One of boxing's most historic venues will host another megafight Saturday when undefeated light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor puts his belt at stake against former lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden. Their 12-round main event will headline the main boxing card (10 p.m. ET) from the famed venue in New York City. Both fighters are looking to overcome sluggish outings in their most recent performances. Taylor, the WBO champion, is out to prove he's still the most dominant light-welterweight in the world, while Lopez has sights on becoming a champion in a second division.
Taylor is a -230 favorite (risk $230 to win $100), while Lopez comes back at +190 in the latest Caesars Sportsbook boxing odds for Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez. The over/under for total rounds completed is 10.5. Before making any picks for Teofimo Lopez vs. Josh Tayor, make sure you check out the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Peter Kahn.
Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what's going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D'Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 40-12 on his last 52 SportsLine boxing picks, returning $4,000 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.
Now, with Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez in sight, Kahn has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident picks for the fight. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez preview
Taylor has never fought at Madison Square Garden, and he told the media this week that performing at the venue, long considered the mecca of boxing, holds a lot of personal significance for him Saturday. His friend and mentor, former lightweight champion Ken Buchanan, died in April at age 77. Buchanan had numerous title fights at Madison Square Garden, and Taylor plans to honor his late friend's memory.
Taylor said he plans to wear replica shorts, a tartan and robe similar to what Buchanan wore when he fought at Madison Square Garden. He will also be inspired and dedicate the fight to his friend, who celebrated with him when Taylor first became a world champion.
"He's definitely going to be there with me, and it's definitely a good thing to look back on in a few years' time and tell the kids and grandkids that I just did what Ken Buchanan did," Taylor told Sky Sports.
Lopez proudly considers himself an astute student of the sport. Even though he hasn't hit his physical prime, he decided from a young age that he was going to try to leave a lasting impact on boxing and became determined to notch as many accolades as possible.
This is why he pursued a fight with Vasiliy Lomachenko at a time when the Ukrainian fighter was widely considered nearly invincible and did not have a long line of potential challengers who were willing to step in the ring against him.
Lopez told the media this week the same is true of his fight with Taylor. Although Lopez had planned on moving up in weight class at some point regardless, he noticed few of Taylor's peers were adamantly pursuing a bout with the undefeated champion, so he again decided to take on the task himself.
"No one has really called out Josh Taylor," Lopez said at a news conference Thursday. "Who knows why, maybe because he beat everybody already? I'm here to come in and take everything (he's) got." See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez picks
Kahn likes the Over 10.5 rounds at a price of -220 in the latest boxing odds from Caesars Sportsbook. He's also made the call on a method-of-victory prop that pays plus-money, as well as a confident money-line pick. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So, who wins Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez, and which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn's best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of $4,000, and find out.