Dmitry Bivol vs. Craig Richards – May 1, 2021

Russia’s Dmitry Bivol clashes with England’s Craig Richards this Saturday at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Bivol’s odds to beat Richards make him an emphatic favorite on the night, but is there a chance of an upset? I’ll be talking you through the odds for Bivol vs. Richards and making my predictions and pick for the fight.

Bivol is 17-0 and the current WBA (Super) light-heavyweight champion. Although he gets stick for being a little lazy at times, he’s an absolute animal when he is on form. The Russian is looking to set up a fight with either Artur Beterbiev or Canelo Alvarez with a win, so expect a big performance.

Richards, 16-1-1, is the current British light heavyweight champion. He doesn’t appear to be anywhere near Bivol’s level, but let’s not write him off until my predictions and betting pick for Bivol vs. Richards are set in stone.

I won’t be the only one predicting a knockout win for Dmitry Bivol this Saturday night.

Anything can happen inside the squared circle, but the probability of a stoppage for the Russian is very high. Richards is a tough fighter and can possibly hang in there for the full twelve, but if this fight is a showcase for a future world title unification or a scrap with Canelo, Bivol will be out to make a statement.

More on that soon. First, let’s see what the odds for Bivol-Richards look like on the top online sportsbooks.

Bivol’s odds to win this fight are not worth betting on. 

As you can, the Russian is a huge favorite to triumph in this fight. If he lost, it would go down as one of the biggest upsets in modern boxing history, at least where the odds are concerned. 

Richards is a sizeable betting underdog at the price above.

I can’t see the Brit offering much in the way of attacking threats to his high-profile opponent. But that doesn’t mean that he cannot disrupt Bivol and go the distance with his man. 

Keep reading for my top bets for Bivol vs. Richards.

Bivol’s odds to beat Richards by a KO/TKO look much better than his moneyline price.

The Russian means business, and I can see him getting the job done well inside the 7.5 round mark. Odds of +115 are very nice, and I would recommend betting on Bivol to end things before the midway point of Round 7.

If you’re looking to bet on the exact round Bivol wins, back the champ to get it done in the 4th. The odds are excellent but don’t put the house on it. 

I think it should be clear by now that the bookies are expecting a big win for Bivol. 

There’s nothing about Richards that stands out as special. Given that Bivol is world-level and the Brit has only proven himself domestically, the gulf in class between these two should be there for all to see. 

Richards doesn’t have the power or technical nous to trouble Bivol. I expect the latter to walk his man down and go to the body early before eventually cutting him off and punishing him. Richards will show heart but will ultimately find himself backed up and punished until the ref steps in to call it off.

I’m predicting a KO/TKO win for Bivol in Round 4.

Bivol vs. Richards is just one of a ton of huge boxing matches you can bet on this weekend.

You can find the latest boxing odds, bets, predictions, and more in our boxing picks section. Make sure to check them out if you are gambling on the fights coming up over the next few days.

Here’s one I’m really looking forward to.