June 2024 boxing predictions
World title boxing predictions for June 2024.
The May Report
- It's weird how despite having earned a reputation as a power puncher and even knocking Munguia down, I never expected Canelo to win by KO. I think it was not knocking out Ryder or Charlo when he was dominanting those fights that made me feel like he's happy to coast to a decision.
- Prediction: Canelo by UD
- Result: Canelo by UD
- Dagnammit. I wrote this prediction just a few hours before the fight and was almost swayed to pick Nishida after seeing this picture. If I decide to carry on predicting world title fights next year, I might poll a few friends to pick a winner based on weigh-in photos alone and see if it's any more accurate.
- Prediction: Rodríguez by unanimous decision
- Result: Nishida by unanimous decision
- Despite being 100% right, I sense that I may have misjudged this one slightly.
- Prediction: Inoue by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
- Result: Inoue N. by KO 6
- I regret nothing.
- Prediction: Ishida by KO/TKO in the first half the fight
- Result: Inoue T. by unanimous decision
- Prediction: Moloney by unanimous decision
- Result: Takei by unanimous decision
- 行けユリさん！
- Prediction: Yuri Akui by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight
- Result: Yuri Akui by unanimous decision
- Loma is the kind of boxer that reminds me why I enjoy watching this sport. Who would've guessed that he'd be this explosive? I'd almost forgotten that we called him 'no mas-chenko' once upon a time.
- Prediction: Lomachenko by unanimous decision
- Result: Lomachenko by TKO 11
- I wrote a separate mammoth post for The Big Fight.
- Prediction: Usyk by UD
- Result: Usyk by split decision
- Codsarnit. Briedis came close and even bloodied Opetaia again late on, but his opponent weathered the onslaught. It'd be interesting to see Opetaia against top opposition one day.
- Prediction: Briedis by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight
- Result: Opetaia by unanimous decision
- Cordina never recovered from getting illegally hit on the break in the 3rd round. Unfortunate but them's the breaks.
- Prediction: Cordina by unanimous decision
- Result: Cacace by TKO 8
- Navarrete got his ass kicked and the refs still almost gave it to him. He could've gone for it in the championship rounds but was far too gassed. I haven't seen so many big swings and misses since playing ACNH with drifting joycons. All in all, a deserved win to cap off the best night in Ukrainian boxing history.
- Prediction: Navarrete by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight
- Result: Berinchyk by split decision
A mixed bag for my May predictions but I did call two of them wrong on purpose. Also no title fights in the last weekend of May? Again, it seems odd. I've subscribed to a few newsletter so hopefully they'll help assuage any future fears about missing fights.
June Schedule
Jun. 1st - Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad, WBA @ 175lbs
Zinad is the first ever Libyan to challenge for a world title, so congratulations to him. It would be a huge upset if he wins.
Prediction: Bivol by unanimous decision
Jun. 1st - Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball, WBA @ 126lbs
Ford was fortunate to walk away with a belt in his last fight and Ball was slightly unfortunate to not do the same in his prior outing. Ford should win. Ball could win. Previously, I overestimated Ford and underestimated Ball, yet I feel like it would an overcorrection to move from my previous assessments of them in March.
Prediction: Ford by KO/TKO in the second half the fight
Jun. 7th - Noel Mikaelian vs. Ryan Rozicki, WBC @ 200lbs
Rozicki, on paper, has a good chance. But he's also the guy who couldn't become a bridgerweight beltholder. If he couldn't manage that, I can't in good conscience back him to win in an actual division.
Prediction: Mikaelian by unanimous decision
Jun. 15th - Subriel Matías vs. Liam Paro, IBF @ 140lbs
There's levels to this ish. Anything can happen in boxing but Matias is at least a level above Paro in my humble opinion.
Prediction: Matías by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
Jun. 15th - Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin, WBA @ 135lbs
"Tank is back!" 😄
"He's fighting another bum!" 😞
Martin's chances are about as high as the chances of Floyd Mayweather reading one full page of a Harry Potter book. One for the knockout compilation.
Prediction: Davis by KO/TKO in rounds 7-9.
Jun. 15th - Chris Billam-Smith vs. Richard Riakporhe, WBO @ 200lbs
I called the cruiserweight division a real division earlier, I must stress however that I'm still not a fan of it. This is a rematch of a close 2019 non-title fight which Riakporhe won and which is still the only loss on Billam-Smith's record. It's a toss-up but I'm going to air on the side of the champ retaining because he's had more fights since that loss and he was able to manouvre his way to a title, something Riakporhe has not managed despite being older.
Prediction: Billam-Smith by split decision.
Jun. 15th - Carlos Adames vs Terrell Gausha, WBC @ 160lbs
Jermall Charlo, who held the WBC's middleweight belt for the past 5 years, was finally stripped of his title. Not for extreme inactivity, but for drink driving. Gausha previously lost to the great Erislandy Lara in a title fight 7 years ago. Now 36, I don't think he'll be able to beat both Adames and Father Time.
Prediction: Adames by unanimous decision
Jun. 21st - Rafael Espinoza vs. Sergio Chirino, WBO @ 126lbs
All-Mexican bouts are usually good entertainment. Chirino will be making his American debut but Espinoza seems to have a punch to him.
Prediction: Espinoza by KO/TKO in the middle rounds
Jun. 28th - Lamont Roach Jr. vs. Feargal McCrory, WBA @ 130lbs
I'm not greatly familiar with either, Roach has the better amateur background by the looks of it.
Prediction: Roach by unanimous decision
Jun. 29th - Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse Rodriguez, WBC @ 115lbs
Estrada beat the great Chocolatito. Twice. He hasn't fought for a while. Rodriguez has fought more frequently, who has he beaten though? He might prove me wrong.
Prediction: Estrada by unanimous decision
Jun. 29th - Teófimo López vs. Steve Claggett, Ring/WBO @ 140lbs
If Claggett wins, I'll eat my hat.
Prediction: López by unanimous decision
The Matchroom vs Queensberry main event is a non-title fight. I'm looking forward to it and if my schedule (& bank balance) were a tad more flexible, I may well have gone to see it in person. Wilder is not a great boxer and it looks like ayahuasca might have dulled his once deadly instincts. Zhang is an older gentleman who tires much too soon. The stakes are high, their guards tend to be low, who knows which man will be left standing? I must say though that Zhang is facing top opposition in quick succession, which is both exciting and concerning. Ah, the woes of being a boxing fan.
El Monstruo Mexicano is back in action on the 15th for a bout to rank the WBC's #1 challenger, he should win by knockout in the middle rounds and then be a top contender for the undisputed winner of Beterbiev-Bivol. Exciting times at 175lbs, it's a shame their big fight was delayed but absence makes the heart grow fonder.