For Felix Sturm, going 0-2-1 in his last three bouts can net a title shot. Just one fight after losing to Fedor Chudinov via split decision in a bout for the vacant WBA super middleweight title, the German star is getting an immediate rematch. Chudinov will likely want to beat Sturm convincingly to solidify his claim on the title and put the German star in his rearview mirror for good.
Boxing odds at BookMaker.eu
Fedor Chudinov -205
Felix Sturm +350
Please note, the odds listed here may have changed, as BookMaker updates their lines on a daily basis.
ODDS ANALYSIS
There’s not a lot to debate here. Chudinov already beat Sturm pretty handily, despite the fact that a judge puzzlingly scored the fight 116-112 in favor of Sturm. The only trouble the German gave Chudinov was a brief flurry in the sixth and seventh rounds of their May encounter. Other than that, it was clear that the Russian was a superior fighter. I’d expect Chudinov to become more expensive leading up to fight night.
THE LEAD-IN
After defeating Sturm, Chudinov defended his title against Frank Buglioni with a unanimous decision victory. Buglioni helped the champ by earning a two-point deduction for punching Chudinov after the bell and sending him to the canvas. But it was a comfortable win otherwise for the new champion.
Now, Chudinov will rematch Sturm, whose career is floundering at age 36. In 2014, he lost a unanimous decision to Sam Soliman in fight for the IBF belt. Then, he fought Robert Stieglitz to a draw in later that year. That bout led into his failed title match with Chudinov. Sturm hasn’t won a fight in over a year going into the rematch.
The guy that loses the most is WBA interim champion Vincent Feigenbutz, who has been pining to unify the belts. It’s easy to see why Chudinov would elect to fight Sturm instead of the exciting 20-year old Feigenbutz. Sturm is a bigger name, a larger purse and less of a risk. For a puncher like Chudinov, a slugger like Feigenbutz is an unnecessary risk.
Sturm would love nothing more than to face fellow German star and WBO champion Arthur Abraham. Winning the WBA title from Chudinov would legitimize the fight as a champion vs. champion affair. Sturm could plausibly still fight Abraham after a loss, but it’s hard to get excited about a challenger who is 0-3-1 in his past four.
It’s a calculated risk for Sturm, who has no easy task in the hard-hitting Chudinov. But there are a few things working in his favor. One, the fight will take place in Germany, where Sturm has proven extremely difficult to beat. Two, Sturm knows what to expect in a rematch, having faced Chudinov before. However, he’s got a ton of adjustments to make based on their previous encounter.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
If their first fight was close at all, I might be swayed to pick Sturm here. But to anyone watching, Chudinov was a clear winner and there really wasn’t any controversy around it. In fact, the only thing you could argue was that it should have been a unanimous decision. Chudinov’s power clearly bothered Sturm, and that’s not something will change in an immediate rematch.
PREDICTION: CHUDINOV UD STURM
BET ON BOXING NOW
Get the latest betting updates at BookMaker Sportsbook now. You can bet on real-time odds during the bout, allowing you to hedge your bets or even make new ones as you watch on live television. Chudinov-Sturm takes place Saturday, December 5, 2015 in Germany.
