The holiday season is fast approaching, and the sporting calendar is becoming even busier. To make your sports betting picks easier, we’ve teamed up with bookmaker Pinnacle to bring you the highlight of the week. Read on for the best bets to make over the next seven days, based on our expert analysis of the latest betting markets.
Best Boxing Predictions This Week
British middleweight boxers Brad Pauls and Denzel Bentley will headline the “Magnificent Seven” card at OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday night. Other than that, we will also look at two different fights in two different parts of the world for our weekly boxing betting predictions.
Brad Pauls vs. Denzel Bentley – Pauls to Win @ 2.390
London’s own Denzel Bentley is set to defend his WBO International Middleweight Title this Saturday, 7th of December, in his hometown. The stakes are even higher as he faces British Champion Brad Pauls from Newquay, with the vacant European Crown also up for grabs in this highly anticipated clash.
At 29 years old, Bentley boasts a professional record of 20-3-1 with 17 knockouts, having fought 97 rounds since turning pro in 2017. Standing 5’11” with a 72-inch reach, he’s a proven power puncher, with an impressive 85 percent of his victories coming by stoppage—four of them in his last seven outings.
Bentley has suffered defeats to Felix Cash, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, and Nathan Heaney during his career. He’s lost the Lonsdale Belt twice—first to Cash, then to Heaney. However, if he triumphs over Pauls in the upcoming fight, he will become the British middleweight champion for the third time in his career.
Pauls, 31, enters the ring with a record of 19-1-1, including 11 knockouts, and has boxed 118 rounds since turning professional in 2015 after a successful amateur career. With 58 percent of his wins coming by stoppage, Pauls possesses solid power, but he has gone the distance in three of his last five victories.
‘The Newquay Bomb’ faced Heaney in his last two bouts. As the underdog in both, he managed to grind out a draw in the first fight before clinching a remarkable victory in the second.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Bentley and Pauls are respected figures on the domestic and European circuits, even though they haven’t quite broken through on the world stage. Bentley holds the power advantage but must remain cautious not to underestimate Pauls.
Since a tight loss to Heaney, Bentley has been in strong form with two consecutive stoppage victories, while Pauls has mixed three wins, a draw, and a loss over his last five bouts.
We predict the confidence boost Pauls would get after beating Heaney, who dethroned Bentley as the British champion, will steer him to another victory. We are going with the underdog this time, with bookmaker Pinnacle offering enticing odds of 2.390 for a Pauls victory.
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez – Ramirez to Win @ 1.900
Across the Atlantic, Rafael Espinoza and Robeisy Ramirez will reconvene a year after their memorable first fight on Saturday night. Espinoza took the WBO Featherweight belt from Ramirez last time around. Can the two-time Olympic champion avenge that defeat and reclaim the belt as he is set to fight Espinoza once again in Phoenix?
Espinoza has an unblemished 25-0 record with 21 knockouts, having boxed 91 rounds since turning pro in 2013. His punches pack plenty of power, with an impressive knockout rate of 84 per cent. He’s stopped eight of his last nine opponents and 16 of his last 18. The 30-year-old Mexican has only gone the distance four times. Standing at 6’1″, he’s a physical anomaly for the 126 lb division.
Ramirez, on the other hand, is also a 30-year-old boxer. The southpaw fighter is based in Las Vegas now and has put together 104 rounds of boxing experience so far. Overall, he has a 14-2 record with nine knockouts.
His amateur career is where he truly made a name for himself, winning the Cuban National Championships, securing gold at the 2010 AIBA Youth Championships and Youth Olympic Games, and claiming victories at the 2011 Pan American Games, the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, and the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
He beat Isaac Dogboe in 2023 to claim the vacant WBO featherweight championship. His reign was short lived, however, as he only managed to defend his belt once against Satoshi Shimizu, before losing it to Espinoza.
‘El Tren’ claimed the NABO Featherweight Title with a victory over Brandon Leon Benitez, but his sights are now set on an even bigger prize as he prepares to face Espinoza for the WBO belt.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Espinoza’s strengths lie in his size and power, but his advantages stop there. In their first encounter, he brought the fight to Ramirez, resulting in a thrilling contender for Fight of the Year. Espinoza can go toe-to-toe with Ramirez in terms of punching, but he lacks the Cuban’s superior speed and technical finesse.
If Espinoza hopes to win, he’ll need to rely on his physicality to control the range and stay busy. Otherwise, Ramirez’s boxing skills will likely take over. This rematch is poised to be another high-octane clash, but with Ramirez more prepared this time, we see him taking back the belt in another tight affair.
