Manchester, UK – The highly anticipated rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr takes place tonight, September 2nd, live on Sky Sports Box Office. The event will begin at 6pm, with main event ring walks scheduled for around 10pm.

Airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports Box Office, the SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? pay-per-view event will bring the heated rivalry to a fiery conclusion, nine months after their first electrifying encounter.

The blockbuster clash will be accessible on Sky channel 491 for regular definition, Sky channel 492 for high definition and is available to purchase for Sky TV subscribers and non Sky TV subscribers here: https://www.sky.com/boxoffice

Smith and Eubank Jr first fought in January, meeting in the middle of the ring for a frenetic firefight which lasted just one minute into the fourth round before Smith secured victory with a stunning pair of knockdowns.

Upset at the referee’s intervention and determined to avenge the defeat, Eubank Jr immediately activated the contracted rematch clause and went into a protracted training camp focused on handing a loss to Liverpool man Smith.

With a prior date having been postponed due to Smith suffering a minor injury in training camp, the simmering rivalry has reached new heights with each passing month and is set to reach boiling point tonight, September 2nd.

Priced at £19.95 for UK customers and €24.95 for Republic of Ireland customers, the event offers an unbeatable opportunity to witness two of Britain’s brightest athletes go head to head once again.

Viewers in the UK can tune in to the event by ordering through their pay-per-view television service on Sky Sports Box Office. By doing so, they can experience the excitement of this incredible rematch from the comfort of their own homes.

To capture the essence of this momentous event, boxing enthusiasts across the nation are encouraged to secure their access to Smith vs Eubank Jr 2 as soon as possible. This is an opportunity that should not be missed, as these skilled athletes battle it out once more to prove their dominance in the ring.

For more information on how to book and watch Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr 2, please visit www.skysports.com/boxoffice or contact Sky Sports customer service.

Bet £10 on Liam Smith v Chris Eubank II and get £30 in Free Bets – New customers only. T&Cs apply.

Repeat or revenge? That’s the question on everyone’s mind ahead of the hotly-anticipated rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester.

The first meeting of this pair at the same venue in January was a barnburner, with former WBO light-middleweight champion Smith stopping Eubank Jr in devastating fashion in the fourth round.

Defeat in this bout delivered a hammer blow to Eubank Jr’s aspirations of a world title shot, with a rematch clause exercised to see the 33-year-old get a chance to seek revenge against his Liverpudlian nemesis Smith.

This all-British middleweight rivalry has certainly caught fire, with the needle between the two fighters there for all to see in the build-up to Saturday’s stacked BOXXER card which they will headline in Manchester.

There is a lot on the line on Saturday night for slight betting favourite Smith (8/13), and narrow underdog Eubank Jr (13/10), with both boxers seeking a win to put themselves in contention for a world title shot and other lucrative fights against domestic rivals such as Conor Benn and Kell Brook.

Read our full Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr Fight Preview article HERE.

Ben Shalom, founder and CEO of BOXXER, is expecting a pulsating encounter in the main event of Saturday night’s stacked card of boxing at the AO Arena.

“I think what we are going to see is the fight we all expected the first time.

“I believe we’ll see a well prepared, well conditioned Eubank Jr, which should see this fight go longer and turn into a proper battle,” Shalom said.

Watch the full exclusive interview with Ben Shalom HERE.

bet365’s resident Boxing expert Rob Tebbutt is anticipating a similar outcome as the first fight when Smith and Eubank Jr meet inside the ring again at the AO Arena.

“For me, the value bet is a repeat of what happened last time, with Liam Smith to win by TKO, which you can back at odds of 5/2,” he said.

bet365’s Boxing Compiler and trader Ian Vickers, on the other hand, believes the betting value lies with Eubank Jr ahead of Saturday’s rematch.

“From the get-go with this fight I feel the value has to be with Eubank Jr with the prices, I think he’ll keep his distance and composure to nick it on the cards,” he said.

