Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev Fight Predictions

Finally! After delays dating back to October 2017, the fight between heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev is happening on December 12, 2020. The fight, rescheduled initially to take place on June 20, 2020, at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium, has been moved to the SSE Arena, where only 1,000 fans are allowed in attendance. You can find betting information on the fight and our Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev fight predictions below.

Main Event Predictions – Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev 

Anthony Joshua Career Stats	Kubrat Pulev Career Stats
23-1 Record	28-1 record
21 wins by knockout	14 wins by knockout
Started career 22-0	Started career 20-0
Only loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019 (by TKO)	Only loss to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 (by KO)
First fight since Dec 2019 (won rematch against Ruiz by decision)	First fight since Nov 2019 (beat Rydell Booker by decision)

When this fight was initially scheduled for October 28, 2017, Anthony Joshua was an even bigger favourite with boxing odds to win at 1.03 to Pulev's odds were 10.0 to win the fight. The fight on Saturday is closer – as Pulev has pulled off some impressive victories since 2017 and Joshua lost his first fight – but we are still heavily leaning towards Anthony Joshua winning the fight.  

To Win the Fight				To Win the Fight
Anthony Joshua	1.08	29.00 (Draw)	6.63	Kubrat Pulev

Joshua is an elite heavyweight. He is strong, fast, and – after his upset loss to Ruiz Jr. – a highly intelligent fighter. Pulev is a quality opponent, but as a mandatory challenger, not the best possible opponent Joshua could face.

For Pulev, one interesting stat that stands out in this fight is his Win to KO ratio. At 50%, Pulev ranks well below every other contender in the weight class. His ability to prolong fights and win by scoring is undoubtedly a skill to consider against most fighters. However, it hurts his chances against the larger and more powerful heavyweight Joshua. We are betting on Joshua to win and retain his heavyweight titles.  

Pick: Anthony Joshua (1.06) to Win the Fight

Method of Victory Betting Prediction

1st Fighter						2nd Fighter
Anthony Joshua	By Points 4.33	By KO, TKO or DG 1.33	Draw 34.00	By KO, TKO or DQ 20.00	By Points 21.00	Kubrat Pulev

If you want some extra juice on this fight, wager on Anthony Joshua to win by KO, TKO, or DQ. While Joshua's last win came by decision – just his second of his career – Joshua's approach in that fight was an outliner. In his rematch against Ruiz Jr., Joshua played it smart and safe, not wanting to slip up against and get caught by a Ruiz Jr.

Against Pulev, who is not as powerful a fighter as Ruiz Jr., Joshua can fight naturally and win by overpowering his opponent – which 21 of 22 times (excluding the Ruiz Jr. fight) has resulted in a win by KO or TKO. We expect Joshua to win by TKO or KO. Continue reading to find out what round he will win the fight.

Pick: Anthony Joshua (1.33) to Win by KO, TKO, or DQ

Rounds of Victory by Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua (Rounds to Win)
Rounds 1 to 3	4.50
Rounds 4 to 6	3.60
Rounds 7 to 9	4.00
Rounds 10 to 12	7.00
By Decision or Technical Decision	4.33
Draw or Technical Draw	29.00

This prop bet is a little riskier than the first two bets, but it presents the best chance to make some actual money betting on the main event.

Early in Joshua's career, the heavyweight won many of his fights in the early rounds (his first 14 fights – all wins – did not go longer than the third round). Since his 15th fight, Joshua has faced better opponents, and his bouts, on average, have lasted longer.

Against the best fighters, the fights have gone deep. Joshua's has had two fights end between rounds 10 and 12, and two go the distance. Against average fighters, Joshua is winning fights in the seventh round. Against the most significant mismatches, Joshua is winning as early as he was at the start of his career.

Pulev fits into that average fighter range. He will not go down too early, but Joshua should soften him up enough to land a knockout blow somewhere between the seventh and ninth round.

Pick: Anthony Joshua (4.00) to Win in Rounds 7 to 9 

Co-Main Event: Okolie vs. TBA

The initially scheduled fight for the vacant WBO cruiserweight championship between Lawrence Okolie and Krzysztof Glowacki is off due to Glowacki testing positive for Covid-19. Okolie is looking for another opponent to face at the event. Okolie is a talented cruiserweight with a 14-0 record (11 wins by KO). We will take him against any last-minute fighter in the final fight before the main event.

Pick: Lawrence Okolie (Odds TBA) to Win the vacant WBO Cruiserweight Championship

If Okolie is a heavy favourite – odds anywhere between 1.01 and 1.20 – parlaying him and Joshua is a smart tactic to get some extra juice on the main events.

Best Online Sportsbooks to Wager on Joshua vs. Pulev

Find the best online sportsbooks to bet on the Joshua vs. Pulev below. Signing up through the links grants you access to an exclusive welcome bonus – rewarding you when you create an account and make your first deposit. Use the reward to bet on Pulev vs. Joshua and just about any other sporting event!    

Category : Sports Blog

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