Top Boxing Betting Picks of the Week – May 21st

If you’re a boxing betting enthusiast that is looking for some fun-filled – and value-pack – action over the course of the coming week, then look no further. Thanks to the boxing odds analysis that you’re about to get, you could cash in twice on a pair of championship title bouts this week. Let’s get started.

Top Boxing Betting Picks of the Week – May 21st

IT’S FIGHT WEEK!! 🇬🇧👑 @JamieMcdonnell1 defends his World Title this Friday in Tokyo!👑 @iam_yafai defends his World Title this Saturday in Fresno, California!#AndStill #McDonnellinoue #YafaiCarmona pic.twitter.com/VxvlFh28lY

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) 21 de mayo de 2018

Ganigan Lopez (29-7) vs. Ken Shiro (12-0)

• When: Friday, May 25, 2018
• Where: Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
• Boxing Betting Odds: TBA

36-year-old Mexican champion Ganigan Lopez stands 5’5” and has a 65-inch reach. Lopez enters this bout coming off a TKO win over Efren Bautista in November that came after he was beaten by Shiro via majority decision in Ariake Colosseum in Japan in May. The southpaw has gone 4-1 over his last five bouts and 9-2 over his last 11 fights. Lopez has recorded two TKO finishes over his last four victories as he gets set to make his fourth career appearance in Japan.Ken Shiro enters this bout coming off a fourth-round TKO win over Gilberto Pedroza in December at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama, Japan.Shiro sports an unblemished12-0 record that includes six knockouts. Shiro fought three times in 2017 and won the WBC lightweight title by beating Lopez in May. The 26-year-old Shiro stands 5’4” and has a 64-inch reach and an orthodox stance.

Prediction

Ken Shiro is the younger and more talented fighter in this rematch bout and he’s the easy pick to get the win over the aging Ganigan Lopez. If Ganigan Lopez doesn’t get the clear-cut win or win via KO (he won’t) then he’ll be taking another step toward retirement. Shiro is younger, faster and stronger, making the outcome of this bout a virtual lock. Ken Shiro wins via Unanimous Decision.Pick: Ken Shiro via Unanimous Decision

Naoya Inoue (15-0) vs. Jamie McDonnell (29-2-1)

• When: Friday, May 25, 2018
• Where: Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
• Boxing Betting Odds: Naoya Inoue -2000 / Jamie McDonnell +900

25-year-old Japanese star Naoya Inoue enters this fight with a pristine 15-0 record that includes an impressive 13 knockouts including his third round TKO win over Yoan Boyeaux in December. Inoue, who stands, 5’5” and has a 67-inch reach, fights out of an orthodox stance and will make his first appearance in the ring in 2018 after fighting three times a year ago and recording a pair of TKO wins including his last victory. Inoue initially won the WBO bantamweight title back in December 2015 and has made seven successful title defenses since then. He fights out of his home country for the 15th time in 16 career bouts.32-year-old Brit Jamie McDonnell enters this fight with a solid 29-2-1 record that includes 13 knockouts. McDonnell hasn’t lost a fight since way back in 2008 when he lost two straight against Chris Edwards and Lee Haskins. McDonnell is coming off a No Contest decision against Liborio Solis in November that came on the heels of his unanimous decision win over Solis one year earlier. McDonnell has a significant size advantage in this title bout as he stands 5’10” has a 72-inch while fighting out of an orthodox stance.

Prediction

I really like Jamie McDonnell and I think he stands a decent chance of winning this title bout if he gets the super-convincing or KO win over Naoya Inoue. Unfortunately, I just don’t see that happening, particularly with this fight taking place in Japan. No, the likeliest scenario is that Inoue gets the decision victory to remain unbeaten.Pick: Naoya Inoue via Majority Decision