Tag Archives: betting

Posted on 02/20/2020

By: Hans Themistode

WBC Heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder and Lineal champ Tyson Fury is staging one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing this Saturday night. Everyone has an opinion as to how they think it’ll play out. If you’re interested in laying down a bit of money on the winner or if you want to take things a bit further and predict exactly how the contest will end, then you can find the complete odds for the fight below. 

For those that are new to the gambling world and need a bit of guidance than look no further. 

If you are a firm believer in Deontay Wilder and have decided to lay down some money on him, then a $100 bet will bring you back just over $90 in addition to the $100 you originally laid down in the first place. The same results will occur if you decide to take Fury instead since they both have the same odds. Another draw, although highly unlikely, is extremely profitable. At +2000 odds, a $100 bet will bring you back $2100 total.

Now that you’ve gotten a sense of how sports gambling works, take a look below and see if you like any of the odds for the big fight this Saturday night.

Fight Winner 

Deontay Wilder	-110
Tie	+2000
Tyson Fur	-110

How Many Rounds Will The Fight Go?

Under 2 rounds	+1000
2 Rounds or more	-5000

How Many Rounds Will The Fight Go?

Less than 4 rounds	+500
4 Rounds or more	-910

How Many Rounds Will The Fight Go?

Less than 6 rounds	+275
6 Rounds or more	-400

How Many Rounds Will The Fight Go?

Less than 8 rounds	+150
8 Rounds or more	-200

How Many Rounds Will The Fight Go?

Less than 10 rounds	+100
10 Rounds or more	-139

How Will Deontay Wilder Win? 

Deontay Wilder                                Rounds 1-4	+650
Deontay Wilder                                Rounds 5-8	+400
Deontay Wilder                                Rounds 9-12	+500
Deontay Wilder                                On Points	+800

How Will Tyson Fury Win? 

Tyson Fury                                         Rounds 1-4	+1600
Tyson Fury                                         Rounds 5-8	+1200
Tyson Fury                                         Rounds 9-12	+1600
Tyson Fury                                         On Points	+150

Will The Fight Go The Full 12 Rounds?

Yes	-110
No	-125

Down But Not Out

Deontay Wilder wins after being knocked down	+900
Tyson Fury wins after being knocked down	+550

Gone In 60 Seconds

Deontay Wilder wins in 60 seconds	+8000
Tyson Fury wins in 60 seconds	+20000

Individual Round Betting For Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder in Round 1	+3300
Deontay Wilder in Round 2	+2500
Deontay Wilder in Round 3	+2200
Deontay Wilder in Round 4	+2000
Deontay Wilder in Round 5	+1800
Deontay Wilder in Round 6	+1600
Deontay Wilder in Round 7	+1400
Deontay Wilder in Round 8	+1400
Deontay Wilder in Round 9	+1600
Deontay Wilder in Round 10	+2000
Deontay Wilder in Round 11	+2200
Deontay Wilder in Round 12	+3300

Individual Round Betting For Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury in Round 1	+8000
Tyson Fury in Round 2	+5000
Tyson Fury in Round 3	+5000
Tyson Fury in Round 4	+5000
Tyson Fury in Round 5	+4000
Tyson Fury in Round 6	+4000
Tyson Fury in Round 7	+4000
Tyson Fury in Round 8	+4000
Tyson Fury in Round 9	+4000
Tyson Fury in Round 10	+5000
Tyson Fury in Round 11	+6600
Tyson Fury in Round 12	+6600

Final Judgement

Deontay Wilder by Unanimous Decision	+1400
Deontay Wilder by Split Decision	+1800
Deontay Wilder by Majority Decision	+3300
Tyson Fury by Unanimous Decision	+250
Tyson Fury by Split Decision	+900
Tyson Fury by Majority Decision	+1800

Posted on 11/21/2019

By:Robert Aaron Contreras

Oddsmaking is a funny business, something like predicting the future. But when it comes to a rematch like this weekend’s Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz rewind, Wilder’s success in their initial meeting seems to have eliminated the fortuitous spirit of the wagering process.

Meeting again, on Saturday from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Wilder looks like a safe bet. The WBC champion is listed as high as a one-to-seven favorite (-700, Bet365). Ortiz opened at +300 and currently sits as steep as five-to-one (+501, SportBet). Nearly two years since their first go, Wilder remains unbeaten. He has now totaled 40 knockouts in his career. The highlight being of course that tenth-round KO over Ortiz.

