Jarrett Hurd vs Francisco Santana Odds & Picks

• Hurd vs Santana goes Saturday, January 25th at 9:00 pm EST
• Can Hurd get back on track and remind the boxing world of his champion-caliber skills?
• Will Santana prove the oddsmakers wrong and score a huge upset?
  

  ---

Hurd vs Santana goes down at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The night of fights features world title action and bouts with number one contender implications. The two are be looking to make a statement early on in the calendar year to get favorable placement in the super welterweight hierarchy for 2020.

Santana perceives this to be the biggest fight of his career and he seems to be preparing accordingly. But will it be enough to overcome Hurd? The prizefight will broadcast live on Showtime. Check the odds for this fight and my sweet science analysis below.

Hurd vs Santana Odds

Odds taken Jan. 20

Hurd is looking to rebound after his loss to Julian Williams in May 2019 via unanimous decision. The former IBF and WBA super welterweight champion is taking on a capable journeyman and a man who has historically competed in smaller weight classes, Francisco Santana.

It was Hurd’s first defeat as a professional and he bowed out of the spotlight for a meaningful period of time to learn from that. He has a focus on securing that rematch eventually but wants to get his legs back and under him and put on a great fight. A clinic of the sweet science and some newly honed skills.

Follow the Hurd

This fight is important in the larger context of the 154 lb divisional standings going forward for the year. Hurd has switched up his coaching and has been putting in work at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as of late.

He parted ways with longtime trainer Ernesto Rodriguez and is presently being trained by Kay Koroma. It’s also his first training camp outside of his immediate hometown space. He’s looking to step out of his comfort zone on multiple levels, galvanize his skills, and score one more for the highlight reel.

https://twitter.com/TheSportsJunky1/status/1069081923430084608

Hurd has a pronounced height and reach advantage over Santana in this fight. Although Santana has been in there with the aforementioned Williams as well as Jermell Charlo, Hurd also has the better resume overall.

A stronger strength of schedule and more experience with champion level opposition. Santana is a former WBA international welterweight titlist which is a notable distinction. It’s just not quite a world championship and Hurd has held hardware on that level and defended it successfully.

Hurd vs Santana Tale of the Tape

Hurd seems to have reinvented himself. He took the necessary time off to work on some things but hasn’t been gone for so long that I think there will be significant amounts of ring rust. Santana has lost three of his last four bouts. After Saturday, I think he will have lost four of his last five.

Notably, he has not been stopped in over a decade. Santana is durable enough where I think he can last for the full ten rounds. I think with that considered, I could see Hurd winning via lopsided unanimous decision.

Pick: Jarrett Hurd (-3000)