This Saturday boxing fans will be spoiled as there are a number of high level intriguing matchups. Overall, we have three title fights with a total of eleven championship belts on the line, along with a Fox Sports PPV that features the return of the hardest hitting puncher of the modern era. I will be providing the latest odds, along with giving my personal picks for each of this weekend’s marquee events.

ESPN+/Boxxer Main Event: Claressa Shields (12-0, 2 KOs) vs Savannah Marshall (12-0, 10 KOs)

10 Rounds, Undisputed Middleweight Title

02 Arena, Greenwich, United Kingdom

Unified Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields will look to become a 3x undisputed champion and further prove her status as the “Greatest Women’s Boxer of All Time”. WBO Champ Savannah Marshall hopes to repeat her victory (highly controversial to say the least) over Shields in the amateurs years back, and take over as the face of women’s boxing. The odds for this fight are virtually 50/50, with some siding with the pedigree and boxing ability of Shields, and some favoring the power of Savannah Marshall. Marshall is a big puncher, and Shields will have to be on her game for all ten rounds. As long as she stays focused, I see her turning in a quality boxing performance and winning a decision. With the fight being in Marshall’s home country, you have to worry a bit about judging, but I believe Shields will box well enough where they are unable to take the victory from her.

My Pick: Claressa Shields by Decision (+105)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Claressa Shields ML (-135), Savannah Marshall ML (+110)

Over 8.5 Rounds (-340), Under 8.5 Rounds (+255)

Shields to win by decision (+105), Shields to win by stoppage (+750)

Marshall to win by decision (+300), Marshall to win by stoppage (+300)

Fight ends in a draw (+1200)

ESPN+/Boxxer Co-Main: Mikaela Mayer (17-0, 5 KOs) vs Alycia Baumgardner (12-1, 7 KOs)

10 Rounds, Unified Junior Lightweight Title

02 Arena, Greenwich, United Kingdom

Out of all the fights that we have this weekend, this one is by far the hardest one for me to break down. Mikaela Mayer is the current unified champion and much like her former Olympic teammate, Claressa Shields, she has the pedigree and experience advantage over her opponent. Alycia Baumgardner was not a high profile amateur, yet she burst onto the scene last November when she knocked out Terri Harper and became the WBC Junior Lightweight Champion. Mayer will attempt to use her length and boxing skills to keep the fight at range, but as she showed when she unified titles against Maiva Hamadouche, she is not afraid of mixing it up at close range. The more this fight is contested at close range, the more I give Baumgardner a chance to land something big and potentially turn the tide in the fight. I have gone back and forth many times on who I think comes out victorious in this one, but I am backing the pedigree of Mayer to win a close and competitive decision in what I expect to be the fight of the weekend.

My Pick: Mikaela Mayer by Decision (-190)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Mikaela Mayer ML (-280), Alycia Baumgardner ML (+215)

Over 8.5 Rounds (-700), Under 8.5 Rounds (+450)

Mayer to win by decision (-190), Mayer to win by stoppage (+850)

Baumgardner to win by decision (+400), Baumgardner to win by stoppage (+600)

Fight ends in a draw (+1200)

ESPN Main Event: Devin Haney (28-0, 15 KOs) vs George Kambosos Jr (20-1, 10 KOs) II

12 Rounds, Undisputed Lightweight Title

Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia

The rematch is on as newly minted Undisputed Lightweight Champion Devin Haney defends all of his titles against Former Champion George Kambosos Jr. The first fight was a masterclass by the young American, as Kambosos was left without an answer for the twelve round duration in front of his home country. Many expect the rematch to look similar to the first matchup, and it is on Kambosos to make adjustments and have more success during the second go around. Even if Kambosos comes out more aggressive in the rematch, I think that will lead to him getting countered more by Haney. I am anticipating another dominant showing by the youngest undisputed champion of the four belt era. Even if Kambosos makes successful adjustments, I don’t think it will be nearly enough to avenge the defeat and please his hometown fans.