Saturday night’s BOXXER card will also see the return to action of exciting British super-lightweight prospect Adam Azim, who will take on Ukrainian Aram Faniian over 10 rounds.

Rob Tebbutt expects the highly-rated Azim to win in style in Manchester.

“I expect Azim to return to the knockout trail now that he has recovered from a hand injury that forced him out of the ring for the longest time in his professional career so far.

“I’m looking at Azim to win by stoppage (KO/TKO) at odds of 4/7,” he said.

An intriguing all-British heavyweight showdown also features on the undercard, with Frazer Clarke aiming to maintain his undefeated professional record against a game opponent in Dave Allen.

Old crowd favourite Allen hasn’t fought at this level since losing to David Price in 2019, and will have his work cut out to contend with an ever-improving Clarke.

Rob Tebbutt is confident ‘Big Fraze’ will come out on top at the AO Arena, but that Allen will be no walkover.

“I think Clarke will win in good fashion, but I do like the look of the price for the fight to go Over 6.5 Rounds at 5/6,” he said.

Watch our Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr 2 full card Tips & Predictions video HERE.

bet365 are also offering Bet Boosts across all of Saturday night’s BOXXER action, including a 10/1 shot on Chris Eubank Jr to win by stoppage in Over 6.5 Rounds in the headline bout against Liam Smith.

View the latest Bet Boosts and odds for the full BOXXER card and all other upcoming boxing at bet365

Bet Boosts and odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time. 

By James Wilson

• Conor McGregor’s Forged Irish Stout steps into BOXXER ring to showcase world’s fastest-growing stout to global audience of fight fans
• ‘BOXXER: Smith vs Eubank 2 – Repeat or Revenge?’ takes place Saturday, September 2nd and airs on Sky Sports Box Office and ESPN+

London, England (August 29, 2023) – BOXXER is delighted to announce that Forged Irish Stout – the brand of global combat sports superstar, Conor McGregor – will become an official partner of BOXXER’s blockbuster pay-per-view event this Saturday 2nd September, headlined by Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr 2 at the AO Arena in Manchester. 

Forged Irish Stout was created in 2020 by multi-weight UFC Champion Conor McGregor, with the aim to be the world’s smoothest and creamiest stout. Brewed in the heart of Dublin, Ireland, Forged Irish Stout quickly gained popularity after becoming the most popular stout drink at McGregor’s own establishment, The Black Forge, located near his Dublin residence. Forged Irish Stout is now available in more than 350 ASDA stores across the UK, with further major retail distribution plans to be announced very soon.

BOXXER’s event on Saturday 2nd September sees Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr finally meet in their hugely-anticipated rematch in front of 20,000 fans – live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK & Ireland, and airing in a further 150+ territories globally, including ESPN+ in the US and Canada. 

One of the year’s most stacked undercards features Adam Azim v Aram Fanyan, Frazer Clarke v Dave Allen, Mikaela Mayer, Florian Marku v Dylan Moran, Mark Heffron v Jack Cullen, and more. 

The partnership will see Forged Irish Stout fully integrated into the upcoming fight week and event, with branding on the ring canvas, press and media backdrops, and venue screens; alongside unique in-arena brand activations that will be revealed on fight night. Forged will also be granted unique access to talent to create bespoke content around the event. 

BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “We’re delighted to bring Forged Irish Stout on board for this weekend’s blockbuster show, headlined by Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr 2. The growth of the Forged brand in the last couple of years has been fantastic to see, and this weekend’s show will open it up to millions of viewers and fans around the world. We can’t wait to kick off fight week and for a special night on Saturday.” 

Conor McGregor said: “We are excited to partner with BOXXER and get involved in such an incredible fight. Forged Irish Stout is on a path to success as are Chris and Liam and we are here to support the world of boxing. We are here to takeover and we are excited to bring Forged Irish Stout to the UK in ASDA.” 

