Boxing takes a backseat this week in the United States and in England but Japan rings in the New Year with a terrific fight card. Odds have yet to land. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t pick winners for the top matches on the card. The main event pits Kazuto Ioka versus Joshua Franco for Joshua’s flyweight straps. Check out analysis and free picks for six of this Saturday’s top boxing events.

Top Boxing Betting Picks of the Week (December 29th, 2022)

#FightWeek #IokaFranco
✔Unified WBO Jr. Bantamweight Championship in Japan! pic.twitter.com/dYJvrpRV2W

— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) December 27, 2022

Lifetime Boxing Fights 12: Ioka vs. Franco – Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan

• When: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. 7:00am ET.

Kentaro Miyamoto vs. Taiga Ito

Miyamoto versus Ito should be an intriguing bout. Neither has started their boxing careers lighting the world on fire.

Miyamoto has a 4-3 record with 2 stoppage wins and 2 stoppage losses. Taiga Ito is 4-3-1. You can almost throw a dart to come up with the winner, but after a deeper scan, Ito is the play.

Taiga has lost a single bout via technical knockout, and that happened in 2020. Ito is the pick.

Boxing Betting Pick: Taiga Ito

Ryuto Owan vs. Robin Langres

Owan versus Langres is a nice bout between two up-and-coming fighters. No doubt, most of the money will land on Owan who has a 9-1 record.

Ryuto’s lone loss happened in 2018. Since then, he’s won 4 straight. Not only that, but the loss came via decision.

Langres is 11-4. The expected underdog has gone 2-2 in his last 4. Robin will fight hard, he always does, but Owan looks tough to beat. Ryuto gets the nod.

Boxing Betting Pick: Ryuto Owan

Ryo Nakai vs. Kai Watanabe

Nakai versus Watanabe should be one of the most competitive fights on the New Year’s Eve card. Ryo has a very good 5-1-1 record with 2 stoppage victories.

This will be Nakai’s fifth bout since July 14. Ryo lost the July fight against Shu Utsuki. But since losing, Ryo has won 3 straight, 1 bout ended via a Nakai TKO win.

Watanabe is 8-0-1 with 4 knockout wins. Since a draw in February, Kai has won his last 2 bouts via TKO. Ryo is a tough fighter, but Watanabe has the look of a real contender. Kai is the pick.

Boxing Betting Pick: Kai Watanabe

Hayato Tsutsumi vs. Pete Apolinar

Hayato Tsutsumi has a ton of confidence. He’s 1-0 but feels he’s ready to take on 16-3 Pete Apolinar.

The reason Tsutsumi believes he can get it done versus the more experienced professional boxer? Tsutsumi went 22-4 in his amateur career. He scored a pair of knockout victories while fighting amateur bouts.

Scoring knockouts in the amateur ranks is difficult. Apolinar has lost 2-of-3 and didn’t fight in the amateur ranks. Hayato gets the nod.

Boxing Betting Pick: Hayato Tsutsumi

Kazuto Ioka vs. Joshua Franco // WBO World, WBA World Super Flyweight Title

Champion Joshua Franco is 18-1-2 with 8 stoppage wins. Franco last fought August 2021 when he beat Andrew Maloney.

The layoff should be detrimental to Franco’s chances of winning this bout. Kazuto Ioka has a 29-2 record with 15 knockout wins. The last loss happened in 2018.

Ioka last fought in July this year, which gives him the edge. Ioka has a real shot of separating Franco from his titles on Saturday.

Boxing Betting Pick: Kazuto Ioka

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*All stated odds are subject to change without prior notice.

READ MORE: Top Boxing Betting Picks of the Week – January 5th, 2023