David Haye vs Tony Bellew – Heavyweight Boxing Predictions & Betting Tips
Heavyweight Boxing from The O2 in London, Sat 4th March, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Followers of the fight game have a blockbuster on Saturday at London’s 02 Arena as David Haye and Tony Bellew go head-to-head. If the contest itself lives up to the build-up, then we are in for a cracker. Punters can follow every punch live on Sky PPV, and we aim to help cover the cost with our professional boxing betting tips and big-fight predictions.
David Haye goes into this one as red-hot favourite, and so he should be. The pride of Bermondsey rates as a two-weight world champion, cleaning up at cruiserweight before going on to lift the WBA strap in the maximum division.
The Hayemaker has won each of his last three grudge matches with British fighters in stunning fashion, destroying Enzo Maccarinelli in two rounds, at this very venue, Audley Harrison in three at the MEN Arena and, more recently, Dereck Chisora in five at Upton Park. There hasn’t been a Brit who could live with Haye in years, although I’m sure Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury would fancy their chances.
The 6ft 3inch orthodox has suffered from bouts of inactivity however, which raises question marks over his ability to still compete at the highest level, and we saw a sizeable gap between beating Chisora in 2012 and returning to destroy Mark de Mori in a round in 2016. In fact, Haye has contested just three rounds in fast-approaching five years. That must rate as a bit of a worry for backers.
Haye vs Bellew odds and offers
Bookies aren’t losing too much sleep over it however, and have Haye as a nailed on 1/5 favourite with Betfair. A tiny price for a big man, but that is actually the best available on Haye at the time of writing, and it isn’t expected to improve much either. Odds compilers want nothing to do with opposing the local lad. So, those looking to back the jolly must decide how he is going to do it. 26 of his 28 wins have come by KO/TKO, and Haye to enhance that with another inside-the-distance win on Saturday is 3/10 at Paddy Power, while the points cheer will net you 7/1 at the same firm.
Haye vs Bellew – Betting Predictions
Traders appear to have been far too quick in writing off opponent Tony Bellew, and the big Scouser looks friendless in the betting ring at the minute. An outsider in what many experts call an even fight, Bomber will travel to London as the current WBC world champion at Cruiserweight, and they certainly don’t give those away cheap.
The underdog is now unbeaten in eight, and was last seen stopping BJ Flores in three rounds back in October. Followers of the stats will be interested to hear that each of Bellew’s last two wins have come in the third round, and another would net you 66/1 with Sportintbet. A play in the betting tips of dreamers only, I imagine, although anything looks possible in this one.
No matter what happens here, Bellew will still be WBC champ at cruiserweight, and he loses nothing in this gamble when stepping up to the heavyweight division. The 34-year-old is a confident lad, but must have seen plenty in Haye’s recent performances to have him believe he could win this fight. Surely he has not gone through all this merely because he doesn’t like Haye. It wouldn’t surprise me though.
Tony Bellew to upset the odds and win on Saturday night is available at 4/1 with most firms, including Coral, while a draw would net you a massive 50/1 (Paddy Power). A great price, but no one wants to see these two share anything. Bomber boasts a 58 per cent knockout average, and can be backed at 7/1 (Bet Victor) to enhance that with another early night here, while a points cheer has been marked up at 16/1 (Sky Bet). Personally, I’d make him more likely to win on points.
Haye is the naturally bigger man, with the proven power to take, even the biggest, of opponents out. If Bellew has any sense in him at all he will not go looking to meet fire with fire. With what he has suggested in the build-up, the underdog plans to avoid most of those slower attacks, and hit back with maximum force.
If Bellew can stick to that game plan, hit and move, with a tight defence, then this won’t be over as quickly as people think. Haye to win by KO/TKO is the NAP of my betting tips, but if you are after a bit more for your money, then the fight to go beyond 4.5 rounds looks like a value play in your predictions, with 8/11 at Coral.