
How to bet on boxing online
“The sweet science”, boxing is a sport of pure courage mixed with skill under pressure. It’s also the sport for pay-per-view spectacles; Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao’s 2015 “Fight of the Century” generated a record 4.6 million PPV buys worth over $400 million. Fans will always pay to watch the best go toe-to-toe, and they’ll savor the chance to bet on the biggest fights too.
Most popular weight divisions
A fight for the heavyweight championship of the world is the most enthralling occasion in the whole of boxing.
Some of the greatest sportsmen of all time, such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey, are immortal legends who were proud wearers of the heavyweight crown.
In the current era, fighters such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are household names with huge followings.
This division will always have a special allure among seasoned bettors and casual fans alike, who love the challenge of picking a winner when the biggest fighters get ready to rumble.
Cruiserweight is the division just below heavyweight. Some fighters, such as Evander Holyfield, who were on their way to building up to that division, were supreme at cruiserweight.
Heavyweight fighters of a former age, such as Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis, fought at weights that would now see them defined as cruiserweights.
However, cruiserweight is a premier division in its own right. Mairis Briedis of Latvia is currently the top-ranked boxer at this weight, having held three versions of the world championship.
Ilunga Makabu of Congo and France’s Arsen Goulamirian are also current world champions at cruiserweight who attract serious betting action when they step into the ring.
This is the division for men who are lighter than light-heavyweights. Current champions such as Canelo Álvarez of Mexico, Kazakhstan’s Gennady Golovkin and Demetrius Andrade of the US make this an enduringly compelling division.
There is a glamor about the middleweight and super-middleweight divisions that make them extremely popular among fight fans and those who love to bet on boxing. It comes from some of the greatest names in the history of the sport fighting at this weight and packing a serious punch.
Men like Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Durán and Marvelous Marvin Hagler fought in a golden age of middleweights – and some stepped up to the super-middleweight division too.
Between lightweight and middleweight is where you’ll find welterweight – and a division that boasts some of the most iconic names in boxing.
The legendary Sugar Ray Robinson adorns its roll of honor, as does the undefeated (50-0) Floyd Mayweather. Manny Pacquiao, winner of 12 world titles at various weights for different bodies, is a legend the world over. The 2015 "Fight of the Century" between Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao set a pay-per-view record with 4.6 million PPV buys worth over $400 million.
Errol Spence Jr. of the US is currently unified holder of the WBC and IBF titles, while his compatriot Terence Crawford is also highly regarded.
Welterweight championship bouts capture the imagination and generate impressive numbers of boxing bets.
Some of the finest boxers of all time plied their trade at lightweight. They include Benny Leonard, the pre-war US fighter hailed by some experts as the best boxer of all time.
Roberto Duran began his domination of four different weight divisions with a power-packed reign as lightweight world champion.
Lightweight fights still command huge attention and large amounts of boxing betting interest. Teófimo López of the US tops the current rankings and holds three of the four world titles. His compatriot Devin Haney and the Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko also command huge respect in this division.
The word “feather” in the name of this division implies something light and insubstantial. Yet featherweights have been among the most fearsome punchers in boxing.
Men like Naseem Hamed, Eusebio Pedroza and Barry McGuigan were ferocious opponents in the ring and their exploits are still celebrated today.
At the top of the current featherweight tree is Gary Russell Jr., the American who has held the WBC world title since 2015.
Josh Warrington of the UK holds the IBF crown and is very highly regarded, as is Xu Can, the Chinese fighter.
When these men fight, the world watches – and it enjoys visiting boxing betting sites to add to the excitement.
This is the class for some of the smallest boxers in the sport – but the best bantamweights have a power that belies their physique.
Naoya Inoue, the Japanese fighter who is currently the world’s top ranked bantamweight, is known for the ferocity of his punching.
It has brought him world titles at three weights, and he is presently the IBF champ and the WBA super-bantamweight holder.
Nordine Oubaali of France and the Filipino Johnriel Casimero are right behind him at the top of the rankings.
Many fans of the sport at all levels enjoy seeking out boxing odds for the major bantamweight showdowns.
What are the major boxing titles?
Understanding what the championship belts are and what they mean.
Boxing bets explained
To Win Fight
The simplest bet on boxing that we can make. All we need to do is predict which of the two fighters will be victorious. It doesn’t matter how or when they win, all that counts is that the referee holds aloft our selection’s hand at the end of the fight.
In-play betting on boxing
Just because the first bell has rung and the fighters have come out swinging, that doesn’t mean the betting has to stop.
Modern sportsbooks can update their boxing betting instantly and allow bettors to keep wagering as the action unfolds.
This means that, even if we think that Anthony Joshua has lost the first round in a fight against Tyson Fury, we can still bet on him to win the bout.
Most boxing betting sites also offer in-play wagering on other markets such as the length of the fight and the way in which it will end.
Boxing pound for pound rankings list
Ranking | Name | Nationality | Record | Division |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Saul Alvarez | MEX | 57-1-2 (39) | Super Middleweight / Light Heavyweight |
2 | Oleksandr Usyk | UKR | 19-0-0 (13) | Heavyweight |
3 | Naoya Inoue | JPN | 21-0-0 (18) | Bantamweight |
4 | Terence Crawford | USA | 37-0-0 (28) | Welterweight |
5 | Errol Spence Jr | USA | 27-0-0 (21) | Welterweight |
6 | Josh Taylor | SCT | 18-0-0 (13) | Jr. Welterweight |
7 | Tyson Fury | ENG | 30-0-1 (21) | Heavyweight |
8 | Juan Francisco Estrada | MEX | 42-3-0 (28) | Jr. Bantamweight |
9 | Gennady Golovkin | KAZ | 41-1-1 (36) | Middleweight |
10 | Kazuto Ioka | JPN | 27-2-0 (15) | Jr. Bantamweight |
Here's the very latest pound for pound list according to the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
Boxing betting promotions
Boxing betting FAQs
Most sportsbooks will offer a range of boxing bets, especially on big championship fights. There are a large number of markets available, from outright bets on the result of the fight to the chance to nominate which round it will end in.
There are many options available when we’re trying to find out where to bet on boxing. The vast majority of sportsbooks will make boxing odds available on their website or app. That also means that we can bet on boxing through our mobile – provided we are in a location where betting is allowed.
There is no secret to success in boxing betting, as in any other sport. The more work and study we put into our betting strategy, the more likely it is that we will get some return.
Sportsbooks all over the world offer boxing betting odds, especially on big title fights. It's best to use a name respected in the industry, that offers excellent customer experience through a site and app. Most importantly, look for a sportsbook that offers competitive odds and a wide variety of ways to bet on boxing.
Best boxing offers 2022
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