Sandy Ryan vs Terri Harper tips: Boxing predictions, betting odds & free bets

Saturday's boxing betting tips

• Sandy Ryan to win by unanimous decision - 21/20 with bet365
• Dalton Smith to win by TKO/KO - 5/2 with Betfred
• Smith to win in rounds 7-9 - 7/1 with BetMGM

There's world title gold on the line on Saturday night in an all-British fight that should capture the imagination (from 7.30pm, DAZN).

It's been an exciting start to the year for British boxing and, despite Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2 being delayed, it shows no signs of slowing down.

This weekend, women’s WBO welterweight world champion Sandy Ryan defends her belt against super welterweight world champion Terri Harper. 

Boxing betting sites have the defending champion as the odds-on favourite. However, that won't stop Harper from believing she can add more gold to her collection.

At the top of the bill in Sheffield, rising British star Dalton Smith takes on former world title contender Jose Zepeda in front of what will no doubt be a raucous home crowd.

Sandy Ryan vs Terri Harper Tip: Ryan can stand tall

Ryan and Harper both won world titles very early on in their professional careers. It’s a testament to the fact that women’s boxing is still building its depth. However, both have proved to be worthy champions as well.

Derby-born Ryan is still as green as they come for a world champion, considering this is just her ninth fight in the paid ranks. Harper is more experienced and has world titles at two weights, achieved in just 17 fights to date.

Quite intriguingly, both women come into this one having failed to win their most recent fights. Ryan did keep her WBO welterweight title, though failed to add the WBA, WBC and IBO belts, in a draw with Jessica McCaskill. Harper kept her WBA superwelterweight title but also failed to add more gold, when she fought to a draw with Cecilia Brækhus.

Harper has experience defeating a high profile domestic rival, beating Hannah Rankin in September 2022.

However, she is stepping down in weight this time around and the champ is expected to justify her favouritism on betting sites.

Neither woman possesses huge amounts of knockout power and the two minute rounds continue to lend themselves to fights going the distance. We expect nothing less than 10 rounds here.

Ryan vs Harper tip: Sandy Ryan to win by unanimous decision - 21/20 with bet365

Dalton Smith vs Jose Zepeda tip: Home hero makes the step up

Whilst Ryan and Harper already hold world title gold, it’s another matter for Dalton Smith, who is hoping to join them at the top of the mountain soon.

The Sheffield native super lightweight has been working his way up the rankings and has already captured British and Commonwealth titles. Now though he is set to take on a man who has fought for world titles.

Jose Zepeda has been to places that Smith would like to go himself one day, and further. Three times in his career the American has competed for a world title belt, three times he has come out on the losing side.

His first failure was against Terry Flanagan in 2015, before he lost to Jose Ramirez in 2019 and most recently he was stopped by Regis Prograis in 2022, which is not exactly a black mark on his record.

Zepeda has won one and lost one since being downed by Prograis. The loss was to undefeated Richardson Hitchins but at 34, there are questions to be asked about his waning skills.

It’s the perfect time for Smith to step up to face an experienced hand, especially having won all 15 of his professional bouts so far.

Smith has achieved 11 of those wins by stoppage and, although Zepeda has only been stopped twice, we expected the home boxer to finish this one inside the distance.

Smith vs Zepeda tip 1: Dalton Smith to win by TKO/KO - 5/2 with Betfred

Rounds and age against Zepeda

Gambling sites fancy that the fight will go the distance. It makes some sense with Zepeda having only been stopped twice in his career.

However, at 34-years-old and with plenty of rounds in the bank, there is a chance the American tires and possibly starts to look old in the ring.

In his past three fights he has fought for 33 rounds. A unanimous points decision loss to Hitchins, a win over Neeraj Goyat in 10 rounds thanks to the judges and even his fight with Prograis was ended in the 11th.

With that in mind, we reckon that the three-time world title challenger can go quite far into the fight and Smith will have to battle to end it. However, we still think he won't need the scorecards this time.

Smith vs Zepeda tip 2: Smith to win in rounds 7-9 - 7/1 with BetMGM

Get a free bet on boxing

There's a big night of British boxing to come on Saturday and there are free bets up for grabs to use on the bouts.

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