Marco Huck vs Evgenios Lazaridis Preview June 29th, 2024
After a four-year layoff, former IBO, WBO and European Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck of Serbia makes his return to the ring this Saturday, June 29th. The Serbian veteran is scheduled to take on Evgenios Lazaridis of Greece over in Berlin, Germany. The 10-round heavyweight bout can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Huck last fought in August, 2020 when he beat Dennis Lewandowski by a 10-round unanimous decision. Lazaridis last boxed in April when he stopped Eugenio Milazzo in just 113 seconds.
Huck vs Lazaridis Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Evgenios Lazaridis +600
- Marco Huck -800
My Pick
The 39-year-old Huck, who also fights out of Germany, will climb through the ropes with a record of 42-5-1 with 28 Ko’s. He held the WBO Cruiserweight Belt from 2009 to 2015 and was one of the longest reigning cruiserweight world champions in history. He defended his title 13 straight times to set a division record which is shared by Johnny Nelson. Huck also held the IBO Cruiserweight title between 2016 and 2017 and was the European Champion from 2008 to 2009.
Huck has boxed 363 rounds since making his pro debut in 2004 and stands 6-feet-2-inches tall with a 77-inch reach. He competed in Taekwondo and Kickboxing as a 10-year-old and captured a gold medal at the W.A.K.O European Kickboxing Championships in 2002 and 2003. He then took up boxing at the age of 15. He’s aggressive in the ring and isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone but has been stopped three times.
Steve Cunningham halted him in the 12th round in 2007 in a shot at the IBF Cruiserweight Title with Krzysztof Glowacki halting him in 11 rounds in 2015 to take his WBO Cruiserweight Title. Oleksandr Usyk then stopped him in the 10th round in 2017 in the World Boxing Super Series and a shot at the WBO Cruiserweight Belt. His first pro loss was a 12-round majority decision to Alexander Povetkin in 2012 when he moved up in weight to challenge for the WBA Heavyweight Title. His other defeat was to Mairis Briedis via a unanimous decision in an attempt at the vacant WBC Cruiserweight belt and he also lost his IBO title in that contest.
The lone draw on his record was a 12-round affair in his first of four meetings with Ola Afolabi in 2012. Huck’s biggest wins have been against Afolabi (three times), Firat Arslan (twice), Denis Lebedev, Brian Minto, Dmytro Kucher and Victor Ramirez. Huck is most effective when he fights on the inside and uses his aggression. He’s a heavy hitter as 66.7 per cent of his wins came by stoppage. Huck’s style is fan friendly as he isn’t shy about slugging it out when he has to. He sometimes gets goaded into brawls however when he may be better off trying to use his boxing skills.
As for Lazaridis, he’s 36 years old and fights out of Germany. He makes the ring walk with as mark of 19-5 with 13 Ko’s and has boxed 106 rounds since making his pro debut in 2013 following an amateur career. As an amateur he made it to the 2012 Olympic Test Event but was beaten. He measures 6-feet-6-inches tall with an unlisted reach so has a four-inch height advantage on Huck. He’s been stopped twice but possesses pretty good power as 68.5 per cent of his wins have been by stoppage.
Lazaridis won his first 11 pro fights and was 11-1 when he was stopped by Samuel Kadjein the fifth round in 2018 in a shot at the vacant German Heavyweight Title. He was also halted in 2022 when Oleksandr Zakhozhyi took care of him in the first round. His other losses came at the hands of Erkan Teper on points over 10 rounds in 2017; to Agit Kabayel via a 10-round unanimous decision in 2020 and to Mourad Aliev by 10-round unanimous decision in 2023 in a shot at the WBC International Heavyweight Crown.
Lazaridis’ biggest win was over Denis Bakhtov when he stopped him after four rounds in 2019. As a pro he’s won the German International Heavyweight Title as well as the vacant IBA Intercontinental Heavyweight Belt. However he’s fought mainly domestic-level competition with his toughest opponent to date being Agit Kabayel. He’s fought as a heavyweight his entire career and has weighed in as much as 264.5 lbs.
Prediction…
Huck has far more experience against tougher opposition as a pro but has been out of action for four years and is 39 years old. He’s also moving up to the heavyweight division and gives up four inches in height and probably quite a bit in weight as well. Huck has always come up short when facing the cream of the crop in his division but Lazaridis certainly doesn’t fall in that category. This fight will be decided by both boxer’s chins but if Huck can outwork and out land Lazaridis he should still have enough left in the tank to win this comeback bout.
Huck has more experience in this tossup bout.
Play: Huck -800 @ BetOnline.ag
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Evgenios Lazaridis betting • Marco Huck betting