To find out more about Forged Irish stout, visit www.forgedirishstout.com 

LONDON, ENGLAND – (August 28th, 2023) – BOXXER, the next-generation professional boxing promotion and exclusive provider of boxing content to Sky Sports, the UK’s biggest sports television platform, and England Boxing, the national governing body for the sport of boxing in England, today announced a landmark partnership to support grassroots-level boxing across the nation.

A range of initiatives aimed at encouraging and rewarding involvement in the sport will see England Boxing clubs and members receive an array of benefits, including free tickets and exclusive members-only events involving some of the biggest names in the professional sport.

Benefits of the partnerships include:

• Hundreds of free tickets being made available for England Boxing members to win throughout the year, rewarding membership and expanding fan accessibility to top-tier professional events.
• 10% of the value of every BOXXER ticket sold through England Boxing will be reinvested back into the governing body to increase its funds and further its work.
• Exclusive events where England Boxing members will have the chance to meet and/or train with some of the biggest names in the BOXXER stable, receive free equipment and talk one on one with their professional boxing idols.
• The chance for member clubs to be highlighted in one of ten video showcases which will appear across both partners’ platforms through the year.

“This landmark partnership between BOXXER and England Boxing brings together two organisations with a shared vision to promote the sport of boxing to future generations as a space for positive interaction, personal development, social inclusion and healthy living,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER’s founder and CEO.

“Through this partnership, we hope to inspire and encourage amateur boxing practitioners across the country and use boxing as a vehicle for making a positive impact in the community.”

Avoen Perryman, Head of Operations at England Boxing, said “I am so pleased to see this partnership come to fruition for the benefit of our clubs and members as well as England Boxing itself. This was a team effort, so I’d like to thank all the staff at BOXXER and Ben Shalom for recognising the vital work our clubs do every week.

“I’d also like to give special thanks to Lynsey Lockey, former Competitions & Events Manager for England Boxing, at ‘Steel Sports MGMT’ for connecting us with BOXXER and helping to make this all happen.

“The partnership we have in place with BOXXER is the first of its kind and it’s a pleasure to see the professional ranks actively seeking to ensure that grassroots boxing continues to produce world-renowned boxers for years to come.”

London, England (August 25, 2023) – BOXXER is delighted to announce a new partnership with IFX Payments, who will become the Official Foreign Exchange and Payments Partner of BOXXER. 

Founded in 2005, IFX Payments has grown to become a leading global foreign exchange, payment and financial technology provider. Headquartered in London and with offices around the world, IFX delivers advanced payment, treasury and financial management solutions – with the view to provide a frictionless and complete digital payments experience for businesses of all kinds. 

BOXXER shows air LIVE and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, after the leading UK sports broadcaster signed a four-year deal with BOXXER in 2021. The rapidly-growing promotion is home to a world-class stable of fighters including Liam Smith, Joshua Buatsi, Chris Billam-Smith, Savannah Marshall, Caroline Dubois, Richard Riakporhe, Adam Azim and many more. 

The two-year partnership between IFX Payments and BOXXER will see IFX handle BOXXER’s FX transactions as well as being positioned in 360-degree fashion across a number of BOXXER events each year, with branding on the ring toblerones, press and media backdrops, and in-venue screens; alongside MC mentions during the broadcast. 

The partnership will commence with BOXXER’s next event on 2nd September, as Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr finally meet in their hugely-anticipated rematch at Manchester’s AO Arena in front of 20,000 fans – live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK & Ireland, and a further 150+ territories globally, including ESPN+ in the US and Canada. A stacked undercard includes Adam Azim v Aram Fanyan, Frazer Clarke v Dave Allen, Florian Marku v Dylan Moran, Mark Heffron v Jack Cullen, and much more. 

BOXXER’s founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “We’re delighted to announce this new partnership with IFX Payments, a market leader in foreign exchange, payments and fintech solutions. Their commitment to innovation aligns closely with our own – and we look forward to kickstarting the partnership with a huge show on Saturday 2nd September, as Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr go head-to-head in one of the biggest events of the year.” 

Simon Hughes, Sales Director at IFX Payments said: “This agreement highlights our commitment to partner with organisations that share our philosophy of delivering best-in-class, customer-centric solutions, and services.

