WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder - 35-0, 34 KOs - took his time choosing an opponent for his title defense on January 16. Unfortunately for the fans, it's not somebody to really get excited about. Wilder's next challenge will be Poland's Artur Szpilka - 20-1, 15 KOs - in what should be an easy, stay-busy fight for the champ. Hopefully, Wilder will step into the ring against Tyson Fury sooner than later.
Boxing odds at BookMaker.eu
Deontay Wilder -2500
Artur Szpilka +800
Please note, the lines referenced here may have changed, as BookMaker updates their odds on a daily basis. For a full list of prop bets, sign into the sportsbook and click on prop bets.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The boxing odds at BookMaker are as expected for a stay-busy fight. Wilder is a massive favorite against an overmatched opponent. We've got a relatively low over/under on rounds, which speaks to the fact that Wilder has KO'd every opponent save for one lucky soul. I wouldn't expect much movement on the money lines, which is already pretty much maxed out against Wilder.
GEARING UP FOR THE BIG BOYS
The 6'7'' Wilder is simply staying active before his defense against WBC No. 1 contender Alexander Povetkin next year. In Szpilka, Wilder has an opponent who mimics Povetkin in a lot of ways. In some sense, this is a glorified sparring match for the champ.
That's not to say Szpilka is a total scrub. This is a guy that surprised a lot of people by beating the respected Tomasz Adamek in a 10-round unanimous decision last November. Not many expected him to win, much less batter Adamek for such an easy victory. Szpilka then went on to score an early KO over Yasmany Consuegra.
The 26-year old southpaw is a native of Poland, a country with a deep love of combat sports. And given the large Polish population in New York, Szpilka could have a huge contingent of fans at the Barclay center. The nation has never had a heavyweight champion, so if by some miracle he's able to defeat Wilder, he could make history.
But that's likely not going to happen. Wilder is at the top of his game right now, and has advantages in every aspect of the fight. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist is the first American heavyweight world titleholder since Shannon Briggs lost his belt in 2006. He's made two easy defenses so far, knocking out Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas.
Fans would love to see Wilder in the ring against a guy like Amir Mansour or Shannon Briggs. The big money fight, of course, is a title unification matchup against Tyson Fury. But for now, we'll have to be content with watching him take out Szpilka and most likely tack on another KO to his resume.
THE EARLY PLAYS
While an upset would be a nice story for Szpilka, it's almost certainly not happening here. Of course, nobody really expected Tyson Fury to beat Wladimir Klitschko, so anything could happen. But really, it's not happening. Szpilka hits hard enough to make it interesting, but Wilder is a far better boxer overall. Take Wilder to win by TKO.
HOW TO BET
Access betting lines at BookMaker Sportsbook and start wagering now. With our live betting options, you can also wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Wilder-Szpilka takes place Saturday, January 16, 2016 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The card will be televised by Showtime Championship Boxing.
