Gary Antuanne Russell will defend his WBA World Super Lightweight Title in the co-main event against the unbeaten Andy Hiraoka on Sunday, February 22 (from 12:00 AEDT).
The fight will be on the fight card that features Miguel Barrios and Ryan Garcia, taking place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
This bout has all the potential to offer several betting opportunities, which is why we've made our picks as we explore where the value could lie…
Quick Picks
Our pick: Russell to win
Value bet: Russell to win by stoppage between rounds 8-9
Long shot: Fight to go the distance
Tale of the Tape
It's going to be an interesting bout, as both men fight out of a southpaw stance. It's not something we see all too often, which could have an impact, as neither man may be able to cope when they would typically face orthodox opposition.
Russell is a compact, pressure-boxer-puncher with high output and a very heavy straight left and a heavy body attack. Hiraoka is tall and rangy, often opting to fight from distance using his right jab and long left hand as an outside counter‑puncher.
Here's how they both compare, with Russell's figures first:
- Age - 29 vs 29
- Height - 5'10" (178cm) vs 5'11" (180cm)
- Stance - Southpaw vs Southpaw
- Record - 18-1-0 vs 24-0-0
- KO Record - 17 vs 19
Betting Preview
How have they performed in their last five fights?
Russell's last five fights:
- Jose Valenzuela - Win (UD, 12) - Mar 2025
- Alberto Puello - Loss (SD, 12) - Jun 2024
- Kent Cruz - Win (TKO, 1) - Aug 2023
- Rances Barthelemy - Win (TKO, 6) - Jul 2022
- Viktor Postol - Win (TKO, 10) - Feb 2022
Hiraoka's last five fights:
- Ismael Barroso - Win (TKO, 9) - Sep 2024
- Sebastian Diaz - Win (TKO, 5) - Dec 2023
- Min Ho Jung - Win (TKO, 8) - Dec 2022
- Alvin Lagumbay - Win (TKO, 2) - Sep 2022
- Shun Akaiwa - Win (TKO, 6) - Jun 2022
Betting Markets to Watch
Given their fight and KO records, Russell vs Hiraoka offers punters plenty of boxing betting value across the board.
We think that a Russell TKO/KO offers value. We would expect him to try to get close to Hiraoka throughout the fight, closing the distance and using his fight style to his advantage. Hiraoka likes distance, but we don't think Russell will give it to him.
By extension, it could be worth looking at a stoppage occurring in Rounds 8 or 9. Hiraoka would be at risk of tiring against an opponent who has a level that he hasn't typically fought against, despite his unbeaten record. Understanding how to bet on boxing can help you identify these late-round stoppage opportunities.
Our Prediction
Check the latest Russell vs Hiraoka betting odds at Sportsbet.
We think it's likely that Russell will win this bout, with a TKO victory likely.
In the long shot, we think that this fight going the distance also offers value. The Japanese fighter is unbeaten, while Russell has been held the full 12 rounds in his last two fights. For more boxing tips and predictions, check out our latest analysis.