Okolie v Light predictions and boxing betting tips: Hackney hitter can return with a bang

Where to watch Okolie v Light 

Sky Sports Action, 10pm Saturday

Where to watch Benavidez v Plant 

FITE TV, 4am Sunday

Best bets

Okolie v Light under 8.5 rounds
2pts 4-5 Coral, Lads

Plant 
1pt 11-4 bet365

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Okolie v Light predictions

Lawrence Okolie returns to the ring to defend his WBO cruiserweight title against unbeaten mandatory challenger David Light at AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday night. 

It’s been a turbulent time for Okolie, who hasn’t fought for more than 12 months and has recently been through an acrimonious split from former promoter Eddie Hearn. 

However, things have been far calmer for the Hackney hitter in the ring. Okolie stopped Nikodem Jezewski in two rounds to win the vacant WBO belt in 2020 and has since successfully defended his title against former Cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Głowacki plus solid performers Dilan Prasovic and Michał Cieslak.

It’s likely that a tougher test will await Okolie, but the Londoner continues to blast past any challenge he is faced with and it could be more of the same on Saturday night. 

Light is unbeaten in 20 professional contests and victories over Mose Auimatagi Jr and Brandon Glanton are fair efforts. However, this is a huge step up for the Great White, who has boxed outside New Zealand and Australia only twice, and his lack of head movement and upright style has to be a major concern considering 14 of Okolie’s 18 career wins have come by stoppage. 

The Auckland man travelled to America and stopped Anthony Martinez inside a round in 2022, but Martinez didn't offer much resistance in that contest and Light’s WBO ranking appears to be pretty wildly inflated. 

Clearly, there are some doubts over Okolie’s inactivity, but that appears to have been overplayed by the prices and backing the fight to go under 8.5 rounds looks the bet. 

There’s a cracking contest between David Benavidez and Caleb Plant from Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning and at 11-4 Plant looks the bet. 

Benavidez is a strong, unbeaten, walk-forward super-middleweight and wins over David Lemieux and Anthony Dirrell suggest that the Mexican is a high-level performer. However, Plant is a skilful, quick and technically sound boxer and the Tennessee man has the tools to win this fight, if he can withstand the pressure and power of the Red Flag. 

Sweethands has lost only one of his 23 career bouts, he is a former IBF super-middleweight champion and his single defeat came in the 11th round against elite fighter Canelo Alvarez. 

Benavidez is a promising performer but he still has questions to answer at this level and the prices seem to be stacked too far in favour of the Mexican. 

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