We’re looking forward to working with BOXXER over the next two years and the opportunities this partnership will unlock for our business”.

To find out more about IFX Payments, visit https://www.ifxpayments.com/. 

Bet £10 on Franchon Crews-Dezurn v Savannah Marshall and get £30 in Free Bets – New customers only. T&Cs apply.

Saturday night promises so, so much.

A unique opportunity for two of British boxing’s female trail-blazers to inscribe their names yet deeper into the fighting game’s history book.

Savannah Marshall and Natasha Jonas have already reached the summit of their profession in becoming bona-fide world champions.

But both have the chance to join even more exclusive company by establishing themselves as two-weight world title holders when they co-headline BOXXER’s latest fight card within the confines of Manchester’s history-steeped AO Arena.

Victory for 2/9 betting favourite Marshall, over the brash and confident Franchon Crews-Dezurn, would see her make a successful and statement-like transition up to the super-middleweight division as she bids to become the latest undisputed world title holder from these shores.

Katie Taylor and, more recently, Chantelle Cameron have fully unified their respective weight classes, and the Hartlepool native, who fell just short against Claressa Shields back in October, will be desperately hoping to follow the same path to boxing greatness.

Miss GB, Natasha Jonas, on the other hand, makes her long-awaited return to in-ring action on the back of a sensational and historic 2022.

She reigned supreme in all three of her fights throughout the calendar year – picking up world titles in each – en-route to becoming the first woman to be crowned the British Boxing Board of Control’s Fighter of the Year.

Jonas (1/12) drops down to welterweight this weekend to tackle Canada’s 7/1 outsider Kandi Wyatt, hoping to make it a quartet of legacy-defining occasions by capturing the vacant 147lb IBF title and further extending her remarkable hot-streak.

“I’m backing both Savannah Marshall and Nathasha Jonas to prevail this weekend and ensure another momentous night for women’s boxing in Britain,” bet365’s resident boxing tipster Rob Tebbutt told their Sports & Betting News site.

“Franchon Crews-Dezurn is very open, she is easy to hit, can be very sloppy and will leave a lot of gaps for Savannah Marshall to exploit, which doesn’t bode well against a good puncher and somebody who undoubtedly carries that knockout power.

“Pound-for-pound, she is arguably the hardest hitting fighter across all of women’s boxing, and I feel she will get the stoppage on Saturday night, which has been BOOSTED to 11/2.”

Watch the full Crews-Dezurn v Marshall tipping video HERE

“Meanwhile, Kandi Wyatt is somebody that we have seen before against the likes of Jessica McCaskill and Christina Linardatou, but in both of those bouts she was stopped and looked pretty much out of her depth.

“So I do expect Natasha Jonas to add another stoppage loss to the Canadian’s résumé and pick up the IBF welterweight title via stoppage, at 4/6, on what should be yet another memorable occasion for the impressive Liverpudlian.”

Watch the full Jonas v Wyatt tipping video HERE

bet365’s Boxing Compiler and trader Ian Vickers shares Tebbutt’s opinion on both fights and says that punters have really started to jump onboard the long-odds play of Marshall delivering a statement knockout in Saturday evening’s bill-topping bout.

“Savannah was priced at 2/7 to win this fight when we went live with the outright markets a little while ago and has been backed into 2/9 now, so she is being well-backed, especially by customers within the United Kingdom,” he said.

“In terms of women’s boxing, Marshall is one of the true knockout artists, having stopped eight opponents in succession prior to her wide-points loss against Shields at the O2 Arena back in October.

“That said, a Marshall win on the scorecards has been backed into 4/9 from 1/2 so there has been a little bit of movement there, and as Rob Tebbutt has mentioned we have BOOSTED the Hartlepool native to notch up another stoppage victory to 11/2, from 5/1.

“A lot of people will look at her record, and will quite fancy the KO. There are plenty of customers in the North East, particularly the Cleveland area, which is her neck of the woods, really getting on the stoppage, so that is clearly carrying some appeal.”

