ESPN2 Wednsesday night fights travels to Vancouver, Canada when Jr. Middleweights Joel Julio vs Ishe Smith will square off in an intriguing 10-round main event. The 23-year old hot prospect Julio is coming off the best performance of his career with a destructive 8th round KO over fringe contender Cornelius Bundrage in July of 07. Joel Julio is a -220 Boxing betting favorite in the Joel Julio vs Ishe Smith fight.

Julio, 32-1, 30 KO’s, was a 3-1 boxing betting favorite in the Bundrage fight and dominated the fight from start to finish with an all-around performance culminated by some devastating punching power. Julio’s opponent Ishe Smith, 19-2, 9 KO’s, is a clever counterpuncher who’s last signifigant fight was a close 10-round decison loss to top-15 contender Sechew Powell as a 2-1 underdog in Feb. of 07. The OVER\UNDER in the Joel Julio vs Ishe Smith fight is 9.5 rounds with the OVER at -450.

Julio is a big banger that has shown he can be outboxed when he lost to a damn good boxer in Carlos Quintana but has shown improved boxing ability in recent fights with a tighter defense. Smith is a slick little fighter with some decent pop that likes to use his left hook to do damage to the head and body. In this fight Smith will need to be able to survive Julio’s devastating two-fisted power and gain the Columbian Julio’s respect.

Both of these guys have decent chins but Smith has a little bit better punch resitance and has enough sting to wobble Julio. It will be up Smith to outbox the strong punching Julio with movement and boxing skills. Can Ishe Smith pull off the upset. Is Joel Julio an emerging star? Get my winning selection on the Joel Julio vs Ishe Smith bout along with a free bonus play on the Oscar De La Hoya vs Steve Forbes fight now for 19.95!

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