After a long wait that caused boxing betting odds everywhere to remain in flux for months, the much-anticipated fight between Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos is finally taking place. And believe it or not, even before the opening bell, it's already living up to the hype.
As you may have guessed, we have Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos picks, featuring all available predictions for the multi-title fight. We've also got Stephen Fulton vs. Brandon Figueroa betting odds and picks for you, since that's the other championship bout on the schedule for Saturday, November 27.
Let us begin, like always, with the latest boxing betting odds from BetOnline:
As of this writing, we have roughly one month to go before Lopez vs. Kambosos. You'll need to check these boxing odds for accuracy at BetOnline and all the other top online sportsbooks before settling on your boxing picks. Lopez may be an extremely heavy favorite now, but the lines will continue to shift in the weeks to come.
Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Predictions
- When: Saturday, November 27
- Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Where: Hulu Theater in New York City, New York
- Lightweight Titles on the line: WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring
Does Kambosos Have a Shot at Upsetting Lopez?
While Teofimo Lopez is no stranger to being a four-digit favorite, his status feels a little too inflated against George Kambosos. The former hasn't fought since he won his WBA, WBO, and The Ring lightweight belts from Vasyl Lomachenko. There are questions about whether he'll be in ready-to-fight shape when he takes on the current IBF belt-holder in Lopez.
To Lopez's credit, he has a sizable speed advantage. His lateral acceleration is through the roof, and he is comfortable using both his left and right arms to come in for blows at all angles. Some are concerned with his lack of assertiveness; he tends to fight off his back foot in earlier rounds as he looks for openings when his opponents go on the offensive. That's a valid worry. It's not the end of the world.
Lopez can often telegraph his punches, and even if he doesn't, the obscene power he generates behind his combinations stems in part from an elongated motion. Kambosos will have time to make reads and implement his evasive maneuvers.
At the same time, Lopez is the ultra-heavy favorite for a reason. Though both he and Kambosos are undefeated, Lopez's knockout power stands out by a substantial margin. Twelve of his 16 victories at the pro level have come by way of knockout, and his decision-making in real-time has improved dramatically over the years, as was evidenced with his underdog TKO of Lomachenko.
The longer this fight lasts, the more it may ultimately favor Kambosos. Lopez isn't wired to consistently go the distance. We're just not convinced he'll have to. Expect him to pick up a relatively early knockout on the back of his power and placement. However, we do recommend you limit your investment unless you're a high roller, as there is more upset potential here than the odds indicate.
OSB Prediction: Teofimo Lopez (-1000)
How Many Rounds will Lopez vs. Kambosos Go?
Here are the latest Lopez vs. Kambosos odds on the number of rounds the fight will last:
- Over 8.5: +105
- Under 8.5: -135
We already tipped our hand on this pick in the previous section. The assumption should be that Lopez picks up another knockout victory early on, most likely sometime around the fourth or fifth round.
That has been his M.O. in previous fights, and we see no reason to back off it now. If you're picking the over, it better be because you also think Kambosos will snag the upset win.
OSB Prediction: Under 8.5 (-135)
Should Fulton be the Heavy Favorite vs. Figueroa?
What's better than one fight between two undefeated lightweight champions? Two fights between two undefeated lightweight champions.
Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa give us a nice preamble to the Lopez-Kambosos showdown as they wage battle in the sub-127 pound category. Fulton enters as the WBO lightweight champion with a 19-0-0 record while Figueroa owns the WBC belt at 22-0-1.
Linemakers are so far loving Fulton's chances, and it's tough to blame them. He gives up a couple inches in height and reaches to Figueroa, but he has a stronger center of gravity and sports a better level of stamina. Any fight that gets to a decision will favor him.
Still, we can't just dismiss Figueroa. He has more pro victories under his belt, and the power he generates is absurd for someone weighing in at 122 pounds. In fact, given that he's secured a knockout in roughly 74 percent of his 22 victories, we're inclined to believe he'll actually pull off the upset here.
OSB Prediction: Stephen Fulton (+300)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your boxing bets:
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
