Okolie Dominates Okolie vs Billam-Smith Betting Odds: Boxing Predictions

WBO World Cruiserweight Title Fight

Okolie vs Billiam-Smith betting odds expect current champion Lawrence Okolie to withstand the challenge of Chris Billam-Smith. The 30-year-old is 19-0 with 14 wins coming by knockout, and he’s the -400 favorite with the sportsbook.

Boxing predictions expect him to hold onto the title, but Billam-Smith can’t be overlooked inw what should be an entertaining fight in Bournemouth.

Big Brit is the Best

Okolie is ranked the best cruiserweight in the world, so he deserves to be the short favorite for Saturday’s fight.

He won the title when beating Krzysztof Glowacki in 2021 before defending it against Dilan Prasovic, Michal Cieslak, and David Light.

He didn’t win by knockout in his last two fights, but he did enough to beat them on points, and that’s all that’s needed to retain his belt.

Okolie dominated Cieslak, who was 21-1 at the time. That was his biggest test to date and he came through with shining colors.

“That guy’s a monster,” Okolie said of Cieslak. “Strong as hell. What he would do to someone else who’s not on my level. He stopped someone who Chris went the distance with. He’s the first person that I clinched and said, ‘No, today’s not going to be my day to maul him.’ I’m hoping that he’s a harder fight than Chris.”

It holds him in good stead and we think he has had the tougher of the two boxing schedules.

Okolie has fought tougher opponents and come out ahead, so he deserves to be confident, as Okolie vs Billam-Smith betting odds suggest.

There has also been solid betting support for under 10.5 rounds, which means bettors expect Okolie to end the fight before the final bell.

He’s more than capable of sending Billam-Smith to the canvas, so there could be value with knockout markets, which have Okolie at -120 to win by KO, TKO or DQ.

Billam-Smith Ready for Test

Billam-Smith hasn’t faced someone like Okolie before, so he’s being thrown into the deep end.

The 32-year-old is 17-1 following a win in a two-star fight against Armend Xhoxhaj, so it’s not exactly the best form to bring into a world title fight.

However, he scored that win by knockout, and he looked good when beating countryman Tommy McCarthy for the Commonwealth Boxing Council Cruiserweight title in 2022.

It’s not the WBO title, but it proves that he could handle the pressure and win a career-defining bout.

Some believe Billam-Smith has a mental edge over Okolie, including Shane McGuigan.

“Chris is naturally a tougher man than Lawrence,” McGuigan said at his Leyton gym. “He’s naturally more brave. He has a massive advantage, he’s physically a much bigger specimen than Chris. He’s stronger than him when you get him in the weights room, he punches harder than him.
“All of these things favour Lawrence but, in mindset, Chris is a much superior person. And, also, he can go in there and put himself on the line.”

Okolie vs Billam-Smith betting odds have the underdog at +300, so he has attracted some support. However, he will start the fight as the significant underdog and rightfully so.

The occasion could be too much for Billam-Smith. He hasn’t fought anywhere close to the level of Okolie, who is a big fighter. That should play a part in the final result, so the money looks well-placed for the favorite.

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