and heavily favored Mike Tyson in 10 rounds to crown himself as the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion.

On April, 21 2001 in bout in South Africa, 15-to-1 underdog Hasim Rahman knocked out Lennox Lewis in the fifth round.

On June 9, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Nevada, Timothy Bradley (+325) won a controversial split decision over Manny Pacquiao (-450).

These are just some examples of unknown fighters or underdogs overcoming unearthly odds, upsetting the favorites and succeeding! Obviously, it's a windfall for boxing bettors!

Focus on Styles

"Style make fights" as hall of fame boxing coach Freddie Roach always says.

There are Out-Fighters, boxers who maintain distance between himself and his opponent. Also known as the "Classic Boxer", they use faster, longer range punches (like the jab) to systematically wear their opponents down.

There are Punchers, well-rounded boxers who are able to fight at close range combining both technique and power. Punchers often have the ability to knock opponents out with a combination or a single shot.

There are Brawlers / Sluggers, boxers who generally lack finesse and footwork in the ring, but makes up for it through sheer punching power.

There are In-Fighters / Swarmers, boxers who attempt to stay close to an opponent, throwing intense flurries and combinations of hooks and uppercuts. Successful pressure fighters need to be able to take a punch since swarming usually involves being hit with jabs before being able to maneuver inside and be more effective.

Then there are Counter Punchers, boxers who rely on their opponent's mistakes in order to gain the advantage whether it be on the score cards or more preferably a knockout. They use their well rounded defense to avoid or block shots and then immediately catch the opponent off guard with a well placed and timed counter punch.

On May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao knocked out Ricky Hatton in the second round. Pacquiao also knocked Hatton down in the first round, twice.

Analysts suggest that Pacquiao's devastation of Hatton was a combination Pacquiao's stirring punching power and Hatton's swarming style. Hatton simply walked straight up to Pacquiao's power punches.

On the other hand, consider Pacquiao's struggles against Juan Manuel Marquez, a known counter puncher. Their first three fights have failed to settle the debate on who won.

Style is surely the single most important consideration when handicapping a fight. Certain fighters fare well against particular styles and poorly on others.

Watch for form

In a world of pre-fight documentaries, we are now given a glimpse of a fighter's preparation leading up to fight night. This is a good way to gauge a fighter's form.

Be careful though, pre-fight documentaries are meant to hype a fight. Boxing bettors should be able to sift between publicity and fact.

Checking for form also means checking for signs of aging and declining skills. Sure, Oscar dela Joya is a hall of fame boxer, but at 35 years old, he was out matched by a much younger and faster Manny Pacquiao on December 6, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Checking for form also means looking at distractions and injuries. When Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas in 1900, it was widely reported that Tyson had marriage, lifestyle, as well as management and training distractions. These eroded the once-fearsome fighting machine known as "Iron" Mike leading to a stunning knockout loss.

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