It’s a busy week for boxing, with competing events on HBO and Showtime on June 11. In Verona, New York, Ruslan Provodnikov will face former world title challenger John Molina in what should be a barnburner. Across state at Madison Square Garden, Vasyl Lomachenko squares off against Roman “Rocky Martinez” in a Showtime tripleheader.
These are two major cards on the same night, which means there’s plenty of action to break down. Let’s jump into it.
Bet on boxing odds at BookMaker.eu
Please note, the boxing odds at BookMaker are updated on daily basis. The lines listed here may have changed since this article was posted.
June 11, 2016
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Coverage: HBO
Vasyl Lomachenko -2000
Roman Martinez +1100
Vasyl Lomachenko - 5-1, 3 KOs - a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Ukraine and one of the most decorated amateur boxers ever, will move up from featherweight to challenge Roman Martinez - 29-2-3, 17 KOs - for the WBO super featherweight title.
It’s a move that Lomachenko probably should have made a long time ago. Most of the top featherweights are refusing to meet him -- and for good reason. Lomachenko is pretty much skipping the “resume-building” portion that many boxers forego early on in their careers and gunning straight for the top dogs.
If Lomachenko can beat Martinez, he would set a record by winning a world championship in just his seventh pro fight. As it stands right now, Lomachenko is a 20-to-1 favorite to do so -- making him a very expensive proposition. But he’s been extremely impressive thus far and should have no problem getting past Martinez.
ALSO ON THE CARD
Felix Verdejo -2600 vs. Juan Jose Martinez +1400
Jozsef Ajtai +3000 vs. Shiming Zou -5500
Undefeated WBO Latino lightweight champion Felix Verdejo - 21-0, 14 KOs - the 2014 ESPN prospect of the year will meet Mexico’s Juan Jose Martinez - 25-2, 17 KOs - in the 10-round co-feature. Although Verdejo has been tabbed as a future star, he really struggled in his last bout against a mid-tier lightweight in William Silva. He needs a big performance against Juan Jose Martinez to reclaim some of his shine.
Flyweight champion Zou Shiming will continue to lead Chinese boxing as he meets 19-year old Jozsef Atjai in a non-title 10-rounder. Zou is a three-time Olympic gold medalist who has been impressive against international opponents, but sooner or later he needs to face a real opponent.
June 11, 2016
Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona N.Y.
Coverage: Showtime 9 p.m.
John Molina +550
Ruslan Provodnikov -750
Provodnikov - 25-4, 18 KOs - won the 2013 Fight of the Year in an all-out war with Timothy Bradley. John Molina - 28-6, 23 KOs - won the same accolade the following year for his knockout win over Lucas Matthysse. Now, the former champions will square off in what should be an action-packed matchup.
The 33-year old Molina is a big underdog coming into the bout, as he’s just 1-3 in his past four. He’s coming off a win over journeyman Jorge Romero, but he’s going to have to turn it up against Provodnikov, who is known for his intense ferocity inside the ring.
ALSO ON THE CARD:
Willie Nelson +540 vs. Demetrius Andrade -750
Emiliano Marsili +1000 vs. Dejan Zlaticanin -1700
Mario Heredia +2000 vs. Andrey Fedosov -3500
Former junior middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade - 22-0 15 KOs - will take a step towards reclaiming world title he lost due to inactivity in a title eliminator against Cleveland’s Willie Nelson - 25-2-1, 15 KOs. Andrade, a former amateur world champion and a 2008 U.S. Olympian, beat Vanes Martirosyan in 2013 to win the vacant world title and defended it once against Brian Rose in June 2014.
But problems with his promoters put the 28-year old southpaw on the sidelines for an extended period of time, causing him to be stripped of his title. Now, he meets Nelson, who comes into the matchup with two straight wins after losing to Martirosyan in 2014.
In a lightweight world title bout, Montenegro’s Dejan Zlaticanin - 21-0, 14 KOs - is set to clash with Emiliano Marsili - 32-0-1, 14 KOs. Zlacatinin is a mandatory challenger who was actually supposed to face Jorge Linares, but Linares was stripped of his title after fracturing his right hand. He shouldn’t have too many problems with Marsili, who is virtually unknown outside of his native Italy.
Bet on boxing odds at BookMaker Now
HOW TO BET
With BookMaker Sportsbook, you can bet on boxing all year, from regional cards to pay-per-view events. Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook. You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today!