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions Twitter Account

In 2018, Ortiz was also relegated to the underdog role, but much closer at nearly even odds. The Cuban southpaw opened at +170 to Wilder’s -189. Come fight night, the psaphonic American closed at -400. It served as a precedent because Wilder was priced at -400 upon inking the second deal with Ortiz.

The punters and bookies have been happy to again bank on Wilder’s haymakers, shifting the odds even more decidedly in his favor. Considering the boxers in discussion have already fought—one decisively beating the other—is it not that simple? Should not Wilder’s previous victory close the curtains on boxing’s theater of the unexpected?
Never. Not in the sport’s maximum category at least. Divisional icon Evander Holyfield does not think so either.

“Why give a guy another chance who is that good?” Holyfield reacted, via FightHype.com. “I don’t know why Wilder did it.”

At jeopardy for Wilder is a mega-unification with Tyson Fury following their split-decision draw at the end of last year. Holyfield recognizes Ortiz presents no small risk, no matter how wide Wilder’s odds grow.

As of late, Holyfield has been interactive with the media. Aged 57, he shared his interest in returning to the ring against Riddick Bowe before delivering his prediction of boxing’s other blockbuster rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua.

Ruiz’s triumphant upset over Joshua provided major leverage in the eyes the bookmakers. Once a +800 dog, the suoid champion faces Joshua again at +250. It is a huge shift but still not good enough to give Ruiz favorable odds. But favorable odds did not help Joshua in the slightest. They do not help anyone.
If they did then any grudge match of a 50-50 fight (as Wilder vs. Ortiz predictably was) should statistically lean toward the loser—just as 50 percent probability stipulates.

Recall that before the referee waved things off, the clash was dead even: Wilder counted for two knockdowns but was nearly finished by Ortiz in the seventh period. To be sure, it will not be the same Ortiz in the ring on Saturday. He is older after all, passing that frightening threshold into the golden 40s.

The challenger’s age, though, will not be the only thing different. Ortiz was vocal about chalking up his loss to Wilder to poor cardio, citing fatigue in the closing stages of their battle. For assistance he has linked up with nutrition and supplement guru Victor Conte. While Conte remains infamous for his role in the BALCO scandal of 2005, boxing’s elite continually praise his work. Devin Haney and Mikey Garcia were just a couple of the latest.

Work with Conte is paying dividends for Ortiz. Social media has chronicled the Cuban’s supreme physique. And BoxingScene reported his being in “better shape” than 2018’s version.

It is always easy to bet against the previous loser in the series. Memories are easily mistaken for intuition, images percolating into the imagination: a faceless referee standing over a sunken heap of Ortiz—warped like Picasso’s “Old Guitarist”—all to the backdrop of Wilder turning away smiling, toward the flashing cameras, victorious.

It happens. In May, Emanuel Navarrete doubled down on his doubters. He pelted away at Isaac Dogboe for the second time. The first was a massive seven-to-one upset for the super bantamweight crown.

But contrasting examples might be Canelo Alvarez’s rivalry with Gennady Golovkin. After much support for Golovkin the first time around, the Mexican luminary then made sure to make his closing unanimous decision stick. As the results did when he trumped Sergey Kovalev, the Russian who first extended Andre Ward—fighting equally, if not robbed—before being felled and stopped inside the distance. Kovalev was similarly crumbled at the hands of Eleider Alvarez before the next time wreaking vengeance.

One more. How many times was Juan Manuel Marquez turned away before putting Manny Pacquiao to sleep?

It is clear the only guarantee in rematches is a sorry ending for determinist thinking. Holyfield understands this. Bookies not so much.

Posted on 07/09/2019

By: Hans Themistode

For the vast majority of Manny Pacquiao’s career, he has stepped inside of the ring as the betting favorite. As an eight division world champion it’s easy to see why. On July 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will stand across the ring from current WBA Welterweight champion Keith Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs).

Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) is once again the betting favorite, but should he be?

Experience goes a long way in the sport of boxing, and Pacquiao has an abundance of it. In 1995 Thurman was running around his Kindergarten classroom preparing himself to do such things as recite the alphabet and getting in his daily naps. Pacquiao on the other hand, was making his boxing debut. The age gap between these two is an entire decade.

