In a WBO welterweight title fight, Terence Crawford and Kell Brook meet Saturday at the Top Rank Bubble in Las Vegas. The fighters will battle for the belts in the 147-pound weight class. The fight card kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with the main event at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Crawford vs. Brook tale of the tape
Crawford (36-0) puts his unbeaten record on the line, and he is an overwhelming favorite with a near 90-percentage probability of picking up the win Saturday night. He will look to use his punching power and quick hand speed to push past Brook (39-2). His most recent showing came against Egidijus Kavaliauskas in a ninth-round knockout last December, and “Bud” has picked up KO/TKO wins over Jose Benavidez Jr., Jeff Horn, Julius Indongo and Amir Khan, an impressive list of competitors he has conquered. In fact, none of Crawford’s fights have ended up going to the judges all the way since 2016. He is looking to push past this opponent, setting up a fight against someone like Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence Jr. or Keith Thurman.
Brook (39-2) held the IBF welterweight belt for three years from 2014 to 2017, so he is definitely no slouch. His most recent showing was a seventh-round TKO over Mark DeLuca in February, claiming the WBO Inter-Continental light middleweight crown. In the official tale of the tape, he enters this bout with an 11-centimeter disadvantage in terms of reach. He pushed past Porter in 2014, but his star is fading fast. Rust might also be a factor here, as Brook has just one fight under his belt since Dec. 2018. His cardio against one of the division’s best is a huge question.
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Crawford vs. Brook betting odds, predictions and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 7:40 a.m. ET.
Crawford (-1429 on the 3-way line) is an overwhelming favorite, and you cannot risk $14.29 for every $1 earned, even if a win seems almost certain. AVOID.
Crawford’s fights in the past four years haven’t needed to get the judges involved, and this one should be no different. A Brook (+700) wager wouldn’t be worth the paper it’s printed upon. Look to CRAWFORD BY KO/TKO/TECHNICAL DECISION OR DQ (-250) for a much better price, albeit still a tad steep for my liking.
The way to make money in these bouts with heavy favorites is to target a block of rounds. I like CRAWFORD IN ROUND 8 (+1000), CRAWFORD IN ROUND 9 (+1000) and CRAWFORD IN ROUND 10 (+1000). Yes, you will lose two of those wagers, but if he wins in one of those rounds, you’ll be well ahead. In fact, even a four-round block isn’t a terrible idea. Or, you can also look to Round Group Betting, choosing CRAWFORD IN ROUNDS 9-12 (+250). If he wins in Rounds 9 through 12, but not on points or a decision, you would cash.
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