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Pictured: Boxers Jake Paul and Amanda Serrano Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo /VIEWpress.

Amanda Serrano and Jake Paul odds, pick and prediction: How to bet DAZN’s double main event for Saturday, March 2

Originally posted on Action Network | By Bryan Fonseca | Last updated 2/29/24

Here's everything you need to know about Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke and Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland on Saturday, March 2 – our expert boxing prediction and pick.

The tag team of Amanda Serrano and Jake Paul will take center stage in Puerto Rico on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET, DAZN).

This time, Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) is in the main event, fighting in her homeland for the first time since March 2021 in another title defense in which she is heavily favored. Yet her opponent – Nina Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs) – is reasonably accomplished.

Paul (8-1, 5 KOs) is fighting another legitimate boxer in Ryan Bourland (17-2, 6 KOs), who was carefully selected and has been knocked out before (more on that later).

Let's preview the double main event with our Serrano vs. Meinke and Paul vs. Bourland picks and predictions.

Serrano vs. Meinke Breakdown & Analysis

Serrano is a -1000000000 favorite on Saturday night.

OK well, not exactly, but you can argue this is a step down in competition for her. Serrano defeated Danila Ramos in October and won a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout, which this again will be.

Serrano won a clean sweep all 12 rounds against Ramos, according to all three judges, but didn't score a knockdown despite seemingly coming close on several occasions throughout the fight.

Ramos had two prior losses, both close losses and one an arguable robbery. Of Meinke's three losses, one was a stoppage to pound-for-pound mainstay Katie Taylor in her fifth pro fight; though Meinke was never dropped, it was a doctor's stoppage due to a deep cut over her left eye.

The other two losses were on points to Elina Tissen and Sarah Mahfoud, the former a split decision and the latter a unanimous decision in 2022 for the IBF world featherweight title. Serrano fought Mahfoud later that same year, winning a unanimous decision by scores of 99-92 and 97-93 twice.

Serrano will pressure Meinke and is the much stronger fighter, though Meinke presents a height (and possible reach) advantage given that Serrano is 5-foot-5½ with a 65.5-inch reach. Meinke is closer to 5-foot-7 with an unlisted reach.

Meinke needs to be able to withstand the power of Serrano for 12 three-minute rounds as opposed to 10 two-minute rounds – 36 minutes vs. 20. I didn't think Ramos would, and she emphatically did, though she was teetering on multiple occasions.

Meinke, a fellow southpaw, has to be able to do the same. She has little to no power to keep Serrano off of her, and she'll be tested to both the chin and body for all 12, opening up the possibility of an accumulation of punishment knockout.

Paul vs. Bourland Breakdown & Analysis

Last we saw Jake Paul, he knocked out pro boxer Andre August in December, a Round 1 one-punch stoppage.

I picked apart August's qualifications previously and highlighted why the KO was ultimately expected.

This challenge in Bourland isn't dramatically dissimilar, to be honest. Bourland, like August, has been previously knocked out, isn't far removed from a long layoff, and has a record built up against violently lackluster competition.

The carefully chosen Bourland has just five of his 17 wins coming against an opponent with more wins than losses. Only one win, a decision victory against Jose Hernandez, came against someone with more than six wins.

Hernandez, 19-4, previously beat Bourland two fights prior, so that goes down as an avenged loss. Bourland's knockout loss was to journeyman Israel Duffus, who entered at 8-3 and scored a first-round knockout over the 7-0 Bourland. Duffus is currently 20-11 with five straight losses.

The knockout was a brutal one-shot right-hand KO that immediately ended the fight.

Bourland hasn't fought in 18 months, and before that, he was on a four-year layoff. This fight against Paul will be his second since October 2018.

Hand. Picked.

Serrano vs. Meinke & Paul vs. Bourland Picks

Serrano is at the Manny Pacquiao stage of her career when the once-knockout artist is seemingly a safe bet to win on points.

Pacquiao retired at 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts, but he won by KO in only one of his last 17 career fights. For more perspective: Pacquiao had one KO/TKO win after 2009 – he hasn't fought since 2021.

Serrano similarly hasn't gotten a stoppage win in her last seven fights; the last was actually in her last fight in Puerto Rico – March 2021 against Daniela Bermudez – in Round 9 of the 10-round title bout. It was Bermudez's first and only KO loss.

Serrano is on every credible pound-for-pound list, but it's reasonable to question – while clearly a big puncher for the featherweight division – whether or not she will get stoppages anymore.

I'm actually going to back Serrano to win by decision at +128, available at BetRivers (with other major shops offering +115 to +125). And if they'll provide exact-method-of-victory props by fight time, I'd play Serrano by unanimous decision specifically, which will have an even better payout.

As for the co-feature with Paul vs. Bourland, it's going to be another knockout. Paul is -600 by KO/TKO at FanDuel, and that serves as a solid parlay leg, but as a straight-up bet, I'll ride with Paul between Rounds 1-2 at -115.

Enjoy the fights and don't go broke.

The Picks: Serrano by Decision at (+128 at BerRivers) | Paul in Rounds 1-2 (-115 at FanDuel)

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