The Best Boxing Betting Tips

Boxing is one of the most popular sports on which to bet, and it's not difficult to see why this is the case. There are very few, if any, sports that can match it for the intensity of its competition and drama, or some of the legendary individuals to have graced it.

However, there's also no question that making the right boxing bets, time and time again, can be tough. Here at Top 10 Sports Betting, we therefore decided to outline just 10 of the best tips to follow for boxing betting success. 

1. Don’t be swayed by fighter reputation over performance

Boxing is a sport that is very much about individual reputations - arguably too much, and misleadingly so. After all, a fighter who has even been in the game for long enough to have a reputation may have already passed their peak, whereas a youngster who bursts onto the scene with a flurry of wins may not deliver another eye-catching result again.

What's the answer to this? Easy: to focus firmly on performance, including those subtlest signs that may indicate whether a given competitor is likely to ace their next bout, or suffer a shock loss.

2. Bear in mind that a good sign could also be a bad sign

Boxing also has a lot of scope to deceive you - certainly with some of those 'positive' signs that may be far from positive in the context of a particular fighter.

Sure, the given fighter may have clocked up a string of quick knockouts, but against a more evenly matched opponent in a fight that lasts more than a few rounds, will they have the stamina to deliver the win? Experience can also be overrated in a fighter who is too worn out by past battles to be able to bring that experience to bear in their next bout.  

3. Target fighters that are truly in their prime

When betting on boxing, a fighter's actual, chronological age doesn't mean much compared to what is known as their 'ring age'. A wide range of factors help to determine whether a fighter at a supposedly 'prime' age really is at their height - while some fighters are still picking up high-level titles well into their 40s, others may be finished by their mid-20s.

Consider such factors as the given fighter's current speed, stamina, accuracy, timing and reflexes. Do they seem 'spent', or instead look like they have plenty of mileage left in the tank?   

4. Back the hungriest fighters – not necessarily those with the best record

'Hunger' is a tricky thing to try to analyse in a boxer - we've all seen those fighters who doggedly work their way up the ranks to ultimate glory, having come from rough streets in a third-world country. But will that hunger remain once the millions in fight purses and endorsements start rolling in?

All too often, the answer to that question is "no". However, there are also frequently many other fighters who manage to preserve the same heart and determination right through their careers.

5. Don’t simply back your heroes or compatriots

Any situation in which you are betting without any sense of logic is not a good one to be in when you are betting on boxing or of course, any sport. Yet, so many people do it. Simply because you may love your fellow countrymen or have long admired a particular over-the-hill fighter, doesn't give you much of an excuse.

Yes, we all love our heroes, but it might be best not to meet them - or to bet on them.

6. Don’t presume someone from a ‘tougher’ background will win

We're not saying that you shouldn't account for a fighter's background when seeking to judge who will fare best in an upcoming bout. However, this is definitely one factor on which one can easily place too much emphasis.

The fact is that coming from a Warsaw ghetto doesn't automatically make someone a tougher fighter than a megastar now sitting in a Beverley Hills mansion. There are plenty of boxers in the latter category who would give a thorough hiding to many of those in the former group.

7. Beware habitually fouling fighters

Certain fighters have a knack of consistently violating the rules while getting away with it - something that is especially apparent when the head is involved. While it is technically illegal for a boxer to ram the top of their head into an opponent's face, it is often extremely difficult for a referee to pinpoint such a foul, given that it can look like a normal part of the action.

Other fighters, of course, are rather less subtle with their rule violations, and do get called out for it. Is that fighter you're analysing a good or bad practitioner of the 'dark arts'?

8. Consider who has the best work ethic

There are always certain boxers who lapse into a hardcore party lifestyle when there isn't a bout just around the corner, and who then struggle to make weight when their next big date looms. Then, there are those who are consummate professionals, always running and training even when they don't have a fight anytime soon.

More often than not, it's the fighter who has the better work ethic who emerges victorious - so be sure to keep an eye on those tabloid headlines and the other gossip emanating from the different boxers' camps.

9. Think about the fighters’ respective styles

Not only do fighters have different styles, but they also have different levels of susceptibility to certain styles from other fighters.

Some boxers can be completely thrown off their game-plan by a pressure fighter or slick counter puncher, so you should think about the styles of the two fighters involved in any one clash, and how those styles are likely to interact.

10. Look at the last two or three fights 

Rather than look back at the last encounter between a particular set of fighters - which may be many years ago now - or compare their respective careers as a whole, we would suggest that you consider which fighter fared best over their last two or three fights.

Even here, however, the period of time between fights makes a big difference, as does the nature of their performance and their opponents in those bouts. You can probably have more faith in the physical and mental readiness of a young boxer who has reeled off two or three impressive fights in relatively quick succession, than a veteran fighter who only enters the ring once a year and keeps changing their mind about retiring.

We hope that some of the above tips will help you to feel more confident in your boxing betting! Read our ultimate guide to boxing betting today for a fuller introduction to the art of making the most intelligent flutter on the latest goings-on in the ring, right here at Top 10 Sports Betting.