Another strong weekend for boxing is on the horizon, with events on both sides of the pond, allowing the most dedicated fans to immerse themselves in an all-day boxing marathon.
Saturday will kick off with Matchroom Boxing's card in Nottingham and the long-awaited rematch between Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington. Immediately afterwards, we will turn our attention to Las Vegas, where Ryan Garcia will return to the ring in a battle for the WBC welterweight title against Mario Barrios.
See our boxing predictions for this week’s top fights below.
Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia: Tale of the tape
Mario Barrios keys to victory
It’s been a while since Barrios tasted defeat, but he hasn’t been winning either. His last two bouts were declared draws.
Mario is far from the most creative fighter, but he is very technical, and his greatest strength is distance control. His weakness, however, is taking unnecessary risks, which is something he can’t do against a fast puncher like Garcia.
Barrios needs to do more than control the distance. He needs to show his punching power with his lead punches, leaving Garcia hesitant for exchanges. He also must distribute his energy efficiently, as Garcia will have an advantage in the late rounds.
Ryan Garcia keys to victory
The 27-year-old has to prove that he is more than just a social media star, especially after losing a lot of his credibility both on and off the ring in recent years. With one win in his last four bouts, Garcia needs to act now to revive his career.
This will be a test for Ryan’s distance management, as he will likely be on the defensive throughout most of the fight, and especially the first few rounds. He must counter efficiently, without taking too many risks.
We expect Garcia to conserve his energy for the late rounds, when he will start drawing Barrios closer, increasing the pressure and his punching rate.
Barrios vs. Garcia Prediction: The champion will defy the odds
Lately, Garcia has looked like his head is not fully in the ring, and that he isn’t ready to fight to the death. Barrios looks far more prepared for this fight, and we expect him to win.
A knockout seems highly unlikely given the styles of the two fighters, so we’d back a decision win.
Leigh Wood vs. Josh Warrington 2: Tale of the tape
Leigh Wood keys to victory
The 37-year-old veteran and two-time featherweight world champion is in the twilight of his career, but is still capable of a world-class boxing display.
Wood is an embodiment of the British boxing style. He possesses a solid technical base, an ability to apply high pressure despite his age, and a preference for working on the inside. His 60% knockout rate across his 28 wins is also worth mentioning.
Wood only fought once after his controversial win over Warrington in 2023, and got knocked out by Anthony Cacace, so he is likely to be rusty. His best bet is to look for an early knockout, as Warrington will have the upper hand in the long run.
Josh Warrington keys to victory
Like his opponent, Warrington held the featherweight world title for a long time and was considered one of the division's most exciting fighters.
In recent years, however, Josh has struggled, winning only one of his last four fights. All four defeats in his career came over the last five years.
Warrington has always been incredibly fast and was unbeatable for years due to the constant pressure he applied while keeping out of harm's way. Unlike his opponent, “the Leeds Warrior” has never possessed remarkable knockout power and has won only eight of his 32 wins by KO.
Wood vs Warrington 2 prediction: This rivalry will end with a decision
We see a couple of possible scenarios, but both lead to the same outcome – a full 12-round fight.
Before he got knocked out, Warrington was dominating the first fight, and it wasn’t even close. He had landed 104 punches to Wood’s 53, and we can see it happening again on Saturday.
At the same time, Wood has generally been in better shape in recent years, although he has been less active. He recently gave an interview and said that he is likely to retire after this fight, even if he wins.
All these factors, including a sold-out arena, lead us to believe we will see a full fight, and we’d rather stay neutral in backing either fighter.
Top bets of the night
- Mario Barrios to defeat Ryan Garcia via decision – 33/10
- Barrios vs. Garcia Over 10.5 rounds – 3/4
- Wood vs. Warrington Fight to go the Distance – 7/10
Vladislav has been professionally engaged in freelance journalism for seven years and has worked with numerous leading sports publications. A football and martial arts fanatic, he spent years training in both disciplines before turning to writing.
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