The boxing calendar has been busy, treating fight fans to entertaining championship bouts over the past month. The run of must-see matchups continued last weekend with the crowning of the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years after Oleksandr Usyk rallied to defeat Tyson Fury by split decision.
Saturday’s slate boasts no title fights, but it features interesting matchups that are worth wagering on. In fact, the two main-event bouts on ESPN+ make for a nice two-leg parlay.
The pick — 2-leg Fight Result 3-Way: Jack Catterall to win, Christian Mbilli to win (-130, BetMGM)
- BetMGM offer: $1500 in Bonus Bets paid back
Catterall (28-1, 13 knockouts) takes on Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) in a long-awaited grudge rematch at junior welterweight in Leeds, England. Then in Shawinigan, Quebec, super middleweight Christian Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) continues his path toward a title shot against Mark Heffron (30-3-1, 24 KOs).
Here’s how I see each fight playing out Saturday.
Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
The two met in February 2022 nine months after Taylor beat Jose Ramirez to become undisputed light welterweight champion. A fast start by Catterall led to an eighth-round knockdown of Taylor, and both got docked points in the ensuing rounds (Catterall in the 10th for holding, Taylor in the 11th for punching after the bell). Taylor controversially won by split decision, with the judges’ scorecards sparking an investigation.
Since losing to Taylor, Catterall has won twice by unanimous decision. Injuries and inactivity caused Taylor to lose all but one of his belts. The Scot lost his remaining strap in June 2023 when he was overwhelmed by Teofimo Lopez. Taylor says he’s revitalized, but bettors aren’t buying it. Catterall is the consensus favorite (-144 at FanDuel).
The Englishman will finally right the wrongs of 2022, likely by unanimous decision.
Christian Mbilli vs. Mark Heffron (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
This all-action affair shouldn’t disappoint. However, it’s merely the latest stepping stone for Mbilli, a 29-year-old Frenchman who’s being groomed to be a player at 168 pounds. A victory over Heffron reportedly will set up another fan-friendly bout against three-time middleweight title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
Mbilli will stand and trade power shots. He’s a clearcut favorite (-5000 at BetMGM) against the 32-year-old Heffron, who’ll be hard-pressed to avoid the fate of Mbilli’s last opponent, Rohan Murdock, who quit on his stool after six rounds.
Christian Mbilli looks to make a statement to the Super Middleweight division on Saturday 💪#MbilliHeffron | MAY 25 | @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/qxgdyH3fNK
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) May 23, 2024
This fight doesn't figure to go the distance. Mbilli should win by stoppage.
Boxing record: 10-7, -0.44 units