It isn’t just experience that has pushed Pacquiao as the favorite, at least in the eyes of the betting public. Although the resume of Thurman is impressive, it cannot compare to that of his adversary come July 20th. The eight division world champion has shared the ring with the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley Jr, Miguel Cotto and of course Floyd Mayweather. Simply put, there won’t be anything that Thurman can bring to the table come fight night that Pacquiao hasn’t seen before.

With the mental side of this bout squarely in the favor of Pacquiao, it is Thurman who holds a massive edge from a physical perspective. The WBA Welterweight title holder will enjoy a two inch height advantage and a four inch reach advantage. Thurman also seems to have a bit more pop in his punches as well. At age 40, and with 70 fights to his name, there is no doubt that the odometer of Pacquiao is reaching its critical point. Still, the betting public are fully expecting Pacquiao to get the job done come fight night.

The question has yet to be answered. Should Pacquiao be favored over his much younger opponent? No he should not.

Thurman is a truly great fighter that is in the prime of his career. Don’t be fooled by his last performance against Josesito Lopez. It was a contest where Thurman was expected to dominate. Instead, he struggled against the long time veteran fighter. Pay no attention to that performance as Thurman was ending a two year lay off and was just getting back into the thick of things. Expect him to look much more like the version of himself who outpointed both Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter.

Keith Thurman is being highly underestimated going into this contest. Pacquiao shouldn’t be the favorite going in, but he can very well still win it. This will be a close back forth contest. It’s anyones guess as to who exactly will win but Thurman should be viewed as the fighter who has the upper hand.

Posted on 09/14/2018

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is a special edition of the Boxing Insider Notebook; covering the comings and goings in the upcoming Canelo vs. Golovkin PPV Fight.

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/HBO

Official Weights for PPV Card
Canelo Alvarez (159.4 lbs) vs. Gennady Golovkin (159.6 lbs)
Jaime Munguia (154 lbs) vs. Brandon Cook (153.2 lbs)
David Lemieux (160 lbs) vs. Gary O’Sullivan (159.2 lbs)
Roman Gonzalez (114.8 lbs) vs. Moises Fuentes (116 lbs)
Vergil Ortiz Jr. (139.6 lbs) vs. Roberto Ortiz (139.8 lbs)
Alexis Rocha (148.4 lbs) vs. Carlos Ortiz (148 lbs)
Jaba Khositashvili (166.5 lbs) vs. Lawrence King (168.4 lbs)
Brian Ceballo (146.5 lbs) vs. David Thomas (146 lbs)

Abel Sanchez: Triple G Knocking Out Triple C Will Be a Public Service

T-Minus two days and counting until undefeated World Middleweight Champion and boxing’s superhero GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN makes his 21st and division record-breaking title defense. It’s taken nearly one year but Golovkin will finally get the rematch he and the world have craved, against former two-division world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. And what a long strange trip it’s been to get here.

“Triple G vs. Triple C is finally here,” declared Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer. “Canelo Con Carne is finally going to face the music from the man he has avoided most, Gennady Golovkin. All those months of excuses, the aiding and abetting and the enabling by Canelo’s team, will finally come to an end on Saturday night. Gennady is boxing’s longest-reigning world champion (since 2010) but I don’t think he has really been appreciated until he stood up for the sport of boxing and boxing fans after Canelo flunked two random drug tests in February. Instead of being upfront and honest about it, Canelo and his team trotted out an old wheeze about the Mexican beef industry. Instead of apologizing to Gennady, Canelo and his team continued to dress themselves in clothes made of entitlement and arrogance. No, Saturday night’s rematch isn’t about revenge, it’s about respect. It’s about Gennady defending the heritage of a great sport and the honor of that sport’s great fans. It’s about fairness, where two athletes compete on an even playing field, adhering to the rules and shining a light when others try to circumvent their own regulations. Sunshine is a great disinfectant.”

“Gennady has trained hard for this fight. He has had a different edge in this training camp and has trained with a purpose,” continued Sanchez. “To win a fight you have to try to win the fight. You win a fight by doing damage to your opponent and making it a battle. Does Gennady want to knock out Canelo on Saturday night? You betcha and it will be a public service to the sport and the Mexican beef industry he has selfishly maligned.”

