Smith vs Williams a real 50/50

Saturday night’s boxing looks a classic

Fight fans have a puzzle to solve on Saturday night at the Manchester Arena as Liam Smith and Liam Williams do battle over the interim WBO super-welterweight world title. It has left traders scratching their heads, meaning it’s one worth figuring out, as there’s plenty of value available.

Click here to place your bets on Saturday night’s boxing, shown live on BT Sport – with Coral giving enough to build a handy accumulator – or read on as we give our expert boxing betting tips, including our winner of this war.

Beefy suffers weight issues

Liam Smith dreamed of being crowned world champion in Manchester on Saturday night in front of a packed-out arena, but weight issues have cost him dear. The 28-year-old member of a proud fighting family shot himself in the foot and saw his challenge fall apart on those dreaded scales – the bane of every fighter’s life. He stepped on over the championship limit, meaning the fight was on, but he could not win the title. If opponent Williams gets the W, he will pick-up the strap, as he did his part in the gym, easing inside the weight limit with zero fuss.

That would’ve come as a hammer-blow to Smith, but it is beyond his control now, and he must concentrate on what he has a say over, and that is beating the man in the opposite corner. 5ft 9inch Scouser Liam Smith will duck between the ropes showing a CV of 24 wins against one draw and a single defeat. That reverse will be easily forgiven by backers, as it came against the might of Saul Alvarez in America on his penultimate go.

Smith bounced back to winning ways with a points cheer over journeyman Marian Cazacu only last month, and he has been marked as a 10/11 shot with Coral to double up. A win inside the distance looks unlikely, an 11/4 shot at present.