Richardson Hitchins vs. Liam Paro – Paro to Win @ 1.900
Australia’s unbeaten IBF Junior Welterweight Champion, Liam Paro, is set to make his first title defence this Saturday, 7th of December, at Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He will be squaring off against Richardson Hitchins, the unbeaten challenger from Brooklyn, New York.
Paro claimed the IBF Junior Welterweight Title in June with a stunning unanimous decision victory over Subriel Matias in Matias’ native Puerto Rico. Matias had previously captured the vacant belt in February 2023 by stopping Argentina’s Jeremias Ponce in a thrilling bout after five rounds, before successfully defending it in November by halting Shohjahon Ergashev after six rounds.
With an unbeaten record of 25-0 and 15 knockouts, the Australian has logged 135 rounds since making his professional debut in 2016. He traded rugby for boxing at the age of 13 and went on to win the Australian Youth National Championships in the 140 lb division in 2013. His professional career has seen him secure a collection of titles, including the vacant Australian, WBO Youth, WBO Global, and IBF International Super Lightweight belts.
Hitchins, 27, steps into the ring with an unblemished record of 18-0, including seven knockouts, and has fought 118 rounds since turning pro in 2017. As an amateur, he represented Haiti at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he was defeated by American Gary Antuanne Russell. Born in New York to Haitian parents, Hitchins opted to represent Haiti after failing to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
Hitchins’ most recent outing came in April, where he defeated Gustavo Lemos via unanimous decision after 12 rounds in an elimination fight. His resume also includes victories over Tre’Sean Wiggins, Kevin Johnson, Argenis Mendez, and Yomar Alamo. In February 2023, he claimed the vacant WBC USA Super Lightweight Title with a win over John Bauza.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Paro surprised many with an upset win over Montana Love before pulling off an even bigger shocker by defeating Matias on his home turf. Though he’s not known for one-punch knockout power, Paro’s shots pack more weight than Hitchins’. This evenly matched clash is likely headed for the scorecards.
Paro’s success will depend on his ability to close the gap and apply the pressure that served him well against Love and Matias, while Hitchins must focus on controlling the range. It’s a toss-up, but Paro seems to have the edge, peaking at the right moment, while Hitchins might need a bit more experience to reach world-champion calibre.
Best MMA Predictions This Week
UFC will host its penultimate event of the year as Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura are set to feature in the main event of a stacked UFC 310 card on Saturday night. Let’s see which fights made it into our UFC betting picks for the week.
Kai Asakura vs. Alexandre Pantoja – Fight Over 2.5 @ 1.740
The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will see Alexandre Pantoja defending his UFC flyweight title against Kai Asakura. Pantoja, known as ‘The Cannibal,’ holds a 28-5-0 record, while ‘Crazy Wolf’ Asakura, at 21-4-0, will make his highly anticipated UFC debut.
While it’s uncommon for a fighter to challenge for a title in their UFC debut, Asakura has earned that rare opportunity and will be hoping to make the most of it. He is one of Japan’s biggest MMA stars and has been competing under Rizin Fighting Federation’s banner for seven years.
Asakura has won the Rizin bantamweight gold strap twice and went 1-1 against former UFC and Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi. After losing his belt to Manel Kape in December 2019, he bounced back with a second-round TKO win over former Bellator champion Juan Archuleta in December 2023.
Pantoja is looking to make it three title defenses in a row. He claimed the flyweight championship with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno in July 2023, before adding victories over Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
While Pantoja and Asakura have both racked up their fair share of finishes, recent trends show that most of their bouts have gone into the later rounds. The Brazilian has gone into the third round in each of his last three fights, while his Japanese nemesis has seen four out of his last five bouts reach the same point.
As this is Asakura’s first UFC challenge, there is some uncertainty about what to expect, making this bet a bit of a gamble. However, with the title on the line, we can expect a fight that stretches into the Championship rounds. That’s why we’re backing the fight to go over 2.5 rounds.
Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin – Chiesa to Win @ 1.952
Michael Chiesa and Max Griffin, two un-ranked UFC fighters, will look to climb the ranks in the welterweight division when they meet in the UFC 310 preliminaries.
Chiesa brings a record of 19-7-0 into the cage. The 36-year-old fighter weighs 170 lbs and stands at 6’1″. Griffin, who stands 5’11” and also weighs 170 lbs, is aiming to add another victory to his career tally of 20-10-0.
Max Griffin picked up a split decision victory against Jeremiah Wells the last time he stepped into the Octagon. Griffin got rewarded for his efficient striking. While Wells left the fight with 100% successful hits from a distance, Griffin did more damage with less striking accuracy.
