John Thompson - 17-1, 6 KOs - was a longshot to win the eight-man ESPN Boxcino junior middleweight tournament this past May, but he shocked the boxing world by knocking out Brandon Adams in the second round of the finale. Now, he’s got an opportunity to take the world title from England’s Liam Smith - 20-0-1, 10 KOs - on the October 10 Saunders-Lee card in Manchester.
CURRENT ODDS
Our online boxing odds have Smith as a hefty favorite, with a -275 money line. Thompson is an even 2-to-1 underdog at +200. I’d expect the round total for this bout to be set at 11.5 rounds, with the over being the more expensive play. Because BookMaker updates their lines on a daily basis, the odds may shift as more action comes in. Once the fight starts, live betting is also available throughout match.
CAN LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE?
If you don’t know who John Thompson is, it’s ok - not many people do. What you should know is that he joined the Boxcino tournament a day before the quarterfinals as an alternate when Cleotis Pendarvis was dropped for not making weight. Thompson went on to win his next three bouts, beating Ricardo Pinnell, Stanyslav Skorokhod and Brandon Adams. Should he beat Smith, Thompson would be one of the most unlikely champions in the sport.
“I am ecstatic at the opportunity,” Thompson said. “I will take advantage of it, and I am ready to win and become world champion. It won’t feel like fighting the road. I have family in Scotland who will be at the fight. I’ve been there before, and that was a pleasure trip. I am coming this time for business.”
Smith, undefeated and ranked No. 3 by the WBO, is currently riding a five-fight knockout streak. Most recently, he put away David Ezquiel Romero in the seventh round to claim the WBO intercontinental title.
“I don’t care who’s in front of me,” said Smith. “Nobody is going to stop me from winning the world title. All I care about is Thompson and beating him and getting the belt around my waist. I’ve seen Thompson before, as I keep my eye on everyone in the division, as I might one day fight them. He’s tall and strong and can obviously bang a bit with his big upset in the Boxcino tournament.”
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
At 6’1”, Thompson is especially tall for the weight class and knows how to use his height. What’s more, he’s blends speed with an unorthodox style that confuses opponents. From there, he can pick fighters apart. The 26-year old is sometimes described as a throwback 1950’s type fighter with an old school style.
Smith is the more powerful fighter, although he’s not exactly known to be a knockout artist despite his recent string of KOs. There are a few people that doubt whether he should be a champion, as he hasn’t really faced a ton of top fighters yet. Thompson hardly qualifies as one for now, but he will provide a stern test for Smith.
It’s hard for me to trust Thompson right now, since he’s still so unproven. He looked superb in the Boxcino tournament, but that might be the case of getting hot at the right time. Against an upper echelon guy like Smith, I think his Cinderella story comes to an end.
HOW TO BET
Sign into BookMaker Sportsbook and get all the latest boxing odds, including moneylines, totals and prop bets for the Lee vs. Saunders card. The event takes place on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, U.K. With three scheduled title fights, jump in on the action and win big on fight night!
Make sure to check in during fight night and get the latest live betting updates. You can bet on Bookmaker Sportsbook on real-time odds during the bout, allowing you to hedge your bets or even make new ones as you watch on live television. And with multiple reliable payout options, collecting your earnings is always quick and easy.
