With a host of World Championships and major events on the horizon, we’ve picked out 10 sporting stars to look out for in 2023. These hot prospects are best placed to take their respective sports by storm and could provide punters with some good betting opportunities.
Local hero Josh Warrington is tipped to successfully defend his IBF featherweight title against Luis Alberto Lopez in Leeds on Saturday. The 29-year-old Mexican challenger has won 26 of his 28 bouts but this looks to be by far his biggest test to date.
Derek Chisora has been granted another crack at Tyson Fury but we can’t see this being a case of third time lucky for the challenger. Fury prevailed on points when they met in 2011 and Chisora was retired by his corner at the end of the 10th round three years later.
Savannah Marshall versus Claressa Shields has been tagged the biggest rivalry ever to come from women’s boxing and a cracking contest is on the cards. However, we reckon Hartlepool’s Marshall will prove just too strong for her American foe in this middleweight championship fight.
One of boxing’s fiercest rivalries will be reignited when Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn clash in London on Saturday night. Their famous fathers met twice in the early 1990s, with Eubank winning in Birmingham before an epic draw in front over 40,000 fans at Old Trafford.
Roger Federer’s retirement from professional tennis was greeted with sadness by sports fans around the world, but none more so than his friend and fellow legend Rafael Nadal. How does their story compare with some of the other greatest sporting rivalries of all time?
An all-British bout between current world champion Tyson Fury and former title holder Anthony Joshua is close to being agreed and our great infographic takes a look back at the hardest workers in the history of heavyweight boxing.
Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin do battle again in Las Vegas this weekend for the third and likely final time. As we explain in our in-depth infographic, the pair have met twice before, firstly in 2017 when the outcome was a split draw and again in 2018 when Alvarez got the decision from the judges.
On September 17, the third fight in the trilogy between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will finally take place, four years after their last meeting. We’ve looked at how the previous two fights unfolded – and what they’ve been up to since – to predict how the final chapter will end.
Anthony Joshua is rated a value bet to gain revenge over Oleksandr Usyk in their fascinating Rage on the Red Sea rematch in Saudi Arabia. AJ surrendered his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles to the Ukrainian in London last September but can learn the lessons of that defeat.
Social media sensation turned boxer Jake Paul may have bitten off more than he can chew by taking on Hasim Rahman Jr in New York. The son of a two-time world heavyweight champion, Rahman has won 12 of his 13 pro fights after previously competing in over 100 amateur bouts.
Derek Chisora has waited over six years for a second crack at Kubrat Pulev, but we fear it will be repeat not revenge when they meet in London. The pair first clashed in Germany in May 2016 for the European heavyweight title, with Pulev prevailing via a split decision.
George Kambosos and Devin Haney will battle it out to be crowned undisputed lightweight champion of the world in Melbourne. Australian ace Kambosos will defend the WBA, IBF and WBO belts he took off Teofimo Lopez, while American Haney puts his WBC title on the line.
Canelo Alvarez is expected to add yet another belt to his bulging trophy cabinet by beating WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. The undisputed super-middleweight kingpin steps up a division again, yet should not be troubled by an opponent untested at elite level.