Olympic Betting

With the Olympics only a week away I thought I'd give a quick preview of the competition. I've always found there is quite a lot of value in betting on amateur tournaments, with bookies maybe not as clued up on the amateurs as they should be. All odds are with Paddy Power unless stated.

At Light Flyweight, I can't see anything other than a win for Zou Shiming. The Chinese boxer is the defending Champion and three time World Champion. He's 17/10 to defend his title and after watching him last year, I can't see past him barring injury. If you are looking for a dark horse, Mark Barriga of the Philippines, is 100/1 to win. Defeated Paddy Barnes at the Worlds before running into Shiming in the next round. Barnes is 20/1 with Skybet.

At Flyweight, my pick is Andrew Selby. He's the European champion and World silver Medallist. Home advantage counts for an awful lot in the amateurs and is a great price at 7/2. My dark Horse would be Conlan of Ireland. He's 14/1 with Skybet and really is improving with each bout. Lost by a point to Selby at the Worlds and has taken some serious scalps at international level. The Irish will have a big following as well, as this the closest thing to a home Olympics they are likely to face.

At Bantam, the Cuban Alvarez is the man to beat. He's 5/2 with Skybet, but I like Luke Campbell at 6/1 with PP. Massive at the weight and again has home advantage it's worth a £5 of any man's money. Nevin of Ireland is 8/1 with Skybet and he should be there or there about come medal time.

Can't see past Lomachenko at lightweight. He's 5/6 and for a good reason. Supposedly he's only lost once in his life, the 2007 World Amateur final, and has racked up over 300 wins. Interestingly, he lost to a Brazilian in the World Championships but the result was overturned in favour of Loma. The Brazilian is 100/1 with Skybet to win Gold, and that's worth a pound considering he gave Loma his closest fight. Josh Taylor is 50/1 but I can't see him getting near the final.

At Light-Welter, the World Champion is Lopes of Brazil. I wasn't to impressed with him in Baku though and my pick is Iglesias the Cuban. He's 10/1 with Skybet, which is the bet of the tournament in my eyes. He lost to the Ukrainian silver medallist on countback at Baku, which could have gone either way. He's also defeated Lopes the previous two times they have met. Tom Stalker is 4/1, which is a bit too short in my opinion.

At Welter, Shelestyuk (Ukr) and Sapiyev (Kaz) are the two favourites. I like Fred Evans at 16/1 though. Was KO'd in Baku in the QF's but is also the Current European Champion. Classy boxer and again has home advantage. Adam Nolan of Ireland is 40/1, and I can't see him troubling the top guys.

At Middle, I like the look of Attoev the Uzbek. He's a former World Champion, lost in the first round in Baku to the eventual silver medalist Murata of Japan by KO. He was leading at the point of the stoppage, and KO's don't happen all that open in the Amateurs. He's 7-1 with PP. O'Neill of Ireland will be there or there abouts and is 16/1. Ogogo is 25/1, but struggles with consistency and recently with injuries.

At 81kg, La Cruz the Cuban is the outstanding fighter. He's 13/8 with PP to add Olympic Gold to his World Championships Gold. Hooper of Australia is a decent price at 9/1, but he's a bit of loose cannon (Azania would love him). No GB or Irish fighter at the weight either.

Can't look past Usyk at Heavy, he's 9/4. Russo is the defending champ and current WSB champ, and is 5/1 shot. Again no GB or Irish competitors.

Joshua will go far at Super Heavy. It's one of the weaker divisions and he is improving all the time. He's 15/8. If defending Champ Roberto Camarelle can rekindle the form of old he's is a good price at 9/2, whilst Felix Savon's nephew, Erislandy, is 5/1.

In the Womens I can't see past the World Champs, Katie Taylor and Savannah Marshall, at lightweight and Middleweight respectively. It really is a toss up between Cancan and Nicola Adams at Flyweight.

I've gone for a quad of Zou, Lomachenko, La Cruz and Katie Taylor. It's currently paying 13/1, but I got it at 15/1. I've also got a few quid on Iglesias at Light-welter.


Edit, some prices have changed since the time of writing.

It will be interesting to see how many finals cuban boxers make.

I've never put a bet on in my life, and I dont intend to, but I want to congratulate you on putting this together. It's a quality breakdown

We've spoke about this before, but this time, I fancy Teymur Mammadov against Uysk. A year older a year stronger.

For those that don't know and want to watch the reason why we dont have an Olympic Heavyweight representative, his name is Tervel Pulev of Bulgaria he beat Sunderland's Warren Baister in the Qualifiers.

How about a gentleman's bet then Mackem? I'll bet you that Usyk goes further than Mammadov. We can agree on something to wager.

