Longtime readers know that I am a big fan of glutting on sports smorgasbords, and this weekend offers the first one since the onset of the pandemic. We not only have MLB, NHL, NBA, and MLS in action, but two PGA tour events, the FA Cup final, the start of the Scottish Premiership, Liga MX, and UFC.
This may be the last sports smorgasbord in awhile. I am writing this on Tuesday, July 28th, and MLB just cancelled all of the Marlins' games through Sunday due to their positive Covid tests. I feel like the MLB season is like Jenga tower that is teetering and I'm not sure it won't collapse before the weekend after next. So let's enjoy the weekend!
There are also four televised boxing cards available in the U.S. Let's take a betting-preview sort of look at them.
Lyndon Arthur (16-0) vs. Dec Spelman (16-3), 3 PM ET Friday, ESPN+
Arthur is making his first defense of his British Empire light heavyweight title. He's ranked 9th in the UK in his weight class; Spelman is ranked 12th.
Spelman's last fight was a loss to the UK's 6th-ranked light heavyweight, but he did win a few rounds on every judge's scorecard. Arthur's last fight, where he picked up the title, was an unanimous win over Emmanuel Anim, who is ranked equivalent to the UK's 22nd-ranked light heavyweight, but Arthur did lose a few rounds on every judge's scorecard.
This is all a rudimentary way of saying this could be a close fight. I have Spelman at +300, which is not far off from most of the sportsbooks with the exception of BetOnline, which has Spelman at +539, so I say jump on that price if you can.
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-5-1) vs. Amnat Ruenroeng (20-3), 2:45 AM ET Saturday, YouTube
This being on YouTube, you can of course just watch the fight at your convenience rather than live at the ungodly hour it's on in the U.S.
Rungvisai is appointment viewing. He and Juan Francisco Estrada are the two best light flyweights in the world, head and shoulders above the rest of the division, and have split their two (very close) fights. In this fight, however, Runfvisai is matched up with countryman Amnat Ruenroeng, who is 40 and has not been competitive in a fight against someone anywhere close to Rungvisai's caliber since 2014 and has absolutely no chance in this fight.
Currently, Rungvisai is at -1667 at William Hill and bet365. If you can get that price, jump on it and turn $16.67 into a dollar, or $166.70 into $10 dollars.
Sam Eggington (28-6) vs. Ted Cheeseman (15-2-1), 3 PM ET Saturday, DAZN
This is for the IBF International super welterweight strap, and Bad Left Hook, my go-to for boxing news and analysis, is calling this "The Omelet Fight" (get it? look at their names if you don't).
I have this as close to a pick'em. The books are much higher on Cheeseman. He does have a better record and against a better slate of opponents, to my view. However, he's slumping — he's winless in his last 3 fights, and that includes a draw to a guy Boxrec has out of the top 100 welterweights.
Eggington is not slumping. He's won his last four and while three of those were against absolute tomato cans, I like how he went to Italy and knocked out their top ranked super welterweight in two rounds. Boxrec has him ranked higher, too. The books have Eggington at between +300 and +400, and that's just way too high.
Tramaine Williams (19-0) vs. Raeese Aleem (16-0) 9 PM ET Saturday, Showtime
Showtime boxing is back for the first time since the pandemic, and they've put together just an incredible three-fight card. Two of the fights feature undefeated fighters going against each other. Three of those four fighters have never really been tested, and the fourth has been tested since 2013.
I will focus on the fight listed above, although it's not the main event. Williams is a more deliberate boxer and Aleem has more knockout power. I think Aleem at +250 is a bit too high, so I'm leaning that way.
Enjoy the fights!
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