Weekend Boxing Odds July 30

Weekend Boxing Odds July 30 – Friday and Saturday, July 29th and 30th have boxing odds popping up at the sports books. Below we review several of the “random” lines that are at the books today. Check back as we get closer to fight time for more International Odds.

Friday night in Quebec, Canada WBC world light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson returns to take on the challenge of Thomas Williams Jr. Stevenson is a long time champion, and he will be making the seventh defense of his WBC title. Stevenson calls Canada home now, and he is known as a star and a ticket seller north of the border. The fight is set to air on SPIKE TV.

For all his talents, Stevenson (27-1) is criticized for his very public war of words with Sergey Kovalev. Kovalev holds virtually every other world title out there at 175 pounds, and a match-up between the two has been talked about for ages. Unfortunately, that deal has never gotten done, and it has just deteriorated to more trash talk. Expect that with a win here, the Kovalev talk will start all over again for “Superman” Stevenson.

For starters, fans in Canada should be disappointed, as Williams Jr is no Kovalev. He got here by virtue of a gritty second round KO over well regarded Edwin Rodriguez this past April 30th in a fight where he entered as an underdog and he was hurt in the first round. The fight against Rodriguez is really the only fight that WIlliams can be measured by, as the rest of his resume looks like a club fighter.

Out at the fantasy Springs casino in Indio, California Golden Boy hits with a card set to air on HBO Latino. Featured on the crowd is fresh faced prospect Joseph “Jojo'” Diaz (20-0), who will enter his showcase against Victor Proa (28-1-2). Diaz will be defending his NABF title, and a win her ewill put him in line for a world title fight within the next year. Diaz could also return on the under card of Saul Alvarez vs Liam Smith as GBP Promotions looks to feature him on a bigger stage in his next outing.

Heading over to France on Saturday, Michel Soro (27-1-1) will face Hector David Saldivia (45-3) for the vacant WBA International title at 154 pounds.

Soro’s lone loss came back in May of 2012 in a failed bid to win the WBO world title at 154 lbs against Zaurbek Baysangurov. Since then, the 28 year old Frenchman has gone 9-0-1 and a win here could earn him another world title shot. As for Saldivia, he brings a big record out of his native Argentina, but he has never fought in France before and he is 0-2 in fights outside of his native country.