Chiesa ended his three-fight losing slump with a second-round submission win over Tony Ferguson. Once he took Ferguson to the ground, he wasted no time, locking in a rear-naked choke for the victory.
‘Maverick’ is known for his grappling prowess and excels with his takedowns and seamless submission transitions. His ability to control the fight on the ground provides him with a distinct path to victory over strikers.
Griffin’s potent striking, backed by strong defensive wrestling, allows him to maintain a relentless pace. His durability often proves too much for opponents in close and hard-fought battles.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Chiesa will likely focus on his grappling, working to take Griffin to the canvas and dominate from there. His submission skills could be the deciding factor if the fight goes to the ground. Griffin has shown weaknesses against superior grapplers, which makes us favour a Chiesa win in this matchup.
Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman – Weidman to Win @ 1.917
Eryk Anders and Chris Weidman were originally supposed to meet at UFC 309 in New York last month, but now they are set to share the Octagon at UFC 310 in Las Vegas.
Weidman’s undefeated streak reached 9-0 before he made history by dethroning Anderson Silva to become the UFC middleweight champion. However, after his first defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold, Weidman’s career trajectory changed, and he has struggled to regain his former dominance.
With a 3-7 record in his last 10 fights, Weidman has faced some tough losses, including brutal knockouts and a life-changing leg break during his fight with Uriah Hall three years ago.
Eryk Anders comes into this fight with a 2-3 record over his last five bouts. In March, he secured a win over Jamie Pickett at UFC Vegas 87, but recent victories have been hard to come by for him. Anders has yet to string together a consistent winning streak since his impressive 10-fight run to start his MMA career.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
This fight promises an exciting contrast of styles, with Weidman’s grappling going up against Anders’ striking power. If Weidman can get Anders to the ground, his control and experience will likely give him the edge. On the other hand, if Anders can keep it standing, his knockout power might result in a quick finish.
Weidman’s grappling and experience give him the advantage in this fight, although Anders’ power remains a dangerous factor. The bout could end quickly, with Weidman likely securing victory through submission or a decision dominated by his control.
Best Cricket Predictions This Week
England will look to maintain their momentum against New Zealand in the second Test, while India aims to do the same against Australia. With both Tests set to begin Friday, we’ve previewed them in our weekly cricket betting predictions.
New Zealand vs. England – New Zealand to Win @ 2.130
New Zealand will be looking to turn things around as they face England in the second Test of their three-match series. After a tough eight-wicket loss in Christchurch, the Kiwis will try to capitalize on home advantage and level the series, while England hopes to take a commanding lead.
New Zealand has been in good form lately, with a solid batting lineup and a strong record in Wellington. England may have won the first match, but they can expect a fierce challenge in this encounter. The question is whether New Zealand can even the series or if England will seal it with another dominant performance.
Tom Latham and his team find themselves under pressure going into this match. After a disappointing performance in the previous game, they’ll need to focus on the basics and improve their consistency. The batting lineup faced struggles last time, and with England likely to come out strong, Latham will be relying on his key players to deliver a solid performance.
Devon Conway had a disappointing performance in the last game and needs to provide a solid start alongside Tom Latham. Kane Williamson’s form is a positive for the team, and he must continue to contribute runs in the middle order alongside Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell.
Tim Southee, with his experience, will be key with the new ball, and he’ll look to take early wickets alongside Matt Henry to put England on the back foot. Nathan Smith troubled the opposition in the last game and will look to do the same, while William O’Rourke will also play a key role.
Ben Stokes’ team found themselves as slight underdogs against a confident New Zealand, but they passed the test with flying colours in the series opener. The batting order performed well, and the bowlers did their part effectively. Stokes will be hoping for a repeat of that solid performance as his team looks to take an unassailable lead in this match.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
England have made a strong start to the series, but their record in New Zealand isn’t the best. The fast bowlers will need to make the most of the conditions to secure a victory. New Zealand, with their solid batting lineup and familiarity with the conditions, will provide a tough challenge. It promises to be a close contest, but New Zealand holds a slight advantage. This should be a close call, but we believe the Black Caps will be back with a win.
Australia vs. India – Australia to Win @ 1.877
India made a strong start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, dominating the first Test at Perth Stadium with a commanding 295-run victory. Set an overwhelming target of 534, Australia fell short, collapsing for just 238 runs.
As India’s stand-in captain in the first Test, Jasprit Bumrah shone with the ball, taking eight wickets, including a sensational five-wicket haul. Even with such a dominant showing, India is anticipated to make a couple of changes for the upcoming second Test in Adelaide, with regular captain Rohit Sharma set to return.
