The fight card of Teraji vs. Olascuaga may be small, but it certainly is power-packed. In the co-main event in Tokyo, Japan over the weekend, Takuma Inoue will take on Liborio Solis in yet another title fight, this time for the WBA World Bantamweight belt. This may seem like a straight forward match on paper, but this has the markings of a clash that will be anything but simple for Inoue.
With both men having held interim bantamweight belts in the past, and Solis having had stints as a full champion in the past, there’s plenty on the line in this clash. Inoue will be eager to step out from under the shadow of his big brother and become a real champion in his own right, while Solis will be looking to sign off his final years as a professional with a bang.
We break down all the latest odds from bookmaker William hill and offer up our suggestions of the best bets to make on Inoue vs. Solis this Saturday night.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 7th, 10:00 P.M. (GMT)
The outright winner odds from bookmaker William Hill tell a very clear story here: Takuma Inoue is expected to win. With odds of 1.06 to 8.00, this bout is really only ever expected to go one way. When it comes to the method of victory numbers, the picture becomes even clearer. Bookies have this fight ending as a Takuma decision, with that outcome paying 1.50. Inoue winning by knockout is the next most likely result at 2.87, while Solis’ chances are slim—his best path is also seen as a decision, which pays 11.00. Betting on Solis to win by knockout is almost as likely as a draw with high odds of 19.00.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 7th, 10:00 P.M. (GMT)
Immediately, one big factor separates these two fighters: Age. Takuma Inoue and Liborio Solis are at very different stages of their careers. Inoue is 27 and has a healthy professional record of 17-1-0; Solis, on the other hand, is the ripe old age of 41 and has accrued a whopping 35-6-1 record. When Solis first debuted as a professional, the World Trade Center in New York City was still standing while Inoue was spending his days back then at kindergarten.
What this means for this clash, however, is that Inoue has the challenge of fighting a wily veteran. Solis knows how to work an opponent and avoid receiving damage and has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. While he may not pack the punching power to win this fight easily, Solis can definitely make Inoue work for the victory.
In fact, neither fighter has a strong knockout record, with more than two thirds of the bouts these men compete in going the distance. We say that’s how this one will pan out as well, with Solis being crafty but ultimately not that threatening. Inoue should dominate but does not have the firepower to score a knockout, thus leading to a victory via decision.