Heralded Prospect Brian Ceballo In Action This Saturday Night on the Canelo-GGG Card
Undefeated welterweight Brian Ceballo will be back in action on the biggest card of 2018 when he takes on David Thomas in a scheduled six-round bout at The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The bout will be part of the highly anticipated card that will be headlined by the Middleweight World Title rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gannady Golovkin.

The Ceballo – Thomas bout is scheduled to be streamed live on Facebook.

The 24 year-old Ceballo of New York knows that this is a big opportunity when a lot of exposure to be showcased on this card.

“I’m very excited to be a part of a show of this this magnitude!,” said Ceballo. “I admire both of these fighters, and it’s a dream to be fighting on their undercard. I’m in the best shape of my life,” and the people who will be there will get to see the future of the welterweight of division.”

Ceballo’s co-manager, Tim VanNewhouse has high aspirations for Ceballo, and is looking forward to his fighter’s performance on the big stage.

“Brian’s has had a great start to his professional career. Adding him to the biggest show of the year is proof to that. Most prospects don’t get showcased on these platforms unless they are ready. I’m confident he’s going to impress, and continue to move up in the ranks.”

Ceballo is managed by Split-T Management and promoted by 360 Promotions.

Golovkin and Sanchez Working on Rereleasing a Classic

Fight Week is here. Finally. Undefeated WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golvkin will be looking to break a record everyone believed would remain untouched — the record he shares with the legendary Bernard Hopkins. On Saturday, Golovkin will attempt to make the 21st consecutive defense of the middleweight crown he has held since 2010, in a rematch against Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez. How fitting that Golovkin will be going for the record-breaker against Alvarez inasmuch as the co-promoters of Alvarez, Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya, will have front row seats to see it. Making it even more memorable, the Golovkin-Alvarez rematch will take place in the same city and on nearly the same date as the De La Hoya – Hopkins Middleweight World Championship fight which took place, on September 18, 2004.

“That was a defining fight for both Bernard and Oscar because of the way they fought and the way Bernard won. They both dared to be great,” said Abel Sanchez. “I reviewed the tape of that fight early in training camp and I saw how Bernard stopped Oscar dead in his tracks with a picture-perfect liver shot. I normally don’t like to give away our game plan but I don’t mind sharing this part of it, Gennady has trained and is prepared to do the same thing to Canelo. We have freshened it up and even gave it a name, The Ginger Snap. Personally, I think it would be poetic justice to break the record using the same type of punch that Bernard used on Oscar to unify the middleweight titles

“Saturday’s fight will define Gennady and Canelo. We are going to see if Canelo is coming to fight or coming to run, to survive, in hopes of receiving another gift from the judges,” continued Sanchez. “Gennady is ready to take the wind out of Canelo’s sails with that punch to the liver. Gennady doesn’t just fight Mexican Style, he fights like a Philadelphia fighter of old. Don’t be surprised if Gennady end things using a punch that is a throwback to those days — a classic liver shot — to puncture the Canelo myth once and for all. Bernard was the first fighter to stop Oscar and Gennady is looking to be the first one to stop Canelo

GGG Promises More Action in Rematch

While he wouldn’t comment whether or not the title fight versus Canelo Alvarez would go the distance in an exclusive interview with GetMoreSports.com, Gennady Golovkin said that there would be more emotion, drama and action.

Currently, BetDSI Sportsbook has Golovkin listed as a -160 favorite while Alvarez is a +130 underdog. The fight total is set at 11.5 rounds, with heavy juice (-235) on the over.

Golovkin trainer Abel Sanchez also gives his take on the fight, Donal Trump and more in a wide-ranging interview here.

Below are props for the WBA/IBF/WBC Middleweight Title Bout from BetDSI:

Fight Outcome

Alvarez to win by KO,TKO or DQ +700
Alvarez to win by Decision/Tech Decision +160
Golovkin to win by KO,TKO or DQ +200
Golovkin to win by Decision/Tech Decision +155
Draw or Technical Draw +1400

