Former UFC flyweight champion and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will make his professional boxing debut against Javon Walton in the upcoming Misfits event.

The two will meet in Miami as the former MMA star turns his hand to a new sport. The clash is the headline bout on Sunday, September 27, with the card starting at 09:00 AEST.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Walton to win

Value bet: Fight to go the distance

Long shot: Draw

Tale of the Tape

Cejudo is an Olympic wrestling gold medallist and former two-division UFC champion, but he’ll come up against an undefeated Walton, who replaces Deen The Great after the latter withdrew due to an injury.

This fight will depend on how well Cejudo has managed to adapt and train. Remember, boxing requires a different type of discipline and skill than UFC.

He will need to keep on the move and not leave himself too open, with Walton likely to use his boxing background to try and pick him off. Cejudo is also going to have to deal with the awkwardness of a southpaw opponent.

At the same time, taking the fight on short notice may not help the boxer, who is an actor with an amateur background.

Cejudo’s statistics are first:

• Age - 39 vs 20
• Height - 5'4" (163cm) vs 5'8" (173cm)
• Stance - Orthodox vs Southpaw
• Record - 0-0-0 vs 3-0-1
• KO Record - 0 vs 1

Betting Preview

Cejudo is coming off two wrestling bouts with Merab Dvalishvili, winning the most recent after losing the first. The victory meant he became the RAF Championship title holder, as he continues to explore new sports away from MMA.

His UFC career had started to go away from him, as he had four consecutive defeats, losing to Aljamain Sterling, Dvalishvili, Yadong Song, and Payton Talbott (all by decision).

Walton is a late opponent change, but he could be dangerous. He has three victories, with his last two against Anthony Mora and Erik Hanley coming by decision.

He had drawn his second professional fight against Joshua Torres, having won his first by TKO/KO against Moises Guzman Almonte in the first round.

Betting Markets to Watch

It is hard to know what to expect from these two – one is a former high-level UFC champion, while the other is an actor who has shown promise in professional boxing.

As noted, the late change and the different stance could work more in favour of Walton, rather than Cejudo. Walton is just 20 and is more than just a celebrity boxer. He is very serious when in the ring.

We think there will be value to be found in the fight going the distance rather than ending by stoppage. Walton has back-to-back wins by this method, while Cejudo should hold his ground.

However, that could depend on how well Cejudo adapts to the new sport and environment that he finds himself in.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Grade B fight odds for Cejudo vs Walton.

Our prediction is a likely Walton win, with a decision the most likely outcome.

A long shot is for a draw; Cejudo is a professional athlete, but Walton is a strong boxer, and they could cancel each other out. For our reads on the rest of this card and the next Misfits bouts, see our boxing fight predictions.