WBC, IBF, WBO Light Heavyweight Title Fight Betting Preview: Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr.

Betting analysis and a best bet for Saturday’s light heavyweight title fight between the heavily favored Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr.

Three of the four light heavyweight titles will be on the line inside Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater on Saturday night.

Artur Beterbiev (-800) is a massive favorite at SI Sportsbook going into this bout against Joe Smith Jr. (+560). Beterbiev is one the most dangerous light heavyweights in recent memory, going 17-0 with a 100% win-to-knockout ratio.

Smith (28-3, 22 KOs), his opponent, has been very successful as of late, winning four straight since his last loss against WBA light heavyweight champion Dimtry Bivol.

With a possible unification fight with Bivol looming for the winner, the stakes are extremely high for both boxers. A Beterbiev loss would be an upset for the ages, while a Smith loss would drop him to a contender on the bad side of title considerations.

Bet on Beterbiev-Smith at SI Sportsbook

Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

WBC, IBF, WBO Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr.

Date: Saturday Jun 18, 2022
Location: Hulu Theater at MSG | New York, NY
Main Card: 9 p.m. ET
Main Event ring walks (approx.): 11 p.m. ET

Card

Jahyae Brown vs Keane McMahon – Super welterweight
Wendy Toussaint vs Asina Byfield – Super welterweight
Robeisy Ramirez vs. Abraham Nova – Featherweight
Artur Beterbiev (-800) vs. Joe Smith Jr. (+560) – WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles

While always placing a bet on the underdog in a title fight can be enticing, the odds in this one are just way too much for Smith to overcome.

I expect Beterbiev to come out with a controlled pace and look to cut off the ring and keep Smith on the edges, peppering him with jabs and calculating Smith’s timing.

As the fight enters the mid-to-later rounds Beterbiev will have just done too much to break down Smith in the early rounds and I expect him to find an opportunity to get a stoppage somewhere in the 8-10 rounds.

BET: Beterbiev to win in rounds 7-12 (-105)

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