Round Betting

Alvarez to win in Round 1 +6500
Alvarez to win in Round 2 +4800
Alvarez to win in Round 3 +4800
Alvarez to win in Round 4 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 5 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 6 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 7 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 8 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 9 +3800
Alvarez to win in Round 10 +4500
Alvarez to win in Round 11 +4500
Alvarez to win in Round 12 +6500
Alvarez to win by Decision/Tech Decision +160
Golovkin to win in Round 1 +3000
Golovkin to win in Round 2 +2500
Golovkin to win in Round 3 +2000
Golovkin to win in Round 4 +1800
Golovkin to win in Round 5 +1500
Golovkin to win in Round 6 +1500
Golovkin to win in Round 7 +1500
Golovkin to win in Round 8 +1600
Golovkin to win in Round 9 +1800
Golovkin to win in Round 10 +2000
Golovkin to win in Round 11 +2300
Golovkin to win in Round 12 +2500
Golovkin to win by Decision/Tech Decision +155
Draw or Technical Draw +1400

Canelo vs. GGG Coming to 450+ Movie Theatres

This Saturday, Sept. 15 — don’t miss the highly anticipated rematch of the yearLIVE on the big screen. The epic showdown between two of the most explosive, heavy-handed fighters in any division in the sport today, Canelo Alvarez andGennady Golovkin, will be broadcast LIVE from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to movie theaters nationwide – 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 6pm MT / 5pm PT. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fathomevents.com/events/canelo-vs-golovkin or at participating theater box offices.

Watch the event trailer here: https://youtu.be/Oax1yE1DlbY

In the co-main event, Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KOs) will make the second defense of his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title against contender Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (20-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round battle. Former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (39-4, 33 KOs) and Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (28-2, 20 KOs) of Cork, Ireland will go head-to-head in a 12-round middleweight battle. Former pound-for-pound king and former four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) will make his highly anticipated return against Moises “Moi” Fuentes (25-5-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight battle.

A complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Posted on 02/13/2018

By: Bryant Romero

The stage is set for the Crusierweight final of the Word Boxing Super Series. Oleksandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) of Ukraine will take on Murat Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs) of Russia for all the marbles of the cruiserweight division in an unusual location for a prize fight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 11. Perhaps a change in location could be in the cards since its being reported that Russia is pushing hard to land the cruiserweight final. Though it would be fair to both finalists to fight on neutral soil, especially since Usyk has already had to fight on hostile territory on two occasions in this tournament.

The 31-year-old Usyk has opened as high as a 3-1 favorite to defeat Gassiev , according to the 5dimes sportsbook. Usyk is coming off a hard fought battle against Latavia’s Mairis Briedis (23-1, 18 KOs) in a good scrap between two undefeated champions. Usyk was legitimately tested for the first time in his so far brief pro career. The Ukrainian however, was able to separate himself though as the rounds progressed, showing a superior workrate, and consistently outboxing Briedis while coming forward. It was the most competitive fight of Usyk’s pro career, but he was the rightful and clear winner earning a majority decision on the scorecards.

It’s only early February but Gassiev on the other hand was already in a fight of the year candidate with Yunier Dorticos (22-1, 21 KOs) of Cuba. In an anticipated matchup between explosive punchers, it sure lived up to the hype as Gassiev and Dorticos produced a dramatic battle at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Alder, Russia. Dorticos started fast giving Gassiev problems with his range, long jab, and workrate. The 24-year-old Gassiev however, was able to turn the fight around after a slow start and slowly but surely started to pick apart the shaky defense of the 31-year-old Cuban. Gassiev would score 3 knockdowns in the 12th and final round forcing a stoppage and sealing the victory, while unifying the IBF and WBA titles in the process.

Gassiev seems very mature beyond his 24 years of age but he will have an uphill battle with Usyk who brings in a very extensive amateur background, pedigree, and a much different boxing style compared to Gassiev’s last two opponents. Usyk’s boxing style has given him the comparisons of being a cruiserweight Lomachenko and he should be the favorite coming into this bout. However, the confidence Gassiev will bring into the fight after unifying two titles and under the guidance of his coach Abel Sanchez who also trains Gennady Golovkin, we could be in for a dramatic battle of this cruiserweight final. May the best man win.

Posted on 06/18/2017

Conor McGregor May Play Possum against Floyd Mayweather; So What?
By Ivan G. Goldman

When he accepted a fight against the UFC’s Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather in one brilliant stroke secured a magic 50-0 record, revitalized his celebrity status, and concluded a deal that will earn him lots and lots of millions, maybe even more millions than when he vanquished one-armed out-slicked Manny Pacquiao two years ago in the largest grossing boxing match ever. And he accomplishes all this with little risk to his health or reputation.

