[PilotMan]

First week of April, 2006

Fight Night-

Niall Beaumont, 1-1-0(0), is fighting this week in a four round preliminary bout against Roger Overton. Overton, 2-3-1(1), is going to give Niall a tough fight. Niall has not been the fighter that I had hoped for after signing him.

Overton’s record isn’t that good, but 2 of his losses are by majority decision and one was a draw. He knocked out Eric Kippax in the second round, so he does hit hard. It is going to be a hard fight.

The oddsmakers are favoring Beaumont at 4/11, while the odds on Overton to win are 12/5.

In the tale of the tape, both are big punchers, but Overton lands more frequently. Beaumont will be the aggressor, and will try and push the action. Overton has a better chin, but Beaumont can take more overall damage.

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There are two world titles on the line this week.

First, Lightweight champion, Damian Essett, 21-1-0(21), is making his first title defense against Pedro Carrasco. Carrasco is 109-3-2(67). In his last fight he defeated Al Hardway on points at the end of last year.

Carrasco has a good chin and it will be tested. Essett hasn’t gone the distance in a fight in over a year. He became the champ by Koing the then champ, Jorge Reynoso, in the first round.

Oddsmakers are all over Essett in this one. The odds on him are 1/7, while the odds on Carrasco are a longshot 11/2. No respect for a guy who has only been defeated 3 times and has over 100 wins.

The second title fight is for the Light Heavyweight title. Challenger, Virgil Hill, 48-3-1(25), is the favorite at 8/11. The champ is Julio Perez. Perez, 17-0-0(6), is defending the title for the first time after beating Jeff Ellery late last year. Hill got the title fight despite not winning his last fight. He managed a draw against Roy Jones.

This fight will likely go the distance as neither fighter has a big punch, and both are boxer style fighters. The odds on Perez are 7/6.