Speed vs Power: Bet on the Sadam Ali vs Liam Smith Bout

There’s a bit less than a month left to bet on the Sadam Ali vs Liam Smith bout. Should we count on Sadam defending his title or on Smith making it in the US?

Sadam “World Kid” Ali (Brooklyn, NY) won the title he’s defending, the WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion, in a huge upset against the legendary Miguel Cotto last December. It was Cotto’s last fight before retiring and Ali was believed to be an easy opponent. Now it’s his turn to demonstrate that he deserved that win, disproving theories that Cotto was so well past his prime that defeating him was relatively easy.

Liam “Beefy” Smith (Liverpool), a mandatory opponent for Ali, is a former WBO champion and knows how important this fight is. His sole loss was to Canelo Alvarez, “one of the world’s elite fighters”, in his own words. He feels he has much better chances to steal the championship title from Ali than he had against Alvarez in 2016.

The bout promises to be a close one, which is reflected in the betting odds offered by Unibet Sportsbook. The contestants’ chances are not wildly different, although bookmakers think that Ali (11/10) is a bit less likely to win than Smith (8/11).

Unlike their odds, their approaches to boxing is not alike, so let’s take a closer look at them to determine who to bet on the Sadam Ali vs Liam Smith bout.

Different Fighting Styles

Liam Smith (source: World Boxing Organization)

Dellboi’s Boxing News characterizes Smith as an aggressive, come-forward fighter. “Beefy” feels confident in close-quarters, has a good high guard, and is able to maintain a steady pressure. As it befits someone with such a nickname, he has the size advantage over Ali.

By contrast, Ali focuses on speed rather than punching power. He has great, accurately placed jabs with which he could prevent Smith from getting in too close. He also seems to have learned his lessons from his only loss, the 2016 defeat to Jessie Vargas. (Incidentally, we are betting on Vargas in the Broner vs Vargas fight.)

Dellboi believes that the difference in fighting styles will play into Ali’s hands. We also feel that the World Kid will be able to cement his position in this fight as a force to be reckoned with. But if you don’t want to support Ali at the expense of a fellow countryman, betting on Smith is not a bad option, either – maybe Beefy’s pressure will wear his opponent down.

Time to Bet on the Sadam Ali vs Liam Smith bout!

Whether you agree with our prediction or not, don’t wait too long – choose one of the online sportsbook sites in the UK and support your favorite. Also, stock up on coffee for 12 May: the fight will be broadcast by HBO at 10 PM New York time (the event will be held at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY), which is 3 AM in the UK.