How to bet the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury heavyweight title fight
How to bet the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury heavyweight title fight
Johnny Wilds
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Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay "Bronze Bomber" Wilder puts his WBC belt on the line against former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, Tyson "Gypsy King" Fury on Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Boxing fans are clamoring to see if the charismatic Fury (27-0 19 KOs), can become the third British fighter to win a heavyweight title in America, or will Wilder (40-0 39 KOs), prevail with another vicious knockout as he has done in 39 of 40 bouts thus far.
Here's a look at where the money is going from Vegas bookmakers, along with opinions from boxing experts, boxers and trainers, and my prediction.
Where is the money going?
Jeff Sherman, Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook's manager, opened the fight with Wilder -170 and Fury +145.
"The public has steadily sided with Wilder in this fight, at a rate of 63 percent of tickets on Wilder and 55 percent of money wagered on Wilder. We moved the price to -200/+170 and are not too lopsided with the sharp action and keeping this line within parameters of the international market price," said Sherman.
The SuperBook opened the round total prop at 9.5 over -160 under +140 and saw small support for the under and are now over -155/+135.
Wilder-Fury Odds
At William Hill US, senior trader Adam Pullen opened the fight with Wilder -175 and Fury +155.
"Tickets are slightly in favor of Wilder and money is 4-1 in favor of Wilder and we adjusted the price to -200/+175," said Pullen.
He opened the round total prop at 9.5 over -160 and under+140 and are now at -155/+135 with slightly more action on the under.
Experts weigh in
Colin Morrison (boxing sharp): "As much as I'd like to see Fury winning conclusively, I just don't think it will happen. Twelve rounds of cagey boxing will see Tyson awarded a close decision victory, and the clamor for a rematch will begin as soon as the result is announced."
Johnny Wilds
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay "Bronze Bomber" Wilder puts his WBC belt on the line against former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, Tyson "Gypsy King" Fury on Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Boxing fans are clamoring to see if the charismatic Fury (27-0 19 KOs), can become the third British fighter to win a heavyweight title in America, or will Wilder (40-0 39 KOs), prevail with another vicious knockout as he has done in 39 of 40 bouts thus far.
Here's a look at where the money is going from Vegas bookmakers, along with opinions from boxing experts, boxers and trainers, and my prediction.
Where is the money going?
Jeff Sherman, Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook's manager, opened the fight with Wilder -170 and Fury +145.
"The public has steadily sided with Wilder in this fight, at a rate of 63 percent of tickets on Wilder and 55 percent of money wagered on Wilder. We moved the price to -200/+170 and are not too lopsided with the sharp action and keeping this line within parameters of the international market price," said Sherman.
The SuperBook opened the round total prop at 9.5 over -160 under +140 and saw small support for the under and are now over -155/+135.
Wilder-Fury Odds
| Wilder | -170 | -200 |
| Fury | +145 | +170 |
| Odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook | ||
At William Hill US, senior trader Adam Pullen opened the fight with Wilder -175 and Fury +155.
"Tickets are slightly in favor of Wilder and money is 4-1 in favor of Wilder and we adjusted the price to -200/+175," said Pullen.
He opened the round total prop at 9.5 over -160 and under+140 and are now at -155/+135 with slightly more action on the under.
Experts weigh in
Colin Morrison (boxing sharp): "As much as I'd like to see Fury winning conclusively, I just don't think it will happen. Twelve rounds of cagey boxing will see Tyson awarded a close decision victory, and the clamor for a rematch will begin as soon as the result is announced."
- Abraham Gonzalez (boxing sharp): "This is an interesting fight and I respect Wilder for continuing to challenge himself after that close call with Ortiz. Early, both men will be figuring out how to implement their game plan while Fury will steal some of those rounds with jabs and flurries. I believe Wilder does land the big right in the later rounds, but Fury holds on and does enough to win via split decision."
- Packie Collins (boxing trainer): "It's a great fight. Two undefeated heavyweights and both world champions. It's like the old days of boxing. I like Wilder for his exciting kill or be killed attitude, and it makes me want to watch heavyweight boxing again. However, I will be rooting for Tyson. He's a character and boxing needs characters. I'm picking Fury."
- Rich Marotta (Hall of Fame sportscaster): "Approaching this one with trepidation, but I think I'm going to go against the grain. Wilder seems like the logical choice, but Tyson Fury has won me over. I think his bouts in the past have been quite dreary actually, but he has the boxing style to befuddle a wild swinger like Wilder. Although Fury has promised to go straight to Deontay, I really don't think he'll do that. I believe Fury will move, box, look the spoiler, get hurt at times but tie up Wilder when he needs to. Bottom line, Fury will take a close decision."
- John 'Iceman' Scully (boxing trainer): "I think on his best day and in his best groove, Fury could beat Wilder by a very clear decision. But I don't think he's at his best now, and the fact is Wilder is a titanic puncher. If he hits anyone solid, they are going to have big problems. I'm going to have to assume that he catches this version of Fury solidly at some point over 12 rounds."
- Gary 'Spike' O'Sullivan (ranked light middleweight boxer): "I like them both as Wilder has achieved so much in life I can't help but admire him and likewise with Tyson. They've both come from disadvantaged positions in life yet have gone on to achieve so much. I'm on Team Fury, though, as I know Tyson personally and he is a great person, and I see him keeping his unbeaten record and becoming the world champion again."
