Garcia vs Benn Undercard Picks – Best Bets Include Opetaia vs. Mikaelian
By Jaren Kawada in Boxing
Published:
- Ryan Garcia defends the WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
- Lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia headlines the undercard in a title fight against WBC champion Noel Mikaelian
- Check out the best analysis, predictions and bets for the full Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn undercard below
After months of banter, Ryan Garcia (25-2, 1 NC) and Conor Benn (25-1) finally settle their differences in the ring on Saturday night. The WBC welterweight title fight headlines a nine-fight card in one of the biggest boxing events of the year.
The Garcia-Benn undercard features lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (30-0) defending The Ring and Zuffa Boxing 200-pound titles against WBC titleholder Noel Mikaelian. While Mikaelian’s title will not be on the line, the fight marks the first cruiserweight champion vs. champion title fight in well over a year.
Former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo (29-2), who made his Zuffa Boxing debut earlier this year, also returns on the undercard against undefeated contender Andres Cortes (25-0). Cortes is coming off a big win over Eridson Garcia, who just derailed the Alan Chaves hype train last week.
The action begins at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT, with the four-fight main card kicking off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Garcia vs Benn Undercard Odds
Odds as of Sept. 12, 2026 on bet365. Check out the best boxing apps in 2026 to place a wager.
Jai Opetaia is unsurprisingly a massive favorite over Noel Mikaelian, but American heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion VanHouter is the biggest favorite on the card at -2000. VanHouter’s opponent, Raphael Akpejiori, is the biggest underdog at +875.
Magsayo vs. Cortes is the most even fight on the card and priced as a pick ’em. As such, the lightweight scrap is favored to go long, with the Over 8.5 round prop juiced to -275.
Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian Best Bet
Jai Opetaia faces arguably the biggest test to date in Saturday’s co-main event, yet it is still a matchup he should style on. Opetaia has an opportunity to definitively prove he is the best cruiserweight in the world against Noel Mikaelian.
Mikaelian is a solid outside boxer with above-average hand speed that allows him to out-point slower cruiserweights, even at the highest level. The problem is he is almost always stuck in first gear and is comfortable riding in cruise control, causing him to get very repetitive with his movement and setups at times. Mikaelian can also struggle to separate himself with his point-fighting style, causing him to lose three close decisions in his last nine fights.
Opetaia is the last person Mikaelian will want to try to cautiously out-box. The Aussie is an excellent boxer on the outside, but he makes his bread in the pocket, where he is one of the craftiest and most dangerous phone-booth fighters in the world. Opetaia’s precision and ability to generate power in close quarters is second to none, and nothing like Mikaelian has ever dealt with before.
Mikaelian needs to keep his distance to have success, but Opetaia excels at using his distance to cut off the ring and get on the inside. Mikaelian’s predictable patterns will cost him the first stoppage loss of his career.
- Boxing Picks: Jai Opetaia by KO/TKO (-163 at bet365)
Da’Mazion VanHouter vs. Raphael Akpejiori Best Bet
The United States desperately needs a heavyweight prospect, and Da’Mazion VanHouter has a chance to cement himself as the country’s best bet against Raphael Akpejiori on Saturday night. The 21-year-old New York native is still wildly inexperienced, yet he already possesses the power, speed and finishing instincts of a potential future title contender.
Like most heavyweights, Akpejiori has the power to threaten VanHouter, but he lacks technique. Akpejiori could catch the American with a wild shot if he gets lazy, but that is about the only hope he has in this matchup.
Although he remains far from a finished product, VanHouter’s speed and combinations are already on point. His shot placement is well beyond his years, and he throws with such speed and intent, particularly to the body, to set up his finishes. Once VanHouter senses even the smallest window toward a finish, he pounces on his opponents and swarms them with enough speed and volume to take down a polar bear.
As dangerous as Akpejiori can be, he leaves himself wide open without much semblance of a defensive guard. He is being set up to be on the receiving end of another big highlight. Take the VanHouter knockout prop wherever it is available.
- Boxing Picks: VanHouter vs. Akpejiori Not to go the Distance (-600 at bet365)
Mark Magsayo vs. Andres Cortes Prediction
Mark Magsayo hit the ground running in his Zuffa Boxing debut with a dominant fifth-round TKO win over Feargal McCrory to extend his win streak to five. The former champion can rocket himself into the lightweight title picture with another big win over Andres Cortes on Saturday.
The matchup is a classic “boxer vs. brawler” bout, with Magsayo the better and cleaner puncher, but Cortes bringing chaos. Magsayo has the upper hand in almost every technical aspect of boxing, yet Cortes throws most of those variables out the window every time he steps into the ring.
The last time Magsayo faced a pressure fighter, he struggled in a loss to Brandon Figueroa in 2023. He started off well boxing from the outside before fading in the middle rounds and succumbing to the infamous Figueroa pressure late. That result presents a clear path to victory for Cortes.
However, as gritty as Cortes can be, he is not yet a championship-level fighter like Figueroa. He seldom jabs or throws anything from the outside, instead choosing to simply wade into the fire and eat everything on the chin to force the fight he wants. Cortes does not have the type of footwork and cardio Figueroa used to turn the tables and break down Magsayo.
Assuming the best version of Magsayo shows up, expect the former champion’s speed and footwork to keep Cortes out of rhythm.
- Boxing Picks: Mark Magsayo Moneyline (-115 at bet365)
Oswaldo Molina vs. Pablo Rubio Prediction
Pablo Rubio and Oswaldo Molina are two imperfect fighters looking to continue the momentum gained from their last victories. Molina wants to stay tall and long on the outside, while Rubio wants to get his hands dirty in the pocket. As cliche as it sounds, the fighter who can keep the fight in their realm will get their hand raised.
Rubio’s grittiness could be the biggest factor of this fight. Molina is a fine range boxer but not a great one, giving Rubio the opening to potentially force the fight he needs.
Unfortunately for ‘The Shark,’ he is not the biggest pressure fighter and has a tendency to take the fight presented to him. Rubio lucked out by facing another pocket brawler in Adan Palma in his last fight, who he was able to out-last despite sustaining a pair of knockdowns.
This fight is up for grabs for both men, but Molina figures to have the upper hand with his frame and speed from the outside.
- Boxing Picks: Oswaldo Molina Moneyline (+120 on bet365)
