The pomp and pageantry of the sport is second to none, and the magnificence of its splendor predates most all other audience supported sporting enterprises. All this makes boxing betting and the strategy that goes along with it one of the most prominent the world over.

Boxing has been around for centuries, and the modern form of it today, which includes timed rounds and gloved fists, has long been connected to world of sports gambling. Boxing betting might seem simple at first glance, but anyone who studies what writer A.J. Liebling termed “the sweet science” of boxing long enough to notice it finds an incredibly complicated art form combining the better parts of human competition, mastery of the physical form and advanced intellectual strategy.

Boxing’s Betting Markets to Consider

There are a myriad of markets for the educated boxing gambler. Bookmakers set boxing markets ranging from straightforward bets on who will win the fight outright to more complicated propositional bets involving the total number of rounds, if it will go the distance, method of victory and fight-specific outcomes including as total punches thrown or landed.

When playing the boxing betting market, there are many important factors to consider before deciding how to bet. Boxing is a unique culture, and sorting through information concerning boxing’s 17 weight classes, different sanctioning bodies, authoritative rankings systems and the sometimes overwhelming amount of low value promotional content can be a difficult task to those who haven’t followed the sport closely for a long period of time.

The most important things to consider when placing a wager on any boxing match are the accomplishments of the participants, the fighters’ styles as well as their overall talent levels and abilities. Gambling.com’s boxing betting strategy guide is intended to get potential boxing gamblers up-to-speed as fast as possible so they can hit the ground running on boxing’s top betting markets.

Using Statistics in Your Betting Strategy

The three following websites listed below should assist you in your search to get the most out of boxing betting. Each is unique in its prestige and utility and each provides a top-notch quality service and assists in collecting the amount of information needed to place the best and most profitable wagers.

BoxRec

BoxRec is one of the best kept and most widely used resources in the sport of boxing. BoxRec is the official record keeper for the sport in Europe and shares the role with Fight Fax in the United States. Unlike Fight Fax, BoxRec’s records are open and available to the public through their website, so most everyone in today’s boxing world uses BoxRec as their go-to reference for statistical data points about upcoming bouts, such as the number of rounds scheduled, location and officials, as well as historical points of interests such as total number of rounds a fighter has fought, a fighter’s resume of wins, losses and draws, etc.

CompuBox

Since 1985, CompuBox has tallied punch statistics for most major fights through their partnerships with television networks such as HBO, Showtime and ESPN. CompuBox’s system includes two people sitting ringside punching buttons for missed and landed punches, and their custom built software program tallies the results to be used and shared with television networks and other media members.

CompuBox operators at fights count jabs and power punches. A power punch, according to CompuBox, is anything that isn’t a jab. This include hooks, uppercuts and overhand punches. CompuBox releases stats around upcoming fights, so the best way to stay on top of the information is by following @CompuBox on Twitter. CompuBox statistics are also available through television networks such as HBO and Showtime.

BoxStat

BoxStat.co is a relatively new entry in the world of boxing statistics, but their advancement of more modern metrics are a welcome one. Like CompuBox, BoxStat also provides punch statistics, but does so from reviewing fight videos rather than using ringside operators.

Moreover, BoxStat provides a wealth of statistical information to fans, bettors and media through their website which is free and open to all. BoxStat’s truest value lies in the way they present the information. Their infographics are unparalleled in the sport and they offer a quick and way to review important information about upcoming fights and fighters.

Boxing’s Overcomplicated Championship System

Boxing has 17 different weight classes, but there are many more than 17 world titles. These many world champions exist in boxing primarily because of the existence and acceptance of the sport’s sanctioning bodies. The four major sanctioning organizations are the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO. Winning a world title sanctioned by any of these organizations is considered a major accomplishment in the sport. There are also other sanctioning bodies, such as the IBO and WBF, but they are not considered major championships.

In an effort to add some historical clarity, two separate media panels, Ring Magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, both claim to track lineal boxing championships though each use slightly different rationals. These world titles are generally accepted by fans and media as being a greater accomplishment than winning an IBF, WBA, WBC or WBO title. A lineal championship is generally considered the truest world champion of any given weight class.

How to Reference Boxing’s Authoritative Rankings Systems

As it goes with boxing’s muddled world title picture, so it is with rankings systems. In order to get an idea about where a particular fighters ranks in comparison to the other fighters in their division, the best resources to peruse are the rankings done by Ring Magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.

These rankings systems, while not officially recognized by boxing’s official sanctioning bodies, are generally considered authoritative among fight fans and media members because they are independently tabulated by top boxing experts.

It’s important to look at both weight class rankings as well as the pound-for-pound rankings. The former is specific to particular weight divisions while the latter gives a general idea how good the fighter is viewed by the public in comparison to all other fighters in the sport regardless of weight.

Analyzing Talent Levels and Abilities

The best way to learn about a fighter’s talent and ability is by watching him or her fight. YouTube, as well as other video-sharing websites, include a wide-array of catalogues for both recent and historical fights. The more boxing one watches before placing a wager, the better.

Another popular website with links to a multitude of fight videos is AllTheBestFights.com. Before placing a wager on any boxing’s best betting markets, it’s important to watch fighters to get a sense of how they operate in the ring. Only by watching a fighter perform in the ring can one determine a fighter's talent, skill and style, and only through seeing a vast number of other fighters can one offer a comprehensive and comparative analysis of each against the other.

Understanding the subtle nuances of the sweet science is a lifelong pursuit. Fighters use many different styles, and each particular style has its own strengths and weaknesses. Learning about boxing has become more accessible during recent years thanks to the rise of video analysts such as The Fight City’s Lee Wylie and David Christian, the Modern Martial Artist.

Moreover, there are a vast number of knowledgeable boxing writers who offer their own takes through their respective social platforms and media outlets. Some of the most popular American boxing writers include ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, CBSSports.com’s Brian Campbell and Ring Magazine’s Douglass Fischer.

Boxing Odds Set via Moneylines

Boxing wagers are placed on a moneyline. A moneyline is a number set by bookmakers which determines winnings based on a £100 bet. The negative number indicates which fighter is favoured to win the fight and is the dollar amount one must wager to win £100. The positive number indicates who the bookmaker considers the underdog and is the dollar amount one wins when placing a £100 wager. For example, the following moneyline offers two ways to place a wager on the fight:

- Floyd Mayweather -400

- Conor McGregor +300

In order to win £100 on a bet picking Mayweather (the favourite) to win the fight, a wager of £400 must be placed on Mayweather. In comparison, a £100 bet on the underdog, McGregor, would return £300 should McGregor pull the upset.