Former WBO World Light Welterweight Champion Ruslan Provodnikov returns to the ring this Friday night in Moscow to face veteran Mexican slugger Juan Luis Castillo in a match he is heavily favored to win. Provodnikov is at (-2350), a huge favorite over Castillo who is paying back at (+750). For Provodnikov, this is his return fight since his now famous loss to Chris Algieri, a match he was also a massive favorite for.
Most of the world had heard that Provodnikov, the feared Russian slugger whose relentless style and punching power made him a feared name, had been tamed by an undefeated former kickboxer. Now that the world has seen Algieri fall to Manny Pacquiao it raises the questions yet again: Is Provodnikov any good?
Provodnikov was supposed to beat Algieri and make his way into a match with Pacquiao. The styles would make for an explosive fight, so you can see where people where going with the match. But Algieri was the Russian’s third loss, and the game plan that Algieri used to outpoint him and take his belt was quickly nullified by Pacquiao.
Against Castillo, he can only benefit from getting the veteran out of there quickly. Castillo turned professional in 1991, and he is the man who ceded the World Lightweight title to Floyd Mayweather Jr over a duo of fights back in 2002. But now, he is on the plus side of 40, and for this fight it is best to remember that he was best as a lightweight.
Castillo will still be dangerous, as anyone with 57 stoppages in 66 wins is, but unlike Algieri, he will not be on his bicycle the whole fight. There is no over/under yet posted on this fight, but it will be interesting to see where that comes in, because this one could be over fast.
There are lines posted for several of the other fights on this card, with Super Featherweight Andrey Klimov a heavy favorite at (-2000) over Gabino Cota (+1000). At Cruiserweight, Dmitry Kudryashov is a (-600) favorite over Juan Carlos Gomez. Both Cota and Gomez are like Castillo a or near 40, with good records and good KO power, but with their best days behind them.
Here is the HBO broadcast of the Ruslan Provodnikov versus Chris Algieri bout. It is an hour, but it is well worth watching:
