London’s O2 Arena hosts Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing this Saturday (March 4, 2017), as he puts on a fight show that features a heavyweight spectacle as the main event. Former world heavyweight titleholder David Haye is facing former sparring partner and current world cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew. It is a matchup that Bellew has made personal in the build-up, and their have been the usual shoving matches and “bleep”-filled interviews. The bottom line is that there are really no “big” fights at cruiserweight, so Bellew needed to do something to generate interest. Many people see Haye as a deplorable character, gifted but arrogant, and Bellew has chimed in right along with that. Haye has been trying to talk his way into another title shot without doing the work needed after his near three-year vacation. Meanwhile, Bellew has been paying his dues. This is not to say that “The Hayemaker” doesn’t have fans because he does, and they come in droves. Haye is 2-0 against below-average competition, and he has tried to get himself a title shot in a fast-tracked fashion. But the flashy fighter has also shown that he has packed on a lot of lean muscle as a full-fledged, 235-pound heavyweight now. Haye hits hard and is athletic, and he would be a handful for any of the world champions out there, but he is taking this fight to basically shut Bellew up. Whereas Bellew feels Haye has not put in the work, Haye sees it more as a waste of his time, and he wants credit for both his past exploits and his ability to draw a crowd. Bellew has stated he is going to come in at around 220 pounds, and he will not be cutting weight like he does at cruiserweight. Bellew has been preparing very seriously for this fight, even working through the holidays. Should Bellew win, it is not clear if he would stay and campaign as a heavyweight, or if he would return to the cruiserweight division. Regardless, the fight would definitely qualify as the biggest win of his career. Unfortunately for Bellew, most people think that Haye is bigger, stronger and faster, and that no amount of grit on his own part is going to help him make up for that. The full nine-fight boxing card has already seen several of the other matches getting attention at the sportsbooks, including two more listed below. Check back soon to see if more lines pop up… O2 Arena – London, England Heavyweight – 12 rounds Tony Bellew +550 o7½ +190 David Haye -800 u7½ -230 Welterweight – 12 rounds Paul Malignaggi +195 Sam Eggington -235 Super Lightweight – 12 rounds Derry Mathews +450 Ohara Davies -600
Saturday’s Worldwide Boxing Odds & Betting Action – Haye vs. Bellew (March 4, 2017)
