Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa throw down in a highly anticipated bout on Friday night, with youthful exuberance and experience colliding. In the co-main, Liam Wilson looks to continue his momentum against Rodex Piala, and Nelson Asofa-Solomona makes his boxing debut after leaving the Melbourne Storm at the end of 2025, facing Jeremy Latimore.
Ben Talintyre previews the card and brings you his best bets below!
Boxing Predictions & Betting Tips
Nikita Tszyu vs. Michael Zerafa
The showdown between Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa is one of the most interesting domestic boxing bouts in recent memory. Zerafa had long been calling for a fight with Nikita’s older brother Tim, only for him to leapfrog him and go on to reach global stardom. While Nikita is now ready to make that jump as well, but must first get through the seasoned veteran Zerafa.
Tszyu (11-0, 9 KO’s) enters this fight with plenty of momentum and hype. While Zerafa (34-5, 22 KO’s) is the opposite. He has been one of the most consistent fighters on the Australian boxing scene, but every time he has made the leap up in competition, he has ultimately fallen short. But in his career, he still has several big scalps, most notably a win over Jeff Horn.
To win this fight, the 33-year-old will need to keep giving Tszyu different looks and slow down the pace whenever things get hairy.
Nikita has relentless pressure and has all the confidence in the world, something that cannot be understated when it comes to boxing. At 27, he is now entering his prime and is getting better every time he steps into the ring.
His body work and pressure make him a hard fight for anyone, and his never-say-die attitude alone will take him a long way in this fight.
Tszyu will want to control the centre from the opening bell, throw combinations, and work the body hard early. If he can keep Zerafa on his heels and moving backwards, he should overwhelm him.
Tszyu has shown he can maintain high pressure and volume for several rounds. While Zerafa is tough and experienced, I believe the sheer volume of shots will ultimately be too much for him to handle. I am backing Tszyu to get his hand raised and also sprinkling on him to do so by KO/TKO.
Also Consider: Nikita Tszyu By KO - $3.30
Nikita Tszyu to win
$1.85 (3 Units)
Liam Wilson vs. Rodex Piala
This is a risky fight for Wilson (17-3, 9 KO’s) , who is not at all shy of a war. He loves getting on the front foot and turning fights into brawls. That style can overwhelm opponents, and it has done just that time and time again.
However, he is very hittable, and that gives Piala (12-1, 1 KO) a real chance. He comes into this fight with a great opportunity to make a name for himself. But that being said, Wilson should still run through him. While Piala may have success early, his only route to victory is stopping him in the opening exchanges. Despite taking risks, Wilson is crisper, a heavier puncher and has a better gas tank. $1.30 isn’t anything to write home about, but still worth a play. When he finds his rhythm, he will prove far too sharp for Piala.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona vs. Jeremy Latimore
Friday night marks Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s debut. Due to that, it is hard to know what he will bring to the ring. The former Storm forward is a big, strong man, but watching his padwork, he is still rather slow and sloppy. Lucky for him, he’s fighting another former footballer, Jeremy Latimore. Latimore had one fight, beating Alexander Ale in an amateur bout. Ale is 0-5 in his career, and I hope he never steps into the ring again. As for Latimore, if Asofa-Solomona wants any sort of boxing career, he should lay him out within the opening two minutes.
Odds on a KO aren’t currently available, but I'll be looking for any bookie that offers a Round 1 KO and advise you to do the same.
