Makhmudov vs Vianello Predictions: Transmission from the heavyweight hinterland

The heavyweights are out in force this Saturday, August 17 as Arsnlanbek Makhmudov takes on Guido Vianello. The fight will take place at the Centre Videotron in Quebec, Canada. The card will screen live on Sky Sports Action, with Christian Mbilli vs Sergey Derevyanchenko headlining. 

Here are my Makhmudov vs Vianello predictions ahead of a fascinating fight.

This bout can be viewed as the second step on the comeback trail for Makhmudov. A highly-touted contender, the Russian fell victim to Saudi boxing’s tendency to match boxers in tough fights. Makhmudov was knocked out in four rounds by fellow unbeaten star Agit Kabayel back in December.

Considered a huge upset, that thrashing has left Makhmudov with work to do. The rebuild has begun, with ‘Lion’ taking out solid hand Miljan Rovcanin in three rounds in May. Makhmudov is staying active, climbing back in the ring this weekend to try and keep the momentum going.

There is plenty of momentum there, too. While that loss to Kabayel was damaging, there is plenty to salvage for Makhmudov. He is still ranked by the WBC and IBF. Meanwhile, Turki Alshaikh and the Saudi boxing scene is still keenly matching up top heavyweights. A win here could see Makhmudov manoeuvred back into contention.

Vianello isn’t here to play ball, though. The 2016 Olympian might not have had the gilded career his amateur days hinted at, but he remains teak-tough. Highly-rated Nigerian contender Efe Ajagba found that out in the Italian’s last fight.

Many felt Ajagba was lucky to emerge with a split decision win over Vianello in April. ‘The Gladiator’ took the fight to ‘The Silent Roller’, hurting his man at times. Not that it was one way traffic, Vianello took a lot back from Ajagba. But this heavyweight thriller could have gone either way.

Makhmudov cannot afford to take this fight lightly. Vianello might have two losses on his record, but the 30-year-old is not looking to settle into a journeyman role. The Ajagba fight showed not only his talent but his ambition. Makhmudov is a big scalp and there is money to be made in this division. If the Italian can pull off the upset here, a place on the Saudi merry-go-round is all but assured.

The heavyweight division is the hottest it has been in years. The best are finally fighting the best. After years of low-key knock-overs for the most talented big men, it is now customary for the top-ranked contenders to face each other. This means that a win can propel you straight into a big fight. The victor here will undoubtedly find themselves in a higher-profile scrap next time out.

This particular bout represents an intriguing combination. An ambitious underdog who went oh-so-close in his last outing. A bloodied but unbowed favourite who will do anything to re-establish himself. Whoever wins on Saturday, they will likely have to wage war to have their hand raised.

Makhmudov vs Vianello Fight Odds

Makhmudov opens as a 2/7 favourite here while Vianello is decent value at 11/4 to win. The draw is priced at 16/1, always a risky bet in a heavyweight fight. 

Makhmudov vs Vianello Full Card

Christian Mbilli vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko; Super middleweight​ 

Osleys Iglesias vs. Sena Agbeko; Super middleweight 

Dzmitry Asanau vs. Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda; Lightweight 

Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Guido Vianello; Heavyweight 

Leila Beaudoin vs. Lizbeth Crespo; Women's super featherweight 

Jahi Tucker vs. Santiago Fernandez; Middleweight 

Abdullah Mason vs. Mike Ohan Jr; Lightweight 

Thomas Chabot vs. Matias Ezequiel Guenemil; Super featherweight 

Wilkens Mathieu vs. Facundo Nicolas Galovar; Super middleweight

Makhmudov vs Vianello Prediction

This will be a rough-and-tough brawl I feel. Vianello has shown he can hurt accomplished opponents. Saying that, I do feel Makhmudov is a superior foe to Ajagba.

I think this one will go the distance, albeit with both men taking some heavy shots and possibly one or both hitting the deck. But when all is said and done, I feel like Makhmudov will get his hand raised. My pick is the big Russian by decision at 3/1.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.