We saw Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dominate the field once again as he continues to make history in multiple weight divisions. Now look to the next big boxing fight, as Juan Francisco Entrada defends his WBC super flyweight title as he looks to unify belts in a bout against the Nicaraguan Roman Chocolatito Gonzalez.
The fight is slated for March 13 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The bout is a rematch that has been almost eight years in the making – with Gonzalez, the underdog in this fight, claiming victory by unanimous-decision back in 2012.
Times have changed since Chocolatito was the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, from late 2015 to the start of 2017, he still poses a real threat to the contender. Estrada starts out as a favorite, but does this mean Chocolatito’s days are numbered? Or, is there value in the boxing betting odds?
Our boxing experts have assessed the odds at the very best sportsbook providers available to Canadian bettors and made some free picks to guide those looking to get in the action this weekend.
Estrada to win outright (1.61)
Estrada goes into the bout the favorite and for good reason. He has the power advantage and has been more active in recent years, which may give him a slight edge. The Nicaraguan is slightly older but is experienced and its conditioning won’t make a difference on the night.
Gonzalez is used to being the underdog. He came in as the plus-money option in a bout against Khalid Yafai back in 2020, winning the bout via a ninth-round knockout to claim the WBA super-flyweight belt.
The odds are tight and probably reflect the situation. But, as the odds show, this will be a very tight fight with El Gallo likely to take a good number of rounds over the course of the bout.
Juan Francisco Estrada to win by KO/TKO/DQ (4.33)
Juan Francisco is a very skilled striker and possesses exceptional counters. He’s made a name for himself for punishing mistakes. While he isn’t the most active fighter in the ring, he prefers to wait for the right opportunity to open up.
Looking for the counter all the time can be detrimental, as we’ve seen many times over the years. This is much the case with Estrada, who has a tendency to stand with his hands low, waiting for a window to counter.
If Estrada can not fall into bad habits and stick to the plan – be on the front foot, acting as the aggressor in the fight – then he will likely come away with the win. Landing his signature hook and uppercut combinations should be enough to send Chocolatito to the mat.
Fight to go the distance (2.75)
This is a nice little prop bet to go alongside the bout betting picks we’ve discussed so far. Taking a look at what’s happened in recent fights for both fights, it looks as if the fight is less likely to go the distance – with some favorable odds available for this wager.
Taking a look at the last 5 fights for each fighter, 7 out of a combined 10 last fights have ended via KO/TKO. Moreover, the favorite in this fight Estrada has won his last two bouts via TKO.
