David Haye v Tony Bellew Betting Preview and Tips
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2017 promises to be a golden year for British boxing with world champions littered across a number of different weight divisions however a non-title heavyweight clash steals the limelight on the 4th of March in an explosive grudge clash between former heavyweight champion David Haye and WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew. Betsafe steps into the ring with the world’s leading opinion Boxing News and former welterweight champion Ricky Hatton with this comprehensive preview to the much anticipated clash.
What do we have here?
WHEN this fight was first mentioned – a contest between cruiserweight Tony Bellew and heavyweight David Haye – it was passed off as hot air that would disappear quickly. After all, in the machismo-fuelled world of boxing, insults and threats are common place.
But this was different. Behind the scenes, Haye and Bellew – former sparring partners – discussed the possibility of staging a contest, and they both knew if it was marketed well, it would generate interest that would evolve into handsome paydays for both.
First of all Bellew, a Liverpool lad with a short fuse, wanted to win a world title first so he could achieve his lifetime ambition, and when he did that – a thrilling third round knockout of Illunga Makabu at Goodison Park last summer netted him the WBC cruiserweight belt – plans to get Haye in the ring began at haste; straight after the victory, Bellew hollered for a shot at the former WBA heavyweight champion.
In turn, Haye acknowledged the call. He had previously sounded out the Scouser about a fight at the beginning of 2016 as he plotted his own return, and by the time Bellew made the first defence of his world championship, the pair had already exchanged several eye-catching exchanges on social media. In the immediate aftermath of Bellew’s gung-ho hammering of BJ Flores (a friend of Haye), the Londoner and “Bomber” engaged in an unsavoury argument that had the desired effect: the public were hooked.
So here we are. The fight was set, the initial press conference boiled over, punches were thrown, insults flew, and both parties now insist the grudge is real.
To the hardcore fans, those who watched Haye clean up the cruiserweight division and then rise in weight to defeat many accomplished heavyweights, this remains a mismatch. But there is just enough intrigue here to make this one a must-see.
Current Form
David Haye
Although Haye’s back catalogue makes the outcome of this one apparently easy to predict, the fact he’s has only completed one full round of action since 2012 prevents it from being a certainty.
His 2016 comeback began in January when he flattened the horribly overmatched Mark de Mori in a little over two minutes, a performance that highlighted Haye’s vaunted power remains.
He followed that with a thrashing of unknown Arnold Gjergjaj, who lasted into the second round, yet told us nothing new: Haye, now in his mid-thirties, remains an impressive physical specimen with a punch to match.
What we don’t know, though, is how well Haye – riddled with injuries through much of his career – will cope against someone with real ambition and ability, how his body and stamina will hold up if he goes beyond a couple of rounds, or if his always questionable punch resistance has improved with age.
Tony Bellew
Bellew, meanwhile, is in the form of his life. He now admits he spent far too long boiling himself down to 175lbs, where he lost world title fights to bitter rival Nathan Cleverly and WBC champ, Adonis Stevenson
Following the 2013 Stevenson defeat, Bellew moved up to cruiserweight where he has won eight fights on the spin (including gaining revenge over Cleverly), with six coming via knockout.
The crowning glory against Makabu came against the odds, and not only that, he emerged from a near-disastrous first round when he was dropped heavily, to prove his desire and stubbornness by flattening his tormentor five minutes later.
He’s followed that with a win over Flores but – perhaps crucially – he is yet to go through a top-level contest without being hit regularly.
Revealing Moments from the past
David Haye
We know Haye is fast and powerful. Bellew will know that too, so there is little point in investigating his highlight reel. What does have value, though, is examining his more difficult moments.
At cruiserweight he ran out of gas and was stopped in five rounds by Carl Thompson – a fighter, like Bellew, he held in low regard – way back in 2004 and since then his stamina has been called into question. There were times against the tough Giacobbe Fragomeni – a bloody 2006 European title victory – when he was obviously uncomfortable as the contest stretched on. It should also be noted, though, that he found the strength to stop the Italian in the ninth.
When Haye won the world cruiserweight title against Jean Marc Mormeck (ultimately a brilliant triumph) he had to get off the floor to do so, and even Lolenga Mock exposed Haye’s susceptibility to punches high on the head when he floored him in 2003.
Haye has since answered questions about his heavyweight durability: He went 12 rounds with Nikolai Valuev when winning the WBA crown, and the full route with Wladmir Klitschko while losing it. John Ruiz took him into the ninth before Haye found the fight-ending punch, and even against Dereck Chisora in 2012 (his most recent competitive outing) he was showing signs of tiring before closing the show in round five. Back then, Haye had Adam Booth in the corner, but now Shane McGuigan is his trainer. While he’s an impressive coach, they have not yet navigated a crisis together. As mentioned earlier, we have no idea how Haye – heavier and older than his peak – will cope if he’s pushed into the middle and late rounds in 2017.
Tony Bellew
Bellew is not exactly faultless either. In a February 2010 thriller against Ovill McKenzie, Bellew looked to be out cold before the landing woke him up and he clawed his way back to win. Powerhouse Adonis Stevenson – the best rival on his record – dominated the Merseysider before stopping him in six.
Bellew has a habit of taking too many punches – even BJ Flores managed to stay off the canvas for long enough to wobble him.
We don’t know how Bellew will cope when he takes a full-bodied shot from Haye – one of the best heavyweight punchers of recent years – or if he can develop the strength required to truly compete in the top division. While Bellew’s determination should not be doubted, up in the land of the giants, such grit could be demolished with a single shot.
Betting Tips and Verdict
This is unlikely to go long. It’s hard to imagine Bellew sparking Haye in the opening round, but the opposite is not. In fact, backing the favourite to overwhelm the smaller man at any point in the opening three rounds is likely to be a popular choice. Many insiders are tipping the contest to finish the moment Haye lands cleanly.
Should you fancy Bellew, 34, his best chance appears to be later in the contest, after dragging Haye into a gruelling and potentially ugly scrap in the early going, before finishing the older man in the middle rounds.
Bellew is far from a no-hoper here, but logic, and all the evidence we have points to this not going his way. Of course he may surprise us all, but a Haye victory, at some point between rounds two and five, looks the likeliest outcome.
About Matt Christie
Matt Christie is the editor of Boxing News, the oldest boxing publication in the world. Established in 1909, Boxing News’ reputation as the market authority comes from over 100 years of experience in the hardest game.