After the first Test defeat, several Aussie players faced heavy criticism for their subpar performances, with veteran batsman Marnus Labuschagne drawing the most ire. He could only manage five runs in total across his two innings and is now averaging just 23.57 in Tests since last summer.
Josh Hazlewood will miss the second Test due to a side injury sustained during the first match. While the injury isn’t expected to be severe, it’s enough to prevent him from featuring in the upcoming game. Scott Boland is likely to step in for Hazlewood in the starting 11, with Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett brought in as squad reinforcements.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
Adelaide’s day-night Test will be a stern test for the batsmen, especially during the evening sessions with the pink ball. Indian batsmen, who are less accustomed to these conditions, will face a tough task in adapting to the tricky situation.
Overall, this match is unlikely to be an easy victory for either team. However, with their familiarity with the conditions and greater experience with the pink ball, Australia will be confident of securing a win against India in the second Test. For this reason, we are leaving towards an Australia win.
Best Football Predictions This Week
With Premier League fixtures coming up quickly this week, we decided to look elsewhere for our football predictions. We’ve selected two Serie A matches to uncover the best value bets in football.
Inter Milan vs. Parma – Inter 2-0 Parma @ 7.650
After the distressing interruption of last week’s match, Inter Milan will return to the pitch on Friday evening, welcoming Parma to San Siro. The game against Fiorentina was stopped due to a medical emergency, while Parma caused a surprise by defeating one of Serie A’s top five teams in their most recent match.
Inter’s Sunday evening match at Stadio Franchi was abruptly stopped in the first half when Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch. An ambulance arrived swiftly to take the 22-year-old to the hospital. Thankfully, doctors announced that he was out of imminent danger.
Inter entered the match level on points with their hosts, who were near the top of Serie A, after a commanding 5-0 win over Hellas Verona, where Marcus Thuram scored twice. However, they have since fallen four points behind leaders Napoli, though they have a game in hand.
Parma travels to their fellow North Italian side’s turf riding high after a 3-1 win over Lazio, another team battling for the title this season. Despite a few scares and a late concession, defender Enrico Del Prato found the net for the third time this season, sealing the victory and pushing Parma to just one point away from the top half.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
A win for Inter is expected to be straightforward, as they are formidable at home and Parma’s away form leaves much to be desired. Parma have recorded just one clean sheet this season, while Inter’s offensive firepower—averaging close to 2.5 goals per game—gives them the edge. Our pick is a 2-0 victory for Inter.
Atalanta vs. AC Milan – Draw @ 3.810
Lombardy rivals Atalanta BC and AC Milan, both in outstanding form with unbeaten streaks, will face off under the Friday night lights in Bergamo. Atalanta have surged into Scudetto contention with eight consecutive Serie A wins, while Milan trail their local rivals by nine points, albeit with a game in hand.
Atalanta picked up an excellent away win at Roma with Marten De Roon and Nicolo Zaniolo finding the back of the net. For the first time in their history, La Dea have surpassed 30 points after 14 Serie A matches, and they’ve done so in style, scoring freely. They now sit five goals clear at the top of the league’s scoring charts.
The Rossoneri head into this match trailing their regional rivals in the standings, sitting seventh after an up-and-down start to the season.
That said, Milan appear to have hit top form lately, especially after their stunning win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. A third consecutive Champions League victory last week saw Paulo Fonseca’s team extend their lead over the relegation zone by five points.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: December 4th, 12:00 AM (GMT)
The pressure is firmly on Milan, as a defeat would make their task of getting back into the Scudetto race almost impossible. However, the Rossoneri have shown signs of progress recently, and they might just have what it takes to stop Atalanta’s impressive winning streak. We think a stalemate awaits at Gewiss Stadium.
The Best Bets to Make This Week
Before we close, let’s have a look at our sports betting picks of the week once again:
- Brad Pauls vs. Denzel Bentley – Pauls to win @ 2.390
- Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez – Ramirez to win @ 1.900
- Richardson Hitchins vs. Liam Paro – Paro to win @ 1.900
- Kai Asakura vs. Alexandre Pantoja – Fight over 2.5 @ 1.740
- Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin – Chiesa to win @ 1.952
- Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman – Weidman to win @ 1.917
- New Zealand vs. England – New Zealand to win @ 2.130
- Australia vs. India – Australia to win @ 1.877
- Inter Milan vs. Parma – Inter 2-0 Parma @ 7.650
- Atalanta vs. AC Milan – draw @ 3.810
Our football picks once again offer the highest returns. The Inter Milan vs. Parma bet may seem risky, but after analysing recent results, we’re confident it’s a wager worth pursuing.
