Eva Wahlstrom vs Terri Harper Odds & Picks

• Wahlstrom vs Harper goes Saturday, February 8th at 9:00 pm EST
• Can Harper collect another world championship and maintain her unblemished record?
• Can Wahlstrom assert herself as an elite super featherweight fighter?
  

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Wahlstrom vs Harper goes down on Saturday, February 8th. It emanates from Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The WBC world super featherweight title and the IBO world super featherweight title are both up for grabs in this prizefight. This fight pits a tenured long-reigning titlist against a surging world champion looking to ascend to the next level.

This is a compelling crossroads fight at 130 lbs between a 39-year-old ring savvy veteran and a 23-year-old hotshot pugilist. Check out the odds and my fight analysis below.

Wahlstrom vs Harper Odds

Odds taken Feb. 4

Harper captured the IBO world super featherweight title via eighth-round TKO over Nozipho Bell and defended it in her last outing via unanimous decision against Viviane Obenauf. Wahlstrom enters the bout as the WBC world super featherweight champion which she has held since April 2015 since she bested Natalia Vanesa del Valle Aguirre. Though Harper’s belt does have some repute, the WBC is among the big four (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF) and this fight represents a step up to that next level. Both belts will be on the line and only one woman can leave the ring with the two titles hoisted high over their head.

IBO vs WBC

Terri Harper could very well jettison herself into public consciousness with a big win here. This is becoming a notable era for Women’s Boxing and a win here could potentially net her a lucrative high-level fight against Katie Taylor. Harper is undefeated as a pro and is riding a nine-fight win streak heading into this bout. This is impressive enough but seemingly not enough for Harper.

The IBO titlist is looking to get back to her streak of halting opponents and preventing the judges from getting involved. All five of Harper’s career stoppage wins came in consecutive fashion. The streak was halted in Harper’s last outing; the aforementioned bout with Viviane Obenauf.

🗣️ "I want to get back on my KO streak!"

Huge night ahead for @TerriHarper96 in Sheffield this weekend as she bids to become Unified World Champ 👑👑#WahlstromHarper #BrookDeLuca pic.twitter.com/rSztLFwqJ0

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 4, 2020

While Harper has had some KO successes, the same can’t be said for Wahlstrom. Among her 23 victories as a pro, she only has three knockout wins. Also in the last 14 months, Wahlstrom’s record sits at 1-1-1. Despite being a champion that represents an elite regulatory body, Wahlstrom has had difficulties finding consistency but it is worth mentioning that the lone win through that stretch came in her last bout. Perhaps this fight is where the tires really touch the road and she regains some traction she had prior in her career.

Wahlstrom vs Harper Tale of the Tape

Harper is also an Irish Olympic gold medalist so she has a tremendous sense of ringcraft that maybe doesn’t translate with her pro record alone. The fight IQ and galvanizing of technique that comes from competing on that sort of amateur level are remarkable. I think Harper will use her range well, won’t get drawn into a brawl, and will chip away at the WBC titlist as the story of the fight unfurls. While Wahlstrom only has one loss and it was via decision, I think she will get halted in this next fight. I think Harper gets it done via stoppage inside of ten rounds.

Pick: Terri Harper (-700)