We get a 12-round WBO interim junior lightweight title bout Saturday when Shakur Stevenson and Jeremiah Nakathila meet at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. The fight is set for approximately 11:59 p.m. ET, with the undercard beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Below, we break down the Stevenson vs. Nakathila odds, with boxing picks and predictions. The fight card is televised on ESPN while streaming on fuboTV.
Stevenson vs. Nakathila: Fight odds
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Shakur Stevenson -5000 (bet $5,000 to win $100) | Jeremiah Nakathila +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400) | Draw +2500
Stevenson has an implied win probability of 98.04% with the -5000 money line odds. Those odds can be expressed as a fraction of 1/50 or a decimal of 1.02.
Stevenson vs. Nakathila: Tale of the tape
Shakur Stevenson (-5000)
It’s not a matter of if, but when, for Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs). The heavy favorite is expected to easily push past Nakathila in Vegas, and it appears Jamel Herring will be next on the horizon in a lead-up to a potential fight with Oscar Valdez.
But first things first, Stevenson needs to get it done here, and get it done with style. He should be able to do just that against a rather green fighter. Stevenson is an outstanding defensive boxer, as his opponents land just 4.9 punches per round, according to CompuBox data.
The junior lightweight average is 16.5 punches per round. And his past six opponents have landed only 0.9 jabs per round, while landing 1,249 punches to just 351 for his opponents so far in his pro career. This one will be a lopsided affair, too.
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Jeremiah Nakathila (+1400)
Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) is a 31-year-old fighter from Namibia, and he has fought just once outside of his native country, and that was a ninth-round knockout of Prince Dlomo in Cape Town, South Africa on Dec. 28, 2018.
He has never faced anyone near the skill of Stevenson, and it’s going to get ugly really quick.
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Stevenson vs. Nakathila: Odds, predictions and picks
This is a tune-up fight for Stevenson, who has his eyes on a much, much bigger prize than the vacant WBO title.
Still, you cannot bet $100 for every $2 won. That’s just ridiculous risk for not enough return. Let’s get specific instead.
Playing STEVENSON BY KO/TKO/TECHNICAL DECISION OR DQ (-250) for the method of victory is a much more economical way to go. In addition, you can shave some risk off of that by playing LESS THAN 11 ROUNDS (-200).
If you look to the Round Group Betting 2 section, consider taking STEVENSON IN ROUNDS 5-8 (+200) for a chance to double up. That’s your best bet for getting the most bang out of your betting buck in this potentially lopsided affair.
If you want some action on this bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
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