Pierce vs Sanmartin Predictions: Elijah gets rescheduled crack at ‘El General’

Touted prospect Elijah Pierce takes on Jose Sanmartin this Friday, August 30 at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. The super bantamweight bout was initially scheduled for June, before Pierce pulled out due to illness. DAZN will carry the match-up live.

Here are my Pierce vs Sanmartin predictions ahead of this interesting clash.

Pierce will have been frustrated over the postponement, given the momentum he has built recently. The highly-active 27-year-old has been on a tear, winning his last 10 fights. Having knocked Arthur Villanueva out in four rounds back in March, ‘The WXXXLF’ was looking at a three-month turnaround before facing Sanmartin.

Those plans were shelved, but taking Sanmartin on next rather than seeking another opponent feels smart. ‘El General’ offers some things that Pierce needs. The 31-year-old has been in with top fighters. 

While they all beat him, Sanmartin has given rounds to the likes of Emmanuel Navarrete, David Carmona, Mauricio Lara and Shabaz Masoud. It takes a sharp set of skills to compete in that company. It is a credit to the Colombian that promoters choose him to stretch their prospects and big names. 

It is in this capacity that Sanmartin is being asked to compete once again. Pierce has put two early-career losses behind him. Those defeats came as he went 2-1 across three fights, leading many to question whether the prospect would ever progress. But 10 wins since has put him back on track. Now Sanmartin feels like a perfect next step for the 27-year-old.

What Pierce needs is opponents who know what it’s like to face the best. Sanmartin ticks that box, having given former and future world champions some tough evenings in the squared circle. The younger man has proven he can do it against up-and-comers and journeymen. Now it’s time to work his way through a couple of gatekeepers before facing world-level competition.

A good performance here could light the fuse for Pierce. He is ranked third by the WBA and 10th by the IBF and sixth by the WBA. Keep winning and a shot at undisputed champion and pound-for-pound leader Naoya Inoue beckons. 

In order to be as prepared as possible for that blockbuster clash, Pierce needs tougher fights. This one is a good start and, should he come through, then meatier challenges are there to be served up. 

Pierce vs Sanmartin Fight Odds

Pierce opens as a 1/7 favourite for this one, while Sanmartin is 9/2 to score a win. OTX’s format does not allow for draws, with an overtime round taking place if the scorecards are level after 10 sessions.

Pierce vs Sanmartin Full Card

Elijah Pierce vs. Jose Sanmartin; Super bantamweight 

Brandon Adams vs. Francisco Daniel Veron; Super-welterweight 

Andreas Katzourakis vs. Robert Terry; Super-welterweight 

Maliek Montgomery vs. Oscar Escandon; Super-featherweight 

Gustavo Rivera Rio vs. Carlos Andre Dos Santos Rocha; Super-featherweight 

Donte Layne vs. Noah Kidd; Super-middleweight

Pierce vs Sanmartin Prediction

I have already predicted this fight of course, ahead of the initial date in June. Neither man has fought since and thus I see no reason to change my choice. I will once again be going for Pierce by knockout, which is available at odds of 10/11.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.