As February approaches, fans can now finally see a fight that feels like it has been a decade in the making. In this article, we have our Middleweight Boxing Picks for February 5th’s Contender Fight between Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams. This will be televised on Sky Sports Main Event from Cardiff, Wales. Who will be able to win and set up that big world title shot later this year?
The odds below are based on the most competitive odds from the very best boxing betting sites.
The middleweight division is for those fighters who weigh between 154 and 160 pounds. The upper limit of the weight class is right at 160 pounds. This is a weight class that often sees considerable fluctuation. Fighters tend to go up and down around these classes for opportunities more than anything. That has been the case for Chris Eubank Jr. especially as he is still a middleweight boxing favorite.
Now, that being said, this weight division usually has one or two constants contending in it. The problem is, because of COVID, there are only a handful of middleweights challenging for world title shots. The current middleweight belts are held by Ryota Murata (WBA) and Gennady Golovkin (IBO, IBF). Murata and Golovkin are scheduled to fight this Spring
Chris Eubank Jr.’s biggest problem was inactivity. He did not fight throughout all of 2020 due to COVID issues mostly. The fighter won on injury default against Matt Korobov just seconds into the second round at the end of 2019. Basically, Eubank Jr. then went another 16+ months before dragging Marcus Morrison around the ring for ten rounds. Then in October, he put on a clinic against Wanik Awdijan and stopped the German fighter in the fifth round of a schedule ten-round fight.
The fighter fights in England and is now training with Roy Jones Jr. The former multi-class world champion has taken Eubank Jr. under his wing. One of the biggest improvements in the 32 year old Eubank Jr. is his energy level. The last couple of fights have shown an ability to meter out punishment. He does not go out and expend too much early which was a knock on the English boxer.
This is where the debate for Boxing Odds begins. Naturally, no one quite knows what will happen in this fight because it is boxing after all. Early books had the fight a little closer than it is now. Maybe, it is the effect of Roy Jones Jr. on Eubank Jr. That seems the most likely cause for movement.
It is clear as to why Chris Eubank Jr. is the favorite. There is no fighter in this weight class that can look more dominant aside from GGG (Gennady Golovkin). He has a style that can simply make other fighters look bad. At times, Eubank Jr. used to look vulnerable. However, with his new trainer by his side, the boxer looks reinvigorated and ready to settle an old score.
Also, the focus the fighter has shown since losing his brother, Sebastian, unexpectedly last summer is noticeable. Few have seen Eubank Jr. this focused in years, maybe ever. There is a measured vengeance and viciousness in the fighter that had not been seen previously.
Eubank Jr. looks ready to get in the ring yesterday. This is why he is our middleweight boxing picks choice for this fight.
Ahead of this bout next Saturday, the middleweight boxing odds are out and they do not favor Williams. Liam Williams has been listed between +220 and +250, while Eubank Jr. has been a solid favorite for months. Despite all sorts of delays, the odds have mostly stayed the same. For perspective, the English boxer has not fought in almost ten months after losing to Demetrius Andrade by unanimous decision.
As for the previous history, the fighters had a trainer common to both of them in Adam Booth. Booth now trains Williams and probably knows more about the old Eubank Jr. than anyone. Does that serve to help Williams in any way? Perhaps, it does. One thing is for sure, their sparring tape from ten years ago is probably making the rounds somewhere in England.
The problem for Williams is that Eubank Jr. may be an even faster version of Demetrius Andrade and a bit more powerful. Williams, by his own right, has knockout power. Now, 18 of his 23 wins have come by some form of KO. However, Andrade stuck and move a lot. That frustrated the boxer and opened him up later to some power shots. The decision appeared close but really was not.
This could be too tough of a test for Williams. He is not fighting some regional fighter anymore and not an undisciplined Eubank Jr.
For middleweight boxing picks, our best bet is still taking on Tyson Fury for these reasons.
Before an injury and a COVID shutdown, the boxing odds for Williams were long at best. Little has changed there and there is little to indicate that Williams is going to out-point Eubank Jr. The feeling is that Williams will have to knock him out.
Williams is a respectable 23-3-1 like we mentioned. The dilemma is this. How does he account for Eubank Jr. and his ring speed? Can he slow him down? The answer appears that he may have difficulty accomplishing that feat. Hence, our pick is made clear.
The middleweight boxing odds say take Eubank Jr. to win the fight on February 5th and maybe take the option for a knockout.
See below the top online betting sites, like Bovada, where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
