Manchester Arena Boxing Odds April 8

Manchester Arena Boxing Odds April 8 – The world famous Manchester Arena hosts a big night of boxing this Saturday, April 8th as two world titles are being contested at the top of the card.

WBO world lightweight champion Terry Flanagan (32-0) returns to action in front of his hometown crowd as he defends his title against veteran Petr Petrov (38-4-2). Flanagan is going to enter the fight a considerable favorite over the veteran Petrov, who turned professional back in 2000 and has logged a lot of fights. Back in September of 2011 Petrov traveled to Argentina to face then WBA world super lightweight champion Marcos Rene Maidana after fighting for eleven years in Spain. Maidana stopped Petrov in four and after an April of 2013 loss to future world titlist Dejan Zlaticanin he has won six fights in a row fighting in the United States.

Flanagan won the vacant WBA belt back in July of 2015 when his opponent Jose Zepeda suffered a dislocated shoulder after round two. He then faced highly regarded American prospect Diego Magdaleno and Flanagan rose to the occasion, getting the formal KO stoppage of Magdaleno in two rounds. He has made three additional defenses of his world title since then and he went 3-0 in 2016. Petrov is not considered a front line opponent but Flanagan is looking at big fights and big pay days to come as the lightweight division is home to the likes of WBC world champion Mikey Garcia (36-0), WBA world titlist Jorge Linares (42-3) and IBF belt holder Robert Easter Jr. Anyone of those fights would mean a big money fight for Flanagan, especially if h can lure them to Manchester. But first he must get by Petrov.

The interim WBO title at 154 pounds will be going home with one Liam or another in an all-British world title match. Liam Smith (24-1-1) is the more experienced of the pair and he is known to the international audience as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’ opponent on U.S pay-per-view last September when they fought in Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Smith lost the WBO world title to Alvarez that day via ninth round stoppage in what would have been his third title defense. Williams has a resume that has seen him make the progression from British to Commonwealth to European titles but the competition level has been strictly regional and this fight might be considered a big step up for Williams.

The hard working Smith got back in the ring a couple of weeks ago when he won a four round bout in pain against a fighter with a record of 2-37-1 so Smith was perhaps shaking off the ring rust. The bottom line is that after the big pay day against “Canelo” people are going to be looking to see if Smith has the same fire as before. Williams is counting on him not having the same desire.