Given these facts, Floyd is a man who clearly doesn’t need much in the way of advice. Still, if I were advising Floyd I’d emphasize one simple idea: don’t fall for any tricks. Because as the referee will instruct you, you must protect yourself at all times.

Playing possum would be a corny move on McGregor’s part, but let’s face it, this is a corny spectacle. A guy with no chance boxing a boxing genius. No octagon, no kicking, no limb-bending, and no wrestling beyond what transpires in a boxing clinch. This will be like a human trying to outrun a racehorse.

Yet plenty of folks will root for and talk themselves into expecting a Rocky kind of ending, where, damn the odds, the no-chance underdog comes from behind with a massive punch to trample odds into dust. Some of them have already put their money on it, which explains why the line, the last I checked, was only -650 Mayweather, +425 McGregor. McGregor bettors are risking $100 against a profit of only $425, which is like putting $100 on a hunch that the Earth is flat. It ought to pay better.

But so far at least, MMA zealots are keeping the line respectable by moving money to the crazy side of the gamble. Although it’s also true a 40-year-old who hasn’t competed in more than two years will be facing an active 29-year-old.

Expect to see a flustered Irishman being peppered minute by minute by a master and unable to do a thing about it. Notice I say peppered, not hammered. Floyd doesn’t, as a rule, hammer opponents. But he usually destroys them. He accomplishes this with speed and boxing science and above all, defense. Really good boxers have trouble landing clean shots against Floyd, and a non-boxer will find it impossible.

I know there’s an element of boxing in MMA, but the fighters employ it under such different circumstances that it’s not boxing. It only looks that way. This, by the way, is not intended to disparage mixed martial arts fighters. They’re tough guys in a tough sport, and if Mayweather-McGregor transpired under MMA rules Floyd would have only the barest of chances.

If in the course of time McGregor looks like a wobbly beaten fighter who can’t take one more punch, Floyd should assume he’s faking and proceed with caution. But of course he’s been doing that for most of his career. When’s the last time you saw him go in for the kill? For that matter, when’s the last time you felt after watching one of his bouts, “Man, that was some fight!”?

He’s created his great career by patiently taking his opponents apart and then continuing to take them apart in a round-after-round beat-down that morphs into an unspoken deal between the two fighters: They both get to finish on their feet as long as no one tries to get cute.

Fans apparently flock to Mayweather fights hoping someone will shut his big mouth, but the fact is, he’s great at what he does and also is in fact tough. We’ve seen him hurt from time to time, and he doesn’t panic, doesn’t go down. He fights back and prevails.

There have already been several matches between fighters from different sections of the combat spectrum. They tend to be either boring, not memorable or both.

In 1976 Muhammad Ali took on Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki, who practiced an early variant of mixed martial arts. For most of the fight, conducted under a smorgasbord of rules, Inoki lay on his back like an upside down water bug, kicking at Ali’s legs. A draw after fifteen tedious rounds. Fans threw trash into the ring, and everyone who paid to see it got screwed.

Seven years ago aging master boxer James Toney, in need of a paycheck, took on MMA fighter Randy Couture in a cage. Toney was taken to the ground early and tapped out after 3 minutes, 19 seconds. Everyone who paid to see it got screwed.

Hardcore boxing fans know what to expect August 26 at the MGM Grand, a relatively small venue favored by Floyd. They foresee a huge buildup bursting with pizzazz followed by not much of a fight. But they may well be outnumbered by MMA fans and casual onlookers who don’t know much about either sport.

A boxing trainer friend of mine, Anthony Huizar, who operates out of Carson, California, is plugged into the ticket maze and expects to come up with a seat. He’s “going for the spectacle,” he told me.

Most tickets will likely be scalped through middlemen by the two fight camps and whatever prices are printed on them will be only a fraction of what fans actually pay, unless they’re super-high rollers, who don’t generally have to pay for anything in Las Vegas.

The sportsbooks’ over/under line is telling. It’s set at nine and ½ rounds, and the under is favored by -180. Bettors expect someone to get stopped, which would have to be precipitated by serious action. Hope springs eternal.

Ivan G. Goldman’s 5th novel The Debtor Class is a ‘gripping …triumphant read,’ says Publishers Weekly. A future cult classic with ‘howlingly funny dialogue,’ says Booklist. Available from Permanent Press and wherever fine books are sold. Goldman is a New York Times best-selling author.