Crossover boxing pioneer Jake Paul makes his first appearance of 2024 on Saturday when he faces middling pro Ryan Bourland in an eight-round matchup. Their showdown is the co-main event on a boxing card that features women's unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano taking on challenger Nina Meinke in the main event. The main fight card is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET from Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Serrano seeks the fifth defense of her unified title, while Paul is looking for his third consecutive victory following his first professional defeat.
Paul is a -3500 betting favorite (risk $3,500 to win $100), while Bourland is priced at +1600 in the latest Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland odds. The over/under for total rounds completed is 1.5, with the Over favored at -165. Serrano is also a -3500 favorite, while Meinke returns +1600 in the latest Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke odds. The over/under for total rounds finished in that fight is 10.5. Before making any Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland or Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke picks, make sure you see the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine combat expert Brandon Wise.
Wise, who is the combat sports editor for CBS Sports, is an experienced boxing and mixed martial arts analyst who has consistently provided winning selections for SportsLine members. For the past four years, he has hit numerous boxing selections in big-time matchups.
For instance, Wise called for Gervonta Davis to win in Rounds 1-6 (-110) against Rolando Romero for the WBA regular lightweight title. Davis scored a sixth-round stoppage to give Wise's followers another winner, and the under 6.5 rounds (-130) that Wise predicted also connected. Moreover, he also predicted a stoppage victory between rounds No. 10 and 12 for Canelo Alvarez against Caleb Plant in their super middleweight unification bout. The proposition wager paid +450 and Alvarez stopped Plant in Round 11. Anyone who has followed Wise's combat sports picks has seen massive returns.
Now, with Saturday's fight card approaching, Wise has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident picks for the fights. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland preview
Perhaps the main motivating factor for Paul (8-1) is that Saturday's fight keeps him active, as it comes just 10 weeks after his previous appearance, and it also keeps his name flowing in the boxing news cycle. Another impressive win could lead to a more decorated opponent in his next fight, or perhaps another big-money opportunity.
For example, although numerous fight fans grew tired of Paul taking on faded former UFC fighters, a potential fight against recent UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has some steam behind it and would hold more intrigue than any of Paul's prior matchups against MMA-based opponents.
This is because Strickland is just 33 and still in his fighting prime. He is also widely considered the best boxing-based fighter in the UFC, with many fight analysts suggesting he could compete for a world boxing championship had he chosen to pursue the sport. He's also about the same weight as Paul, whereas most of the social media star's prior MMA opponents were fighting above their usual weight class.
Paul, 27, called out Strickland on social media after the UFC fighter was filmed pummeling a social media influencer who asked for a sparring match. The two noted trash-talkers exchanged barbs and Paul offered Strickland a minimum of $1 million for a fight. Although Strickland is still under contract from the UFC, he could take the match if approved by the promotion. He has shown interest in finding a way to make the fight against Paul happen.
For boxing fans who are hoping to see Paul tested by a worthy opponent, Bourland (17-2) appears at least to represent a step forward from the social media star's previous opponent.
The 35-year-old Bourland has fought just once in six years. He told the media he essentially quit the sport because he wasn't making enough money to live off, and instead opted to take a job working on oil rigs in North Carolina.
Even so, Bourland appeared to be a capable professional during the peak of his career. He twice won titles in the Global Boxing Organization and comes from a decorated amateur background as well. Bourland was a champion in Golden Gloves, the most prestigious amateur boxing outlet in the country, and also was a National Junior Olympian.
Of his two professional losses, Bourland has been stopped just once. His last defeat came by majority decision against Jose Hernandez in June 2018 in an eight-round matchup. He has won 10 of his past 11 fights heading into Saturday's showdown. See who to pick here.
Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke preview
Serrano's last appearance in her native Puerto Rico came in March 2021 when she notched a ninth-round stoppage over Daniel Bermudez to defend the WBC and WBO featherweight titles. Much has changed since, including Serrano (46-2-1) adding the other two major belts to become a unified champion.
She also was among the first fighters to join Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and immediately saw her profile skyrocket. Paul worked with renowned matchmaker Eddie Hearn, who is widely regarded as the top promoter in boxing today, to promote Serrano's April 2022 lightweight unification fight against Katie Taylor, who is affiliated with Hearn.
It was the highest-grossing women's boxing match of all time and the first time a women's match served as the main event in Madison Square Garden. Serrano lost a hotly contested split decision, but her star power skyrocketed despite the outcome. Serrano told the media this week she is motivated in part for Saturday's fight to show respect for what MVP has done for her career and gratitude to Paul for placing her in the main event.
"I'm truly blessed to have opened up for him so many times, and now the roles have reversed," Serrano said. "He's opening up for me, and Jake is such a gentleman. He said this is my home, and he would never take that main event."
Meinke (10-3) is a seven-year pro who has held numerous lower-tier titles but lost in her lone prior quest for a major belt. The 30-year-old German boxer dropped a unanimous decision to Sarah Mahfoud in September 2022 for the IBF world featherweight title. See who to back here.
How to make Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland and Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke picks
Wise likes the over 11.5 rounds at a price of -160 for the Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke fight. He also has confident money-line, over/under total and method-of-victory prop picks for Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland. He's only sharing his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Who wins Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland and Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke, and which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Brandon Wise's best bets for Saturday, all from the CBS combat sports specialist who has crushed his boxing picks the last four years, and find out.