If you could get odds on medal, Pulev would be a decent shout, I just can't see past Usyk.

Can't see past Lomachenko at lightweight. He's 5/6 and for a good reason. Supposedly he's only lost once in his life, the 2007 World Amateur final, and has racked up over 300 wins. Interestingly, he lost to a Brazilian in the World Championships but the result was overturned in favour of Loma. The Brazilian is 100/1 with Skybet to win Gold, and that's worth a pound considering he gave Loma his closest fight. Josh Taylor is 50/1 but I can't see him getting near the final.

Got tickets to the quarter-finals of LW (and WW and SHW, I think) so can't wait to see this guy in action.

6oldenbhoy wrote:How about a gentleman's bet then Mackem? I'll bet you that Usyk goes further than Mammadov. We can agree on something to wager.

If you could get odds on medal, Pulev would be a decent shout, I just can't see past Usyk.

I don't bet mate. I bet someone a tenner at texas hold'm once, lost, and didn't pay up. Thats what i do. With the bookies you pay in advance... thats why i don't bet.

To be fair you are on a winner backing Usyk, it's me sticking my neck out on Mammadov. Can't disagree with Pulev winning a medal since there are two bronze medalists.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Can't see past Lomachenko at lightweight. He's 5/6 and for a good reason. Supposedly he's only lost once in his life, the 2007 World Amateur final, and has racked up over 300 wins. Interestingly, he lost to a Brazilian in the World Championships but the result was overturned in favour of Loma. The Brazilian is 100/1 with Skybet to win Gold, and that's worth a pound considering he gave Loma his closest fight. Josh Taylor is 50/1 but I can't see him getting near the final.

Got tickets to the quarter-finals of LW (and WW and SHW, I think) so can't wait to see this guy in action.

Show off!!

I'm so jealous that I am considering praying for the stadia to be bombed.

I've decided against it

Very good article 6oldenbhoy and just in time to help me with my work Olympic fantasy draft auction in work .

If I get a few cheap boxers in that nobody else has heard off and have chance of a gold then I'll have a chance of affording one of the big guns who might win several medals in athletics or swimming.

The draw for the Olympics took place this afternoon.

At light flyweight, Paddy Barnes has got at bye to the next round. Will face Morocco or Cameroon in the last 16 and will more than likely face the Mongolian for a medal. He's on the same side of the draw as Zou from China.

Same at Flyweight, both Selby and Conlan have byes. Selby has a tough draw, he will more than likely face a Kazakh in the next round. Should he win that then it's more than likely a Cuban or the Thai for a medal. Both are very good. Conlan faces Mauritius or Ghana in the last 16, then will more than likely face Rau'shee Warren for a Medal. Should both win through then they will face each other in the Semis.

At Bantam, Nevin faces a Dane. Decent draw for him. Luke Campbell has a bye and will face Namibia or Italy in he next round. Both are on opposite sides of he draw.

At Lightweight, Josh Taylor faces the Brazilian who defeated Lomachenko, only for the result to be overturned. Will do well to win that. If he does, he faces former World Champ Valentino of Italy. Very tough draw.

Tom Stalker received a bye at Light Welter. He will probably face India in the next round. He's beaten the Indian a few times, so decent draw.

Fred Evans boxes Algeria in he first round. Adam Nolan boxes Ecuador. Both very winnable fights them.

Darren O'Neill faces Nigeria, he should win that one. Ogogo faces a Dominican fighter. If Ogogo wins that then he faces the World Champ Kytrov in the next round.

Joshua faces Savon of Cuba in the first round. Great fight for the neutral, but a tough one for either fighter.

First up today is JJ Nevin. He'll be in the ring at around 2:15. Next is Ogogo, at around 3:00pm. Darren O'Neill will be in just after him.

Thanks, I have tickets for the early rounds so will be keeping an eye on your picks.

Anyone see JJ Nevin? Just won 21-6. Great performance.

Nevin oozed class even if your man didn't seem up to much I think he is one of Ireland's better medal hopes.

Ogogo wins 13-6. Faces the Ukrainian World Champ in the next round.

75kg. The Venezuelan should have beat Hungarian. Bad Decision.

Does anyone know what the system for weighing in fighters at the Olympics is now? Are they weighed before each bout on the same day?

weighed every day, even when not competing.

Cheers, I didnt know they were weighed every day. They would really want to be making the weight comfortably in that case. I just remember seeing on Ringside that Wlad Klitschko said in the Olympics he cmpteted in that he fought on the first day and on the last day so he had to remain focused for the entire 2 week period. Would be really brutal if you were struggling to make weight. Frankie Gavin last time around lost out due to weight issues but I can see how if you were weighed every day it would be a struggle.