Read Ian Vickers’ Market Movers article, and gauge his extended thoughts ahead of this weekend’s main event HERE.

bet365 are also offering Bet Boosts across all of Saturday night’s BOXXER action, meaning you can take advantage of even BIGGER prices on the headline bout and the full undercard, including a 4/1 shot on bet365’s Wild Card bout between Zak Chelli and Mark Jeffers.

View the latest Bet Boosts and odds for the full BOXXER card and all other upcoming boxing at bet365

Bet Boosts and odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time. 

By Mark Mothershaw

• Hotly-tipped Mark Jeffers steps in to replace injured Heffron in Commonwealth Silver Championship title clash against #1-ranked British super-middleweight contender Zak Chelli
• Ben Whittaker set to wow audiences once again as he steps up to eight-rounds for test against the tricky Vladimir Belujsky
• BOXXER: Crews-Dezurn vs Marshall airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports

Manchester, England – (June 20, 2023) – Two guaranteed crowd-pleasers were today confirmed for the BOXXER: Crews-Dezurn vs Marshall card, with highly-rated Manchester area super-middleweight Mark Jeffers seizing a huge opportunity to replace the injured Mark Heffron in a Commonwealth Silver title clash with Zak Chelli and the sensational Ben Whittaker stepping up another level in Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday July 1st, live on Sky Sports.

Heffron had been due to defend his Commonwealth Super-Middleweight Championship against Chelli (13-1-1, 6 KO’s) next weekend but was forced to withdraw last week due to an injury sustained in training. The undefeated and hotly-tipped Jeffers (15-0, 4 KO’s) saw an opportunity to step in and take a big scalp in a clash which now has the vacant Commonwealth Silver Super-Middleweight Championship on the line. 

Fighting out of the Manchester satellite town of Chorley – also home to Jack Catteral – the rising Jeffers is trained by Michael Jennings, whose own standout professional career took him all the way to the USA to lock horns with all-time great Miguel Cotto in New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden. 

Jennings has declared his Jeffers to be “twice as good as I was at the same age” and is confident of his fighter’s ability to step in on short notice and upset the surging Chelli, who carries career-best form into the bout as he comes off his dominant win over former WBA Intercontinental champion Anthony ‘The Magician’ Sims Jr in February.

Whittaker (3-0, 2 KO’s) won a silver medal for Great Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games and has won a legion of fans since entering the professional ranks last year, his supremely confident showboating style harking back to his idol ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and proving a huge hit with fight fans.

The Wolverhampton wonderkid has made no secret of his ambitions to fast-track himself to the bigtime: he went immediately into six-round fights after turning professional, skipping any four-round experience, and is now stepping up for an eight-round bout in what is only his fourth professional fight.

In Manchester he will take on Ireland-based light-heavyweight Vladimir Belujsky (13-6, 9 KO’s), a durable campaigner who has three times as many KO wins on his record as Whittaker has bouts. 

The heavy-handed Slovakian’s last UK visit saw him take Karol Itauma almost to the final bell of their eight-rounder, having earlier that year taken Jack Cullen eight rounds in the same Manchester arena he will now face Whittaker in. 

“Mark Jeffers is dangerous and talented. He will be stepping up to a huge opportunity to fight Zak Chelli after Mark Heffron pulled out via injury. I’m delighted to turn around such a great fight – possibly fight of the night – in a matter of days. Credit has to go to both guys for taking on such a big challenge,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER founder and CEO.

“Zak Chelli is on a mission to prove himself the best super-middleweight in the country and he’s fearless in taking on anyone along the way. Chelli is a throwback fighter, he has that ‘anyone, anytime’ mentality and Jeffers is ready to meet him head-on, so I give full credit to both of them. They both know this is going to be a tough fight

“Ben Whittaker’s last performance got him on the radar of every sports fan in the country. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of talent and he’s said himself that he wants to be fighting at the top level as soon as possible. This will be his first fight over eight rounds. Vladimir Belujsky is tough, he’s tricky, but I think we’re going to see something special from Ben Whittaker once again in Manchester.”

