Types of Boxing Bets
There are various types of bets that can be found for boxing, ranging from very simple bets to some that require some careful consideration.
Moneyline
These are the simplest bets that can be placed on a fight. Punters can place a bet on either of the boxers to win and the odds offered on either of the contestants will show whether they are favoured to win or are the underdog. The boxer with the shorter odds will be the favourite, whilst the boxer with the longer odds is the underdog. Anything can happen in boxing, so punters do not necessarily always need to bet on the favourite if they think the underdog has a chance to win the fight.
Moneylines do not require the punter to specify how the fight will end or in which round it will end, so if a fight goes the distance and the boxer that was bet on wins the fight on points, the bet pays out.
Total Rounds
Just as bets can be placed on which boxer will win the fight, bets can be placed on how long the fight will last. These bets may only be available for specific events that are higher profile, but when they are offered they can be quite intriguing. The bets may use the over/under system, where a number of rounds will be presented in each bet, such as 6.5, and there will be a bet for the fight to end in over that amount and a bet on the fight to end in less than that amount. There may be multiple options for bettors to choose from, such as total rounds over/under 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and so on.
Betting on the number of rounds a fight is not easy to predict, and that's why the odds offered in these bets can be quite long. Bettors will be able to look through their options in the total rounds of bets, and they can gauge how risky they think a certain bet is whether the odds offered are worth the risk.
Method of Victory
There may be bets offered for how the fight will finish, whether by points/judge's decision, by knockout or by technical knockout. At any point during a fight events can take an unexpected turn, even between two more defensive boxers. The chance to knockout a boxer comes rarely during a bout, but some boxers are capable of unleashing a flurry of hits when they break through their opponent's defence. It is definitely the most exhilarating way to end a fight, and betting on the fight to end in a knockout can come at some long odds which may prove to be appealing to boxing fans.
Will the Fight Go the Distance?
There may be a bet offered on whether the fight will go the distance or not. This basically means the fight will last its entire duration and there will not be a technical knockout or knockout. Depending on who is stepping into the ring, these bets may come at shorter odds or at extremely lengthy odds. For more ferocious boxers, there is a better chance of a knockout or one of the boxers throwing in the towel because of the intensity and possible physical damage they may incur during the fight. Fights between boxers who are good at defence and rarely let their guard down may be more likely to go the distance.
Winner By Rounds/Group Rounds
For the higher profile fights, there may be bets offered on individual rounds or grouped rounds. What this means is that punters can bet on which boxer they think will win in a specific round, or which of the boxers will win more rounds in a group of rounds. For fights that are set to last 12 rounds, the rounds will be grouped in 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The odds offered on rounds or grouped rounds are competitive, and they may be longer when it comes to the final rounds as there may be a chance that the fights will not last that long, which is something that punters also have to take into consideration when placing their bets.
When Will the Fight End?
There may be bets offered on which round the fight will end in. These are quite specific and therefore they come with some lengthy odds that punters may find appealing. To win this bet, the fight needs to end in the round that the bettor picked, the means by which the fight ends does not matter, and it does not require a specific fighter to win, but if a punter wants to increase these already huge odds, they may combine this bet with which fighter will win. Though this is risky, punters may feel that the fight will end in a very specific scenario, with a particular boxer knocking out the other in the 9th round for example.
Fighter To Be Knocked Down
This is also a special bet that will not be available on all fights, but for the major events it may be offered. There are different variants of this bet that may start with long odds and increase to truly massive odds for more specific bets. The simplest bet is on whether one of the fighters will be knocked down. There may also be bets such as a specific fighter to be knocked down, either of the fighters to be knocked down in a specific round or even a specific fighter to be knocked down in a specific round. The latter is extremely difficult to predict but punters who take a chance and win will receive tremendous returns.
How to Research Fights
The top boxers are very proud of their records, especially when their fight wins greatly exceed their losses. When the top fighters go head to head, one will have to lose which can definitely hurt their confidence. Furthermore, adding a loss to their record may be a bigger blow to some than the physical damage or injuries they sustain during the fight. When researching boxers, their fight record is the first thing most punters look at. This will give a good idea of how good the boxer is in the ring.
Boxers usually do not have more than 50 fights before they finally retire. Punters who really want to do their homework may look at their individual fights and try to see if they have fought a similar opponent to the one they will face in the next fight. It is important to look at physical aspects such as a boxer's weight, height and reach. Boxers who are really tall will proportionately have longer reaches, which is a huge advantage.
Boxers fight in weight classes, meaning that there will not be a huge difference between the physiques of two fighters, but there can still be small differences between fighters of the same weight class. Fighters in the lightweight class may range from 135 pounds to 140 lbs, which can be quite considerable in certain scenarios. Welterweights range from 147 to 154 lbs, light heavyweights range from 175lbs to 200 lbs, and heavyweights start at 200 lbs and do not have a maximum weight restriction. Heavyweight fights are hugely popular, and the difference between fighters in this category can be massive. Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is 6 foot 6" and weighs in at 240 lbs, whilst Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Oleksandr is 6 foot 3" and weighs at 216 lbs.
Once punters do some research, they should have a better idea about who they think will win the upcoming fight, although it is important to remember that nothing is guaranteed and anything can happen once the two fighters get into the ring.