Boxing Tips: A knockout 6/1 pick tops our weekend bets – Paddy Power News

Our tipster’s backing Hrgovic to get the stoppage late on against Allen on Saturday night.

We’re spoiled for boxing again this weekend with events from Friday night until the early hours of Sunday morning. First up, Paddy Donovan takes on imposing Ukrainian Karen Chukhadzhian in Germany, then on Saturday at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster David Allen meets heavyweight banger Filip Hrgovic, before finally we go to the US for a grudge match between Keyshawn Davis and Nahir Albright. Boxing tipster Matt Gipon provides his best bets for the big bouts!

This weekend’s boxing tips:

*All timings are approximate

Friday 8pm: Karen Chukhadzhian v Paddy Donovan – Donovan points or decision
Saturday 8pm: Louie O’Doherty v Ahmed Hatim – O’Doherty to win the fight in round 7-12
Saturday 9pm: Michael Gomez Jr v Lee McGregor – Gomez Jr KO/TKO/DQ
Saturday 10pm: David Allen v Filip Hrgovic – Hrgovic to win the fight in round 6-10
Sunday 4am: Keyshawn Davis v Nahir Albright – Davis to win the fight in round 7-12

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Friday 8pm: Karen Chukhadzhian v Paddy Donovan – Donovan points or decision

After consecutive defeats there’s no easy assignment for Donovan this weekend. The Irishman is going to Germany to face the Ukrainian nightmare. Chukhadzhian has been in with the best welterweight on the planet Jaron Ennis twice and been the distance twice, and he’s currently ranked around 10th in the world.

Although the Ukrainian, 30, has shown how tough he is, he hasn’t necessarily shown how good he is. His best wins have all come at a much lower level and, despite that, he still only has a KO ratio of 53%.

Donovan, 27, is slick and powerful but he revealed against Lewis Crocker that he can struggle with a solid and patient jab. Chukhadzhian will want to impose his strength but if Donovan is focused and confident I think he’ll have enough to win the bout on points.

Saturday 8pm: Louie O’Doherty v Ahmed Hatim – O’Doherty to win the fight in round 7-12

The biggest title fight of the weekend features Essex’s British lightweight champ O’Doherty against London’s Hatim. Neither man is known as a puncher but with the title on the line I am expecting a humdinger. O’Doherty won by KO when he won the British title and the Southern Area title, and I fancy the big price for another late stoppage victory.

Saturday 9pm: Michael Gomez Jr v Lee McGregor – Gomez Jr KO/TKO/DQ

Gomez and McGregor might not be setting the boxing world alight with their performances but they are two big names and entertaining fighters. I give the edge in skills and pedigree to McGregor but he’s come up a long way in weight in the last few years and I think Gomez will be too big and too strong – I’m backing the Manchester man to win inside the distance.

Saturday 10pm: David Allen v Filip Hrgovic – Hrgovic to win the fight in round 6-10

Dave Allen has already had a long and storied career, but once again he’s stepping in against another formidable and highly ranked heavyweight. 2016 Olympic Bronze medallist Hrgovic hasn’t reached the pinnacle of the sport yet but he still has the ambition to get there.

As a pro Hrgovic, 33, has beaten the likes of Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce, but in 2024 he suffered his first, and so far only, defeat at the hands of two-time world champion Daniel Dubois. The fight with the Briton was a back-and-forth slobberknocker but the doctors called off the fight in the 8th round with cuts above both of Hrgovic’s eyes.

Allen’s career has been no less bloody. 80% of the Doncaster man’s wins have come via KO but he’s also lost wars with Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz and David Price. More recently, Allen, 34, has exchanged wins with Johnny Fisher, and in October he lost on points to dangerous Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov.

There have been good performances in Allen’s career and less impressive ones, but defeats to Fisher, Frazer Clarke and Lenroy Thomas show that the ‘White Rhino’s’ level is domestic at best.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Hrgovic is fringe top ten or higher in the world and in his last fight he completely outclassed former British champ David Adeleye. The big Croat has knocked out 70% of his opponents and has real heavy hands, even if they aren’t the quickest.

Despite the defeats and stoppages Allen has never been dropped and he’ll make a real fight of this one at his home stadium. I think by the middle rounds the punishment will be accumulating on the local fighter and I see the referee or doctors stepping in to stop the contest in the latter rounds.

Sunday 4am: Keyshawn Davis v Nahir Albright – Davis to win the fight in round 7-12

Davis has already claimed a title in the lightweight division and surely it won’t be long before he picks up a strap at 140-pounds too. The ultra-talented and unbeaten super lightweight stopped quality operator Jermaine Ortiz in the super lightweight division in his last bout and now he looks to set the record straight against Albright.

These two first met in 2023 when Davis, 27, edged a close scrap before the decision was changed to a no-contest because the 2020 Olympic silver medallist was found with marijuana in his system. Albright, 30, is tough, awkward and skilful, but now that Davis has had a good look at him I think he’ll find the gaps and land the shots to finish the contest early.

This weekend’s boxing tips:

*All timings are approximate

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Boxing Tips: A knockout 6/1 pick tops our weekend bets – Paddy Power News

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