The second instalment in the rivalry between Tony Bellew and David Haye will take place on Saturday evening and punters have been piling into the Hayemaker this week.
Now valued at 11/25 in 888sport’s boxing odds, Haye could overpower his opponent. In the initial bout, Haye weighed in almost a stone heavier than Bellew and he will almost certainly be bigger on the scales at Friday’s weigh-in.
Heading into the first fight, Haye was a red-hot favourite to silence Bellew after a heated build-up. Unfortunately for the former heavyweight champion of the world, Haye tore his Achilles tendon in the sixth round of that bout and soldiered on until the 11th round before Bellew got the better of his opponent.
Haye will be determined to settle the score after that result – he is a 4/5 shot to record victory by KO, TKO or disqualification. There is an element of bad blood in this rivalry and Haye will be desperate to come out on top.
The exchanges continued on Thursday afternoon, with Bellew pushing Haye at the last pre-bout press conference before Saturday night. Most of the build-up has seen both fighters engage in verbal sparring but Fight Night is drawing closer – it is now time for focus rather than confrontation.
Boxing followers from all over the United Kingdom will be tuning in for this one; it could be one of the biggest fights of the year. Haye fans may like the 2/1 available for the 37-year-old to win in the first half of the fight; he will be looking to start quickly.
With 26 of his 28 wins coming by way of knockout, Haye is better placed to win this one in the early rounds. Carrying that extra weight could help the Londoner in his pursuit of a quick knockout. For more helpful tips and boxing betting advice for future fights, check out our latest boxing betting guide!
Joe Joyce, late to boxing’s professional stage at 32 years old, will feature on the undercard and you won’t find many fans backing against him. Jamaican Lenroy Thomas is a 12/1 shot to prevail with Joyce at 1/50.
He looks destined to win the Commonwealth heavyweight title and plenty of punters will fancy a quick stoppage. Joyce has recorded first round victories in each of his last two fights and another early win looks likely.
Should we expect fireworks at the O2? Possibly. Both men will be desperate to secure the win and the two fighters will leave everything in the ring. The 47/20 for the fight to go the distance is worth considering; backing a winner is difficult.
Bellew’s speed and agility should cancel out Haye’s power and that makes for an intriguing battle. Backing the Liverpudlian at 13/2 to win in the second half of the fight might be the best bet…
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