My Pick: Devin Haney to win by Decision (-200)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Devin Haney ML (-1000), George Kambosos ML (+600)

Over 10.5 Rounds (-350), Under 8.5 Rounds (+255)

Haney to win by decision (-200), Haney to win by stoppage (+220)

Kambosos to win by decision (+1000), Kambosos to win by stoppage (+1400)

Fight ends in a draw (+2200)

Fox PPV Main Event: Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs) vs Robert Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs)

12 Rounds, WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator

Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

The best American heavyweight of this generation is back! Deontay Wilder returns to the Barclays Center, where he has had a number of great moments throughout his career. In this PPV main event he is opposite “The Nordic Nightmare” Robert Helenius, who is actually a former sparring partner of Wilders. Helenius is coming off two consecutive stoppage victories over Polish Heavyweight Contender Adam Kownacki, which has put him in this spot for a marquee opportunity. There are questions surrounding which version of Deontay Wilder will we see come Saturday night, as he took a hellacious amount of punishment during his legendary trilogy with Tyson Fury. I believe that punch resistance will not be a problem here, and I am completely backing Wilder to return and add another devastating knockout to his historic count. I think the first few rounds will be won by Helenius, but once the mid rounds arrive he will be able to land his vaunted right hand and be victorious in his highly anticipated return.

My Pick: Deontay Wilder by Stoppage (-450)

I would also consider Wilder by Stoppage in Rounds 4-6 (+190), Wilder by Stoppage in Rounds 7-9 (+425)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Deontay Wilder ML (-800), Robert Helenius ML (+500)

Over 5.5 Rounds (-115), Under 5.5 Rounds (-110)

Wilder to win by decision (+600), Wilder to win by stoppage (-450)

Helenius to win by decision (+1400), Helenius to win by stoppage (+800)

Fight ends in a draw (+2500)

Fox PPV Co-Main: Caleb Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) vs Anthony Dirrell (34-2-2, 25 KOs)

12 Rounds WBC Super Middleweight Title Eliminator

Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Two former super middleweight champions meet in the co-main event of this weekend’s Fox Sports PPV. Caleb Plant is looking to rebound after suffering the first defeat of his pro career in his last fight, a late TKO loss to Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Dirrell was last in action on that undercard, scoring a knockout of the year candidate against Marcos Hernandez. Though I also view Plant as the favorite, I was caught off guard at how wide the odds actually were when they were released. Dirrell is a bit older as he will turn 38 tomorrow, and I agree with the oddsmakers that the overall boxing ability of Plant is most likely too much for Dirrell to deal with. I think that the warrior spirit of Dirrell will keep him in the fight; and if he is able to hurt Plant later in the fight, he could have a chance of pulling off the upset. With that being said, I am backing Plant to win by unanimous decision and get himself back in the title picture at 168lbs.

My Pick: Caleb Plant by Decision (-165)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Caleb Plant ML (-1200) vs Anthony Dirrell ML (+700)

Over 10.5 Rounds (-235), Under 10.5 Rounds (+180)

Plant to win by decision (-165), Plant to win by stoppage (+160)

Dirrell to win by decision (+1800), Dirrell to win by stoppage (+1100)

Fight ends in a draw (+2500)

Other Fights with Plays to Consider:

Gary Antonio Russell vs Emmanuel Rodriguez, WBA/IBF Bantamweight Title Eliminator

My Pick: Gary Antonio Russell by Decision (-110)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Gary Antonio Russell ML (-205) vs Emmanuel Rodriguez ML (+160)

Over 10.5 Rounds (-450), Under 10.5 Rounds (+320)

Russell to win by decision (-110), Russell to win by stoppage (+450)

Rodriguez to win by decision (+250), Rodriguez to win by stoppage (+750)

Fight ends in a draw (+1400)

Jason Moloney vs Nawaphon Kaikanha, WBC Bantamweight Title Eliminator

My Pick: Jason Moloney by Stoppage (-165)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Jason Moloney ML (-1000), Nawaphon Kaikanha ML (+600)

Over 8.5 Rounds (-115), Under 8.5 Rounds (-110)

Moloney to win by decision (+180), Moloney to win by stoppage (-165)

Kaikanha to win by decision (+1400), Kaikanha to win by stoppage (+1000)

Fight ends in a draw (+2200)

Andrew Moloney vs Norbelto Jimenez

My Pick: Andrew Moloney by Decision (-125)

Fight Odds Courtesy of DraftKings:

Andrew Moloney ML (-300), Norbelto Jimenez ML (+225)

Over 8.5 Rounds (-350), Under 8.5 Rounds (+255)

Moloney to win by decision (-125), Moloney to win by stoppage (+320)

Jimenez to win by decision (+400), Jimenez to win by stoppage (+700)

Fight ends in a draw (+1600)