BOXXER: Crews-Dezurn vs Marshall takes place Saturday, July 1st at the AO Arena Manchester and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports. 

The headline bout sees former world middleweight champion Savannah Marshall return to super-middleweight to challenge reigning champion Franchon ‘FCD’ Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed world championship in a clash which will be closely watched by FCD’s friend and Marshall’s bitter rival Claressa Shields.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

• Three-belt super-welterweight champion Jonas dropping down to welterweight for IBF World Championship challenge vs Canada’s Kandi Wyatt
• Two-weight championship dream follows incredible 2022 run which saw Jonas become first woman to be declared ‘Fighter of the Year’ by British Boxing Board of Control
• Bout takes place on BOXXER: Franchon-Crews vs Marshall card airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – (July 19th, 2023) – Natasha Jonas (13-2-1, 8 KO’s) has the chance to become a two-weight world champion on Saturday, July 1st as she faces three-time world title challenger Kandi Wyatt (11-4, 3 KOs) for the IBF World Welterweight Championship on the BOXXER: Crews-Dezurn vs Marshall card taking place at the AO Arena Manchester and airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports.

For Jonas – the first woman to box for Great Britain at an Olympic Games – it’s another chance to make history and follows a blistering 2022 run which saw her capture three world titles in an unprecedented nine months to become unified world super-welterweight champion, a feat which led to her being declared the 2022 Fighter Of The Year by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Wyatt is a three-time welterweight world title challenger and the current WBA Intercontinental champion. She won that title on a visit to the UK in March this year and is confident of carrying that same championship-winning form into her clash with Jonas next month.

The Canadian is no stranger to big challenges: in December 2021 she made a spirited attempt to seize the four world title belts held by undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill, and the drop in weight places Jonas on a potential collision course with the American.

“Every time I think I’ve done enough in the sport, another opportunity presents itself to step things up. If there’s one thing that I always try and impress upon my daughter and on young people in general it’s to keep going, work hard and try your best,,” said Jonas.

“Every camp I am improving, I’m evolving, I’m learning new skills and reaching new levels, so to me it would be foolish to stop now. The best-ever version of Natasha Jonas will be stepping into that ring on July 1.”

Ben Shalom, BOXXER’s founder and CEO, said, “I’m very excited to see Natasha Jonas compete at the top of the welterweight division, closer to her natural weight. When you look at what she’s achieved in the last year alone – three world titles and the Fighter Of The Year 2022 award from the British Boxing Board of Control – you know you’re looking at an extra-special fighter.

“Becoming a two-weight world champion, holding belts in two weight classes at the same time, is an incredibly difficult thing to accomplish, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge which brings out the best in Natasha Jonas. She’s inspired a lot of Britain’s female boxers – not least her fellow Olympian and BOXXER welterweight Lauren Price – and I’m looking forward to watching her write another chapter of her incredible story in Manchester on July 1st.”

BOXXER: Crews-Dezurn vs Marshall takes place Saturday, July 1st at the AO Arena Manchester and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.

The headline bout sees former world middleweight champion Savannah Marshall return to super-middleweight to challenge reigning champion Franchon ‘FCD’ Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed world championship in a clash which will be closely watched by FCD’s friend and Marshall’s bitter rival Claressa Shields.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

Bet £10 on Frazer Clarke v Mariusz Wach and get £30 in Free Bets – New customers only. T&Cs apply.

Frazer Clarke is set to follow the well-trodden path of boxing greatness on Friday night as the well-backed 1/20 betting favourite tops the bill at Bethnal Green’s iconic and fabled York Hall.

British heavyweight greats Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua all honed their craft within the confines of the historic East London venue en-route to establishing themselves as global superstars, and ‘Big Fraze’ is desperate to follow suit.

