Great boxing matches happen this weekend. Two of the most important occur in Japan. Both happen early Saturday morning, at around 2:00 am ET. So keep that in mind if you wish to bet on Yamauchi versus Nakatani and Triple G throwing down against Ryota Murata. Other top boxing matches on Saturday include Shane Moseley Jr. versus Gabriel Rosado and Ryan Garcia back in action versus Emanuel Tagoe. Check out Boxing Lines, analysis, and picks for the three mentioned fights as well three other top boxing matches happening on April 9.
Ryan Garcia, Triple G in Action on Saturday | Boxing Lines & Picks
Top Boxing Events
- When: Saturday, April 9
Ryota Yamauchi +900 vs. Junto Nakatani -2000 | 12-Rounds WBO Flyweight Title
- Time: 2:00 am ET
- Where: Saitama, Japan – DAZN
Underdog Ryota Yamauchi has a decent 8-1 record with 7 knockout wins. Yamauchi steps up in class big time on Saturday taking on champion Junto Nakatani.
The WBO Flyweight titlist is 22-0 with 17 knockout or technical knockout wins. Yamauchi is a good boxer. He doesn’t have nearly enough experience to hang with Nakatani. The champ wins via KO or TKO.
Boxing Pick: Junto Nakatani
Ryota Murata +350 vs Gennadiy Golovkin -500 | 12-Rounds WBC Super Middleweight Title
- Time: 3:00 am ET
- Where: Saitama, Japan – DAZN
In 2018, Rob Brant beat Ryota Murata via unanimous decision. Since losing to Brant, Murata has bounced back with two big wins.
The underdog exacted revenge over Brant, defeating Brant via TKO in the second round of a 12 round bout. Then, Murata beat Steve Butler via TKO in the fifth of a scheduled 12.
Triple G is a massive step up. But Murata has shown he can bang and come out ahead. Not only that, but Golovkin hasn’t fought since 2020 and he hasn’t stepped into the ring versus a boxer of Murata’s caliber since the rematch versus Canelo in 2018. The dog bites.
Boxing Pick: Ryota Murata
Gabriel Rosado -300 vs Shane Mosley Jr. +220 | 10-Rounds Super Middleweight
- Time: 5:30 pm ET
- Where: San Antonio, TX – DAZN
Gabriel Rosado is the chalk because a) he’s fought the much better opponents and b) Jason Quigley beat Shane Moseley Jr. in his last. But although Mosley Jr. has a 17-4 record, Rosado gives up a lot in height and distance with his reach.
Mosley Jr. has a 6 inches reach advantage. He should use it throughout the fight, keeping Rosado at bay. The favorite has lost 2-of-3. Granted, the losses were to top boxers Daniel Jacobs and Jaime Munguia. For a lot of boxers, though, losses become a habit. Mosley Jr. is the pick.
Boxing Pick: Shane Mosley Jr.
Marlen Esparza -300 vs. Naoko Fujioka +220 | 10-Rounds WBC & WBA Women’s Flyweight Titles
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where: San Antonio, TX – DAZN
Esparza versus Fujioka could be a classic. Both have skills for days. The underdog is 19-2-1 with 7 knockout wins. Fujioka’s last loss was 6 years ago in 2016.
Esparza is 11-1. The favorite has a single knockout win. So although she has a big chance to take this, Fujioka’s power could be the difference. Taking the better odds on the challenger makes sense.
Boxing Pick: Naoko Fujioka
Emmanuel Tagoe +900 vs Ryan Garcia -2000 | 12-Rounds Lightweight
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where: San Antonio, TX – DAZN
Ryan Garcia returns to the ring versus a fighter with a lot of experience and a ton of speed. Emmanuel Tagoe is 32-1 with 15 knockout wins. Taggoe’s last loss happened way back in 2004.
Tagoe is from Ghana. Almost all of his fights happened in his native country. Ghana has very good boxing gyms. So we know Tagoe is skilled. He showed it in his last fight, beating Mason Menard via majority decision.
Garcia should wins, no doubt. But Ryan didn’t look great in his last bout, a TKO victory over Luke Campbell. Garcia looked bored, was flat footed through the entire match, and was lucky to win the bout after Campbell sent him to the canvas in the second.
Again, Garcia should win. But there’s no way to know if the hungry Garcia, or the placated Garcia shows up for this fight. This is a good bout to go against the chalk.
Boxing Pick: Emmanuel Tagoe
Sergio Garcia -250 vs Tony Harrison +200 | 10-Rounds Junior Middleweight
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Los Angeles – Showtime
Tony “Super Bad” Harrison is 28-3-1 with 21 knockout victories. Harrison upset Jermell Charlo via unanimous decision in 2018, fell to Charlo in 2019 via eleventh round KO, and then beat Bryan Perella via split-decision in his last fight on April 17, 2021.
Favorite Sergio Garcia lost his last bout to Sebastian Fundora. There’s every reason to believe Garcia bounces back in this. But up until the fight against Fundora, the chalk had battled primarily in his native Spain. Harrison comes from a much better gym. He should beat the favorite.
Boxing Pick: Tony Harrison
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