This Saturday (August 1, 2015) at the Stadium Southland in Invercargill, New Zealand a Welterweight 10-round bout between Jeff Horn (10-0-1) and the experienced Viktor Plotnykov (32-2). Right now Plotnikov comes in as the underdog paying (+230), with the return on Horn paying at (-310). Horn turned pro shortly after his 2012 London Olympics appearance where he advanced to the quarter finals as a Light Welterweight. This card also features New Zealand’s top heavyweight prospect in Joseph Parker (14-0), as he faces Australia’s Bowie Tupou (25-3). If a line for that fight is posted, expect Parker to be a heavy favorite. The Stadio Comunale Cetorelli in Fiumicino, Italy sees the vacant WBC Silver title at Lightweight filled as Italy’s Emiliano Marsili (31-0-1) faces the experienced Mexican Gamaliel Diaz (38-12-3). Diaz is coming in as the underdog, paying (+475), with Marsili paying back (-825). Marsili has been the EBU Lightweight Champion since 2012, keeping the belt through four title defenses. The lone blemish on his record is a draw that came back in 2006. Diaz’s record is spotted with early losses, but a solid run saw him capture the WBC World Super Featherweight title back in October of 2012. Since then, the jump in level of competition has resulted in a 1-3-1 record since winning the world title, and he is fighting a weight class up in this one. More lines have popped up for the Craven Park Stadium show in the U.K. A Lightweight 10-round bout sees popular former world champion Ricky Burns (37-5-1) return to face Prince Ofotsu (15-4). Burns is a big favorite paying at (-4500), with the comeback on Ofotsu paying (+1500) . Burns held the WBO World title at Super Featherweight for a long time, but since mid-2013 he has gone (1-3-1) in five fights, so this fight was booked for him to add a win. Heavyweights are featured in an 8 round fight as Dillian White (14-0) faces Brazil’s Irineu Beato Costa Junior (17-4). Along with his still undefeated record, White own a win in the amateur ranks over Anthony Joshua, who is the British heavyweight darling nowadays. White was in the mix to face Joshua in September, but Joshua signed to fight Gary Cornish instead. A win over Costa Junior is expected, and White is booked on the undercard of Cornish and Joshua, so look for him to come up as an opponent for Joshua by the end of the year. Boxing lines slated for this weekend reviewed in a previous blog: 8/1 – Cuneta Astrodome – Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines Super Bantamweight – 12 rounds Juma Fundi +3000 Bernabe Concepcion -11000 8/1 – Craven Park Stadium – Hull, Yorkshire, United Kingdom Lightweight – 12 rounds Tommy Coyle +1100 O9½ +170 Luke Campbell -1700 U9½ -230 Super Welterweight – 12 rounds Carson Jones +150 Brian Rose -170
