As always, odds are taken from the sportsbook at Bodog.

Vic Darchinyan is the favorite over Jorge Arce, but the book doesn't have him as quite the overwhelming choice that most boxing fans and writers do. Conventional wisdom says Darchinyan eventually hammers Arce down, but conventional wisdom also said Darchinyan would be dominated by Cristian Mijares.

Vic is a -400 favorite, with Arce as a +300 underdog. I really think Arce is a bit underestimated in this fight. I'm not going to call the upset like I did with Vic over Mijares, but I really don't think this will be quite the landslide it's being made out to be by most.

Arce has a much bigger frame than does Darchinyan, and even though most think Arce is on the downside of his career after so many wars, and he's absolutely had trouble with southpaws of late, I think he presents some challenges for Vic. The last time we saw Darchinyan face a guy that can punch, he got his head knocked off.

That's not to say Arce has the speed of Nonito Donaire, but he's quicker than Vic, even now. Still, Darchinyan at -400 is a pretty solid bet.

On the Showtime undercard, Almazbek "Kid Diamond" Raiymkulov is at -205 over Antonio DeMarco (+165). Not a fight I'd touch. Diamond's shining career moment was his performance against Joel Casamayor in 2005, when he drew Casamayor in a fight many felt he won. His next time out he got his ass kicked by Nate Campbell, and he's really never been the same guy that fought Casamayor. He was given a massive gift on Versus in '07 against Miguel Huerta (in an odd coincidence, that would've been the 2007 Robbery of the Year if not for Casamayor's decision win over Jose Armando Santa Cruz) and fought twice in 2008, beating scrub Leo Martinez in June and taking a majority decision over Javier Jauregui in September.

DeMarco (19-1-1, 13 KO) is stepping up in class from the likes of Jose Reyes and Juan Castaneda. We'll see what he has. Too many X-factors in terms of putting money down in my view.

In Germany, Ruslan Chagaev is the massive favorite (-1100) over lame duck injury comeback challenger Carl Davis Drumond (+600).  On the undercard, Andriy Kotelnik (-160) is a slight favorite against murderous Argentinian puncher Marcos Rene Maidana (+130). There could well be money to be made there.

Speaking of Argentinians, Omar Narvaez (-500) is a big favorite over Rayonta Whitfield (+350), who is both going up against a heck of a good fighter and going on an extreme road trip. He'll have to do something really amazing to win down here.

Anthony Mundine (-1000) is a massive favorite against his latest daunting challenge, Shannan Taylor (+600). That fight will take place on February 11.