Badou Jack defends his WBC cruiserweight title in a rematch against Norair Mikaelian this weekend in Los Angeles, and the 42-year-old is hoping to extend his title reign as Mikaelian aims to start his second run as champion.
Mikaelian is a -175 favorite, while Jack is a +140 underdog in the boxing odds. Here are my Jack vs. Mikaelian predictions and free betting picks for Saturday, December 13.
Jack vs Mikaeljan prediction and pick
- My fight prediction: Jack moneyline (+140 at DraftKings)
- My best bet: Jack by decision (+250 at DraftKings)
Fight analysis
The fact that Badou Jack remains a reigning and defending champion at cruiserweight at the age of 42 speaks volumes about the quality of fighters in the division. Still, Jack has built a career on resilience. Written off multiple times, he always finds a way to claw back, adapt, and remain relevant.
A three-division champion who still fights with discipline and purpose, he doesn’t score knockouts with one punch but does carry heavy, thudding shots that accumulate damage and freeze opponents. He hasn’t lost in six years, and even at this age, he remains one of the division’s most decorated fighters and looks tough to beat.
Norair Mikaelian came out of the first fight believing he deserved the nod, and he has some justification. His volume was higher, he kept a steady pace, and he tried to push the older Jack into uncomfortable territory.
But the quality of his work never matched the quantity.
Even though Mikaelian has the kind of style that an older fighter might not be too thrilled to face, due to his volume and conditioning, he's also on the older side at 35 and doesn't seem able to make adjustments.
One thing about Jack is that he has always performed well against volume. There were points in the fight where Mikaelian was picking up a head of steam before Jack landed a shot that stopped his momentum, and Jack was landing his right hand almost at will while walking through Mikaelian's shots.
I don't see Mikaelian having any more success this time around, and Jack should be able to get his timing down earlier and win this fight more clearly than their first bout. Jack is the pick.
Best best analysis
Jack has never been a one-punch finisher, and Mikaelian’s busy style lacks the power to draw any sort of stoppage later on. Expect a competitive, but controlled fight where Jack’s accuracy and better sense of Mikealian’s offense will see him win by a clearer decision this time around.
Badou Jack vs Norair Mikaeljan odds
| Method of victory | Badou Jack | Norair Mikaeljan |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | +140 | -175 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +550 | +350 |
| Win by points or decision | +250 | +125 |
| Draw | +1800 | +1800 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of December 13.
Badou Jack vs Norair Mikaeljan tale of the tape
| Jack | Mikaeljan | |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Age | 35 |
| 6-foot-1 | Height | 6-foot-3 |
| Cruiserweight | Weight Class | Cruiserweight |
| 73 inches | Reach | 75 inches |
| 29-3-3 | Record | 27-3 |
| 17 | Wins by KO | 12 |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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