The 2020 Olympian undoubtedly has blue-riband division gold on his mind, but first and foremost he has to overcome, what is on paper, the most problematic opponent of his professional career to date.

The vastly experienced Mariusz Wach – a 10/1 shot and one of the true heavyweight gatekeepers – has vowed to drag Clarke into previously untrodden waters as the 43-year-old bids to derail the Burton fighter’s lofty heavyweight hopes, and ignite late life into his own industrious fighting career.

A former world title contender, the giant Pole is no stranger to the big occasion, having taken former unified champion Wladimir Klitschko the full distance a decade ago, as well as more recently hearing the final bell against the likes of Dillian Whyte and Hughie Fury.

For Clarke however, whilst he is far from underestimating the size of the challenge in front of him, he will be hell bent on dishing out his own form of punishment and serving a timely reminder to any of those doubting his courage or credentials.

The hard-hitting Olympic Bronze medallist cut a lean and mean figure at Thursday’s press conference, and even suggested that Friday night could be the occasion that ‘Mr Nice Guy’ turns BAD!

If that does turn out to be the case, then it could prove ominous for Wach, who, at the twilight of his career, could feel the full force of one of British boxing’s hottest properties and somebody who has already made light work of both Kevin Espindola and Bogdan Dinu this calendar year.

“It’s worth noting that Wach has only ever been stopped inside 10 rounds on three occasions in 46 career fights, so I do expect this one to go the full distance,” bet365’s resident boxing tipster Rob Tebbutt told the Sports & Betting News site.

“However, if you are one of those backing Clarke to get the stoppage that he craves, then I’d be looking at that to occur late on, during the second half of the fight; somewhere between rounds six and 10.

“Wach is, of course, very tough, very skilled and very proven, but if Clarke is to grind him down and send him to the canvas, then I think it will be in the second half of the fight.

“He’s shared the ring with some of the biggest names in the heavyweight division and because of that, my play for the headline bout on Friday night has got to be for ‘Big Fraze’ to extend his winning record by virtue of a decision, at 8/5.”

Watch the full BOXXER fightcard tipping video HERE.

bet365’s Boxing Compiler and trader Ian Vickers is of a similar opinion, although feels that given the bout will now be taking place over 10 rounds instead of the previously sanctioned eight, there could be real value found in backing the British hopeful to land a devastating knockout blow during the latter rounds.

“I think this will will be a decent test for ‘Big Fraze’, and we opened up at 4/9 for the British Olympian to win the fight by KO or TKO, and it’s been backed into 8/15, so there has been a bit of movement there,” he said.

“The biggest move has been on Clarke to win this one on points, with the price shortening from 9/4 to 8/5, which I can understand, because Wach is a tough, tough operator, who has plenty of experience and nous inside the ring.

“The fact that the fight has been extended to 10 rounds could be key though’ I’d be backing him to get Wach out there inside the distance, whereas had it stayed at eight rounds, then the smart money may have been on a decision victory!”

Read Ian Vickers’ Market Movers article, and gauge his extended thoughts ahead of Friday’s main event HERE.

bet365 are also offering Bet Boosts across all of Friday night’s action, meaning you can take advantage of even BIGGER prices on the headline bout and the full undercard, including a 5/1 shot on ‘Big Fraze’ getting that desired late stoppage in rounds eight, nine or 10.

You can also get BOOSTED odds of 11/4 for Caroline Dubois to maintain her charge towards a world title opportunity with a stoppage victory over Yanina del Carmen Lescano between rounds one and six, whilst our official partners are now 13/8 on ‘Sweet Caroline’ prevailing before the final bell at any time.

View the latest Bet Boosts and odds for the full BOXXER card and all other upcoming boxing at bet365

Bet Boosts and odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time. 

By Mark Mothershaw

Bet £10 on Lawrence Okolie vs Chris Billam-Smith and get £30 in Free Bets – New customers only. T&Cs apply.

The boxing spotlight falls upon Bournemouth on Saturday evening as the Vitality Stadium plays host to one of the most hotly-anticipated all-British affairs in modern-day history.

