Stephen Fulton vs. Daniel Roman is scheduled for 12 rounds in the junior featherweight division for Fulton’s WBC and WBO belts on June 4 at the Minneapolis Armory. Fulton continues his charge to the top of a stacked division, but ex-champ Roman hopes to return to prominence with a big upset.
Fulton is favored to retain his titles as a -600 favorite. Roman, who held two belts of his own from 2017 through 2020, is a +450 underdog.
Here are our free boxing picks and predictions for Fulton vs. Roman on June 4.
Stephen Fulton vs Daniel Roman odds
Method of victory | Stephen Fulton | Daniel Roman |
---|---|---|
Win outright | -750 | +460 |
Win by KO/TKO | +430 | +1,000 |
Win by points or decision | -240 | +750 |
Draw | +2,000 | +2,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of June 2, 2022.
Stephen Fulton vs Daniel Roman betting predictions
Picks made on June 1. Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
Stephen Fulton vs Daniel Roman betting preview
Philly’s Fulton came up the rankings as a prodigious talent, and he made good on that potential by unifying two world titles in 20 fights. The 27-year-old is already the main man in the division, and a win against another elite fighter will do wonders for an emerging star.
Operating with high activity and fearless bodywork, Fulton is a physically assertive fighter that can switch gears at any time and doesn’t get in his own way. He also shows good movement in the ring and doesn’t forgo his defense when fighting in the trenches. In his last two fights, Fulton showed his peskiness by grinding out wins against Angelo Leo and Brandon Figueroa.
Roman may be a decided underdog, but the former champion is not too far removed from his run as the division’s top dog and is the most accomplished opponent Fulton has seen. What makes Roman dangerous is that he is an excellent body puncher, and Fulton will be right in range for those crippling shots. Aside from them, Roman is a sharp technician and will be difficult to overwhelm.
During his three-year title run, Roman put together four commanding defenses before controversially losing his belt to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2020. He’s as live as they come and will be a pesky foe for Fulton if he hasn’t lost a step.
Stephen Fulton vs Daniel Roman boxing prediction and best bet
Stephen Fulton to win
Roman’s recent performances since the Akhmadaliev loss suggest he’s more worn than he should be. He’s started slower and willed himself to victory against lesser opponents than Fulton. While neither fighter hits tremendously hard, Fulton can easily sweep the first six rounds on activity alone if Roman is slow to start once more.
We’ve seen Fulton defend well against body shots and his conditioning is so solid that he can take a few if it means asserting himself on his opponent. The former champion’s own lack of power will prevent any late-round dramatics, so there’s a good chance he’ll be too far behind to box his way to a comeback.
If Fulton does get off to that fast start, he won’t need to make too many adjustments. He might find Roman difficult to engage, but while his opponent contemplates, he’ll act and outwork him as the rounds go by.
There is the possibility that Roman could slow down Fulton with a punch-and-clutch offense and target his body when the two are tied up. That won’t do much good if Fulton can keep the fight at his pace and range, which we fully expect him to do. Fulton wins this one by simply being the busier fighter.
Prediction: Stephen Fulton to win (-600 at FanDuel)
Best Bet
Both fighters are coming from two different directions coming into their bout. Fulton is on the upswing and Roman is starting to decline. With the absence of a size advantage, Roman is at a stylistic disadvantage because he won’t be able to deter Fulton’s offense.
Fulton will win, but there’s no way either of these guys come close to a knockout. With both fighters in the sub 50% range for KOs, this fight going to the scorecards is a lead pipe lock.
Because Fulton is so heavily favored here, we’re going to bet on the obvious that he’ll win by decision. It’s not much, but the most likely outcome takes him from -600 outright to -240, and that’s what we’re going to stick with.
Pick: Stephen Fulton to win by points or decision (-240 at FanDuel)