Pick: Jamel Herring
Odds: -110
$100 Could Win You…$190
On Saturday, April 3rd, two of the top junior lightweights will step into the ring as Jamel Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) defends his WBO title against Carl Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) live from the Caesars Palace in Dubai.
This contest was originally scheduled for February, but it had to be postponed to April because Frampton suffered a hand injury during training. Frampton states that his hand is healed and that there are no concerns now.
Can Frampton win the title and make history, or will Herring move on towards unifying other championships within the division?
The main card will begin at 4 pm ET and will stream live on ESPN+.
Frampton vs Herring Betting Odds
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| Fighter | Moneylines | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Frampton | -120 | Over 10.5 (-400) |
| Jamel Herring | -110 | Under 10.5 (+310) |
This world title fight is not only close on paper, but it’s also close at boxing betting sites as well. Frampton enters as the slight favorite with odds ranging from -110 to -140. For the last five years, Frampton has been a betting favorite in his fights.
Despite being the champ, Herring enters as the slight underdog. This is the first fight where he’s been listed as the underdog in well over six years.
Both fighters offer value with their moneylines. Unfortunately, the over/under has no value as the over 10.5 rounds is a large favorite at -400 odds.
Frampton vs Herring Preview
| Fighter | Carl Frampton | Jamel Herring |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 34 | 35 |
| Height | 5’5” | 5’10” |
| Reach | 65” | 72” |
| Total Fights | 30 | 24 |
| Record | 28-2 | 22-2 |
| Knockouts | 16 | 10 |
Frampton Can Make History
It’s been a little over four years since Frampton last wore a world championship. He was the WBA super featherweight champ, but he lost to Leo Santa Cruz in a rematch via majority decision. Frampton won their first fight six months prior.
It was believed that there would be a third contest between the two, but that never materialized. So, Frampton went on a different path and won three straight fights before the heated contest against Josh Warrington for the IBF featherweight title.
He would end up losing via unanimous decision. Once again, following a loss, Frampton would string together a few more wins and end up in another title fight.
Watch @RealCFrampton‘s bid to become Northern Ireland’s first ever three weight boxing champion.
Catch #HerringFrampton live and free on @Channel5Sport this Saturday at 10pm. 🥊 pic.twitter.com/2J4D3NOFxA
— Channel 5 Sport (@Channel5Sport) March 31, 2021
His last bout was in August 2020 where he beat Darren Traynor via seventh-round TKO. Frampton is looking to become Ireland’s first three-division world champ. He was a former junior featherweight and featherweight champ.
For this contest, he will be going up to 130 pounds, which is a weight that Frampton says he’s comfortable at.
Frampton will be giving up five inches in height and seven inches in reach. Yet, the Irishman is confident that he will win and that he’s the better fighter:
“He will be the biggest guy I will have fought, but that excites me though, and puts fear in me. People think I’m going to just have to get close to him to land shots, but I feel I can genuinely outbox him and my footwork and hand speed is quicker than his. But I have to show people that I’m a better fighter on the night, and I genuinely feel I’m going to do a number on him. It won’t even be close.”
It’s fight week in Dubai 🥊#HerringFrampton | APRIL 3 | 4 PM ET | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/NwbrDKsI5f
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) March 29, 2021
Herring Wants to Cement His Title Reign
The former Marine is looking to not only cement his place as one of the best Marines in boxing, but to also cement himself as a top champ in the 130-pound weight class. He views this fight against Frampton as a step towards accomplishing both:
“I want to be known as one of the best marines to represent in the sport of boxing. I’ve always been a fan of Carl’s. He was named Fighter of the Year at one point, and he knows what it takes to win title fights. He wants to make history, and his legacy is already cemented. He didn’t need this fight, as win lose or draw he’ll go down as one of the best, but a win here for me solidifies me as a legitimate super featherweight world champion.”
Herring captured the WBO title, his first world championship, in 2019 by defeating Masayuki Ito via unanimous decision.
He’s defended it twice since then with a unanimous decision win over Lamont Roach in November 2019 and a DQ victory over Jonathan Oquendo in September 2020. Oquendo was knocked down in that fight and disqualified due to multiple, intentional headbutts.
Only 10 of Herring’s 22 pro wins have come via TKO/KO. He’s a fighter that has power, but seemingly enjoys going the distance.
Over/Under 10.5 Rounds
- Over 10.5 rounds (-400)
- Under 10.5 rounds (+310)
Herring has just three 12-round fights under his belt, and those all came within his last three bouts. Two of the three went the full 12 rounds.
Frampton has 16 fights that have been scheduled for 12 rounds. Four of his last five 12 round fights have gone the full distance.
For this prop bet, I like the over 10.5 rounds. However, there’s no value here.
Boxing Pick: Over 10.5 rounds (-400)
Will the Fight Go the Distance?
- Yes (-360)
- No (+270)
Frampton has gone the distance in 14 of his 30 pro fights. In his last 10 bouts, he’s gone the distance in eight of them. Herring has gone the distance in 13 of his 24 pro fights. In his last 10 contests, Herring has gone the distance in seven of them.
As you can see, both fighters have a pension for going the distance in recent years. In the case of Herring, he goes the distance over half the time in his career.
I like this WBO world title fight to go the full 12 rounds. And, if that happens, we will certainly be in for an entertaining bout.
Boxing Pick: Fight goes the distance (-360)
Who Wins This WBO Title Fight?
Frampton will need to rely on his big fight experience along with his movement. He will also need to pick his moments to go in and attack. I doubt his jab will be much of an impact in this contest due to the size advantage for the champ.
Speaking of jab, Herring has the seven inch reach advantage that will allow Jamel to fight from a preferred distance. His hand speed could also play a factor in this contest especially when he follows up his jab with other combinations.
Boxing Pick: Jamel Herring (-110)
Additional Value: Jamel Herring wins via decision (+170)
Additional Value: Jamel Herring wins via unanimous decision (+275)
If this were a Frampton in his prime, circa 2016, I would go with Carl to win the fight. But the power advantage that he’s accustomed to having in the lower weight classes won’t be there for this bout. Plus, he’s not as quick as he used to be and there’s a lot of mileage on those legs over his 12 year pro career.
When you add that to Herring’s size advantage and hunger for a big name win, I have to take the champ in this contest. It’s going to be a close fight and a thrilling chess battle, but I’m picking Herring to win via unanimous decision as he outpoints Frampton.
Rick Rockwell
As a longtime freelance writer, avid sports fan, former athlete, and experienced sports bettor, Rick Rockwell has risen up the ranks at GamblingSites.org to become the self-professed “King of the Blog” in his first year with the site. …
