In a 12-round junior bantamweight WBO championship bout in the main event, Kazuto Ioka (28-2) and Donnie Nietes (43-1-6) meet Wednesday at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. The card begins at 5 a.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Ioka vs. Nietes odds and lines, with expert boxing picks and predictions.
Ioka has won 5 consecutive fights since losing to Nietes by split decision at the Wynn Palace Cotai in Macau on New Year’s Eve 2018. Two of this victories have been via TKO, with 3 unanimous decisions, including a victory over Ryoji Fukunaga on NYE 2021. Each of his past 4 wins have come at this very same venue.
Nietes was involved in a draw against Norbelto Jimenez at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai last time out (December 2021). Prior to that he had a unanimous-decision win over Pablo Carrillo in Dubai in April 2021, and then he had the split-decision win over Ioka.
Kazuto Ioka vs. Donnie Nietes odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:41 a.m. ET.
Fight result (2-way line): Ioka -700 (bet $700 to win $100) | Nietes +380 (bet $100 to win $380) Fight to go the distance: (Yes -260 | No +165)Kazuto Ioka vs. Donnie Nietes picks and predictions
Records: Ioka (28-2-0, 15 KOs) | Nietes (43-1-6, 23 KOs)
Fight result (2-way line or money line)
Nietes (+380) vacated his WBO super flyweight belt back in March 2019 in search of bigger fights and paydays. After 3 years trying to get back into position for a title, he is the mandatory challenger for the belt in this fight against Ioka (-700).
Nietes is now 40 years old, however, and on the downside of his career, while Ioka is fighting well.
You can’t risk 7 times your potential return to take the favorite. Instead, look to method of victory. IOKA BY DECISION (-160) is the best bet on the board as both of these fighters have had plenty of bouts go the distance lately.
Over/Under (O/U)
Yes: Fight to go the distance (-260) is a little on the expensive side. It’s not worth it to risk 2.6 times your potential return, but it gives us an idea of how the books feel about this fight. The judges will be involved, so stick with Ioka by points for the win.
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