Hometown hero Chris Billam-Smith – a 3/1 shot with BOXXER’s official betting partner bet365 – finally gets the opportunity he has craved for so long, a crack at Lawrence Okolie’s WBO cruiserweight title, an opponent he will need absolutely no introduction to.

The fight has been billed as ‘The Best of Enemies’, and that tagging simply couldn’t ring any truer given the quite remarkable and unprecedented familiarity between the pair.

Both nurtured under the watchful eye of Shane McGuigan, Billam-Smith and Okolie grew from stablemates to bona-fide friends, and the fact that they have also sparred over 300 rounds together adds further intrigue to a narrative that has captured the imagination of a nation throughout fight week.

Okolie’s decision to sever ties with McGuigan and link up with SugarHill Steward prior to his recent title defence against the previously unbeaten New Zealander David Light was designed to help maximise his talent as he seeks to clean up at cruiserweight before exploring opportunities within the blue-riband heavyweight division.

But, you have to think that McGuigan, the trainer of Billam-Smith, wouldn’t have pitched so hard for this fight if he didn’t truly believe his man had what it takes to dethrone the hard-hitting and awkward 1/4 pre-fight favourite.

Backed by what is sure to be a partisan Bournemouth crowd this weekend, Billam-Smith has the chance to etch his name into the boxing history books by becoming the latest of a long line of British world champions.

Okolie though, unbeaten in 19 professional contests, and odds-on to make it 20, will be hell bent on spoiling the party on the south coast and further strengthening his ironclad grip on his prized WBO possession.

“We opened up at 4/11 for Lawrence Okolie and 2/1 for Chris Billam-Smith, but the punters are getting behind the defending champion in this one to such an extent that he is now into 1/4 with Billam-Smith the big outsider at 3/1,” bet365 trader and Boxing compiler Ian Vickers said.

“The more I have watched Chris Billam-Smith the more I think he is tailor-made for Okolie, and even though the fight is on home turf, so to speak for Billam-Smith, I actually think that it will play against him on the night.

“The vociferous Bournemouth crowd will undoubtedly will him on to fight and exchange and I think he will get undone as a consequence of that. His defence isn’t a patch on Okolie’s, and whilst the Londoner was mediocre at best against Light last time out, the New Zealander was simply there to survive, not to engage.

“That won’t be the case this weekend, and I fully expect Okolie to take advantage of that and get the job done by KO, TKO or Disqualification between Rounds 7-9, which we have BOOSTED from 10/3 to 11/2.”

Read Ian Vickers’ Market Movers article, and gauge his extended thoughts ahead of Saturday night’s main event HERE.

bet365’s resident Boxing expert Rob Tebbutt, of Boxing News, is anticipating a far closer battle however, one that he believes is set to go all the way to a judges decision.

“I expect it to be a long fight and I expect it to go the full distance,” he told bet365 in the latest instalment of Tebbutt’s Tips.

“Lawrence Okolie, of course, has a lot of power in that right hand, but the two fighters are very, very familiar with each other, and I believe Shane McGuigan and Billam-Smith will have come up with a good game plan to counteract Okolie’s strength, size and awkwardness.

“Okolie will be physically imposing and he will try to do what he usually does which is to control Billam-Smith physically, particularly within the clinch, but I do think this one goes the full 12 rounds, which is available at 5/4.

“If you are backing the hometown man, the Gentleman, to upset the apple cart and become the new world champion in front of 15,000 screaming fans, then I would be looking at Billam-Smith winning this by SD (split decision).

“As I have said, I expect this fight to be close, they are so familiar with each other, but there is huge value to be had on this fight being edged by Billam-Smith, given the odds of 22/1 available on him prevailing by a split decision.”

Watch the full Lawrence Okolie v Chris Billam-Smith tipping video HERE.

Bet Boosts and odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

View the latest Bet Boosts and odds ahead of Lawrence Okolie v Chris Billam-Smith and all upcoming boxing at bet365

By Mark Mothershaw