Light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk will defend his World Boxing Council title belt against heavy underdog Doudou Ngumbu at Philadelphia on March 30 with ESPN and ESPN Deportes providing the television broadcast. Gvozdyk has never lost a fight in his professional career and is a prohibitive favorite against veteran Doudou Ngumbu, who many fight cappers believe is past his prime. This will be only the second time that Ngumbu has ever fought in a major title bout. As for Gvozdyk he has been celebrated ever since winning an Olympic medal for Ukraine in 2012. He has enjoyed a rapid rise in the professional ranks.
Let’s take a look at the boxing odds at BookMaker.eu, break down the matchup and go over your betting options.
Boxing Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oleksandr Gvozdyk -7500
Doudou Ngumbu +2500
Over/under rounds - Check Back Later
The bout between Challenger Doudou Ngumbu (38-8, 14 knockouts) and defending champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk (16-0, 13 knockouts) will take place on March 30, 2019 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds and is for the World Boxing Council world light heavyweight championship. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will cover this championship bout.
Fight Preview
For Oleksandr Gvozdyk this fight may be considered a mismatch but he is definitely taking nothing for granted. His work ethic and the price that he has had to pay as a champion is something that motivates him for future success. He certainly does not give off the vibe of resting on his laurels.
“It was a long journey for me to become a world champion, and I plan on showing everyone why I am the best light heavyweight in the world,” said Gvozdyk. “Ngumbu is a tough fighter who I cannot afford to overlook. My goal in 2019 is to unify with the other champions, but before I can do that, I have to take care of business on March 30.”
Indeed, Gvozdyk has moved quickly up the standings since turning pro after his successful Olympic career. He has emulated his close friends and former Olympic teammates Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk in that regard. Lomachenko is the top-rated pound for pound fighter in the world as well as the unified lightweight champion while Oleksandr Usyk is the undisputed cruiserweight champion in his own right.
Under the tutelage of trainer Teddy Atlas, Gvozdyk a world champion with a knockout win over Adonis Stevenson on December 1 in Quebec City. It was the 10th title defense for Stevenson who remains out due to a brain injury that he suffered in the 11th round knockout loss. Stevenson was the champion for five and a half years before Gvozdyk took him out in devastating fashion.
Ngumbu is 38 years old and a native of the Congo that now resides in France. Despite all of his experience he has not been able to get over the championship hump. In his last bout Ngumbu earned a majority decision win over Yoann Kongolo, who was undefeated for his career before the fight. It put Ngumbu back on track for a shot at a championship after losing the only world championship bout of his career to Igor Mikhalkin. It was the second time that Ngumbu had lost to Mikhalkin. This shot at a world championship against Gvozdyk was unexpected, coming sooner than anticipated.
“I have the utmost respect for Oleksandr Gvozdyk. It is not going to be easy but I believe I am much more experienced as a pro and I intend to use that to my advantage,” said Ngumbu.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Doudou Ngumbu Boxing Betting Tips
The price on Gvozdyk is sky high but with plenty of good reason. Ngumbu is totally outclassed here and should go down with little difficulty.
Boxing Odds Pick: Oleksandr Gvozdyk
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With the boxing odds at BookMaker Sportsbook, you can bet on boxing all year, from smaller cards to pay-per-view events. Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook. Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Doudou Ngumbu takes place on March 30, 2019 at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The fight can be seen on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
