Eleider Alvarez vs Michael Seals Odds & Pick
- Alvarez vs Seals goes Saturday, January 18th, at 10:00 PM ET
- Alvarez is a -650 favorite in his return to the ring
- Can Seals score the biggest victory of his career as a +425 underdog?
Eleider Alvarez vs Michael Seals takes place at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, this Saturday (Jan 18th, 10:00 PM ET).
The vacant WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight title will go to the winner of this ten-round main event.
The pair have over 50 pro fights, combined, and on-paper this has the makings to be an attention-grabbing prizefight. Check out the odds and analysis, below.
Alvarez vs Seals Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Eleider Alvarez | -650 |
| Michael Seals | +425 |
Odds taken Jan. 16.
In August 2018, Alvarez captured the WBO light-heavyweight belt from Sergey Kovalev via seventh-round knockout. Though Alvarez would end up losing it back to Kovalev via unanimous decision in an immediate rematch (Feb. 2019), it still put Alvarez’s name out there in a big way. The loss to Kovalev was his last time in the ring, meaning it’s been nearly a calendar year since he has fought.
Seals is riding a four-fight win streak with three stoppages in that stretch. He’s a powerful and dangerous puncher with a 75-percent KO rate. He has described going to the judges’ scorecards as being against his religion, so this man has a true passion for rendering opponents unconscious.
Light-Heavyweight Implications
This fight has interesting implications for the weight class going forward. The light-heavyweight division is on fire lately with potential matchups with Canelo Alvarez, Jean Pascal (someone Eleider Alvarez briefly retired before his career rebirth), and many more. This creates additional pressure to score a win here.
Warning: Expect fireworks ⚠️
Light Heavyweights Eleider Alvarez and Michael Seals collide in this Saturday’s @ESPN main event. Don’t miss it. #AlvarezSeals pic.twitter.com/REq8e22E4o
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) January 15, 2020
Alvarez vs Seals Tale of the Tape
| 24-1 | Record | 24-2 |
| 12 | Knockouts | 18 |
| 6’0 | Height | 6’3 |
| 76″ | Reach | 80″ |
| Sergey Kovalev, Jean Pascal, and Lucian Bute | Significant Wins | Christopher Brooker, Andy Perez, Carlos Rafael Cruz |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
How Will the Fight Play Out?
Seals, who has a 75-percent KO rate for his career, will have a four-inch reach advantage over Alvarez. Seals has enough power and early stoppage wins on his resume to keep Alvarez from doing anything hasty in the opening rounds.
Alvarez’s 50% KO rate is somewhat deceptive because he has shown a certain level of punching power but often seems more content to be composed, keep distance, and cruise to lopsided decision wins.
The level of opponent that these men have faced is simply not comparable. Even taking a cursory glance at their resumes, it’s obvious Alvarez has been thriving on a tier that Seals has yet to even get a taste of. Seals’ record is littered with club fighters who have lost far more than they’ve won.
Seals has, admittedly, been facing higher quality competition in his last few fights, but Alvarez still has the edge. I think Alvarez wins via unanimous decision.
Pick: Eleider Alvarez (-650)
A part-time writer and full-time broadcaster, Dylan has hosted MMA talk shows Lights Out and Pure Fight Radio with featured guests like Jens Pulver, Roy Nelson, Miesha Tate, and covered some of the biggest MMA promotions like Rumble in the Cage, Unified MMA, and King of the Cage.