First up today is Fred Evans, shoukd be entering the around 4pm. Josh Taylor and Adam Nolan are in the second session.

Evans looking good.

Just reading back through OP and surprised there is no mention of Magomedrasul Medzhidov?

I liked the look of Evans today, looks like Goldenbhoy has it spot on with an outside shot at 16's.

He looked very good value on today's performance and I'll expect him to come in sharply on the odds if he shows well in the next round.

He might even get a shot at a big gong, just needs to improve his combinations and get-out. Having said that he has great feet coming forward and a sublime slip.

Might be worth a quid...

Personally I think he's a bit too open on the front foot.

TheMackemMawler wrote:Just reading back through OP and surprised there is no mention of Magomedrasul Medzhidov?

Haha, I lost interest midway through the article, thats why each paragraph gets shorter and shorter. In saying that though, his odds were poor, around 15/8, and he has lost the home advantage he enjoyed in Baku. I thought he was a bit fortunate to beat Joshua.

Regarding Evans, I didn't think he was as good as the commentators said. He was very open at times, and some of his hooks were thrown from a different postcode. He's come in to 9/1 after that, so happy I took him at 16/1.

6oldenbhoy wrote:

TheMackemMawler wrote:Just reading back through OP and surprised there is no mention of Magomedrasul Medzhidov?

Haha, I lost interest midway through the article, thats why each paragraph gets shorter and shorter. In saying that though, his odds were poor, around 15/8, and he has lost the home advantage he enjoyed in Baku. I thought he was a bit fortunate to beat Joshua.

Regarding Evans, I didn't think he was as good as the commentators said. He was very open at times, and some of his hooks were thrown from a different postcode. He's come in to 9/1 after that, so happy I took him at 16/1.

time to lay out then?

The Cuban at light welter looked good today.

Yeah, I've got a decent amount on him at 9-1. He faces the world champ in the next round, who he has beaten both prior to and post the World Champs. PP dont have any odds on the bout as of yet, but if he's anything over evens, which he should be, I'll stick a few quid on him. He's still 15/2 with PP, which will come in massively if he beats the Brazilian.

The Cuban flyweight looks very good and only 18. Hope he swims to Florida or something.

Have to feel sorry for Joshua in fighting a Cuban in his first fight. Hope he wins but I reckon the pressure will get to him.

azania wrote:The Cuban flyweight looks very good and only 18. Hope he swims to Florida or something.

Have to feel sorry for Joshua in fighting a Cuban in his first fight. Hope he wins but I reckon the pressure will get to him.

The Cuban did look very good at flyweight, also the Indian guy scored a first round KO which is pretty rare at that weight.

What time are the Brits fighting today? Got big hopes for Joshua, for a lad who's only been boxing 4 years he is class.

Joshua at SHW 23:15
Campbell in the bantams is on at 20:30

The Cuban favourite at Bantam Alvarez just had a real tough fight against an American guy. Best fight of the games so far that I've seen.

Haven't seen one Brit in the boxing because allt he coverage here (Canada) focusses on their athletes. Argh! And can't get Beeb streams, argh. Take to the net. 2030 I will will be there

Did Mammadov get beat?

Mackem, still confident about Mammadov? Got very lucky there.

TheMackemMawler wrote:Did Mammadov get beat?

Haha, nah. He should have done though. Awful officiating by both the referee and judges.

No, he just got the nod.

Actually scrub that, I was thinking about the Bantamweight Azerbaijani. Mammadov result wasn't a robbery but he was very lucky.

Only just turned the boxing on... so missed it. This ref is crazy!

The Japanese are lodging an appeal.

That Iranian was spot on. That ref was a joke. Should not referee another bout.

I know, it was terrible.

What was Mammadov like? See him improving? Either way I've tipped him so I gotta stay with him.

I'm liking this Kazak, Dychko. Nice footwork for a giant, quality 4inch push off.

What the hell is this canadian trying to box the frog for? He can't outbox him, he needs to steam roller him. Only chance he has. He seems demoralised going back to the corner after the first. Not a good sign.

6oldenbhoy wrote:The Japanese are lodging an appeal.

That Iranian was spot on. That ref was a joke. Should not referee another bout.

Quite rightly, the guy he fought got awarded 10 points in round 3!

Gotta give Woodhall some props. Excellent colour commentator and analyst.

Great result for Joshua against a dangerous opponent, anyone watch it?

Was a stinker of a result to be honest.

6oldenbhoy wrote:Was a stinker of a result to be honest.

Still a great result for Joshua though.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Great result for Joshua against a dangerous opponent, anyone watch it?

Great Result for Anthony. Bad result for Olympic Boxing.