- Evan Young (boxing sharp): "Wilder, all sinew and fast-twitch fibers, at a lanky 6-foot-7, brings speed and explosive punching power to his fights. Fury, while 2 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier, is the lighter hitting fighter, but he is a nimble, talented big man that can slow a pace down in a fight and is very hard to hit cleanly and outpoint. Fury is physically strong and can wear opponents down. Wilder has a bomb for a right hand and launches it in a wild overhand manner that lands with great effect. It's a tough call, and one could easily make a case for either man based on many intangibles. But I'm going with the crafty Fury to frustrate Wilder and touch him more than he gets hit in return. I'll take Fury on points or possibly a late-rounds stoppage."
- Will Smith Jr. (boxing sharp): "Fury is an inspiration and commendable for overcoming all that he has, and still competing at an elite level of boxing. With this in mind, I still feel as though this fight is too much too soon. Fury will box and move and give Wilder issues for a while; then, I think Fury, probably a bit overtrained and weight-drained, will tire out. Big shots from Wilder will accumulate and the inevitable stoppage will come. Deontay Wilder by KO in the later rounds."
- Luke Chapman (boxing sharp): "Look for Fury to frustrate Wilder here with smothering in-fighting, taking away Wilder's lengthy power shots. But 12 rounds is a long time to wrestle and tie up the athletic Wilder, and this will finish with the Gypsy King on his back. Backing Wilder by KO at even money."
- Jim Karas (boxing sharp): "Here we have Fury, only two fights back from his three-year absence, taking an enormous step up in competition. Fury, for lack of a better word, has looked awful in his comeback. Now he's supposed to dethrone the destroyer that is Wilder? I don't see it. Three, four years ago I'd give Fury a much better chance. He has many tools to bother Wilder with quick feet and hands, an active jab, is a great mover for a heavyweight, but will he be able to put it all together on Saturday? It seems unlikely. Wilder, for all his criticism about being wild, off-balanced, and frankly unorthodox in the ring, still manages to connect on 54 percent of his power punches, and all it takes is one bomb from the Bronze Bomber to end this. I've got Wilder by KO."
- Matt Andrzejewski (boxing sharp): "Fury is an exceptionally skilled and slick boxer inside the ring. He possesses excellent movement and a pinpoint left jab to keep his opposition off balance. As we saw when Wilder fought Gerald Washington, Wilder can struggle with an opponent with a decent left jab. Fury is also not easy to hit clean and Wilder's best chance to win is to catch Fury clean with a fight altering punch. Fury by unanimous decision."
- Cynthia Conte (Ring TV Boxing correspondent): "I really like both fighters. They're both fun and unconventional awkward fighters that will give us an interesting chess match. If Wilder can land that 'equalizer,' then Fury is in for what the hurt business is all about. Wilder KO6."
Face to face - Wilder: The 33-year-old fighting out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the WBC heavyweight champion -- a title he won in 2015 over Bermane Stiverne. That night he became the first American heavyweight titleholder in nine years, and it was the only time in his 40-fight career he was taken the distance. (He would rematch Stiverne in 2017, and obliterated him scoring a first-round KO at 2:59). His moniker is the "Bronze Bomber" as he won the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and coined it after all-time great Joe "Brown Bomber" Louis. Wilder has a 98 percent KO average and has amassed only 123 rounds in his 10-year career. Wilder dreamed as a child to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide as a wide receiver or a forward in basketball. Those plans were derailed when his daughter was born with spina bifida. Wilder was then forced to enroll at a local community college and concentrate on his grades and boxing career while being near his daughter. Wilder is considered to be a wild puncher with a chin that has not been tested. In his last fight with Luis Ortiz in March questions about his chin were erased when he dug deep to stop Ortiz in the 10th round. Wilder was nearly stopped in Round 7. However, he smartly held on and went on to secure the biggest win of his career. Will Wilder make Fury another KO victim?
Fury: The 30-year-old fighting out of Wilmslow, Cheshire, United Kingdom, is the former unified WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring magazine lineal heavyweight world champion. He captured these titles when he defeated longtime champion Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision in 2015. The victory earned Fury fighter of the year and upset of the year awards by The Ring. Things then unraveled for Fury. He vacated his titles and focused on treatment for substance abuse and depression.
He was named after former champion Mike Tyson by his father when he was born three months premature, weighing only 1 pound. He gets his nickname "Gypsy King" as it has been said he is a distant relative of "self-styled King of the Gypsies" Bartley Gorman. Fury has great foot movement and hand speed for a boxer who stands 6-foot-9. He doesn't sport the power Wilder has, but has 19 KOs in 27 bouts. Fury can frustrate his opponents with this movement and is not an easy target to land on. Since taking off nearly 2½ years to deal with his issues, he has come back with two wins over very soft competition at best in Sefer Seferi (KO Round 4) and a unanimous decision win last August over Francesco Pianeta where he won every round. Can Fury reclaim greatness and beat Wilder and be disciplined and stay out of harm's way?
Betting the fight
The panel is favoring the underdog Fury by a margin of 7-5. As a side note, I spoke to Stephen "Breadman" Edwards, trainer of Julian "J-Rock" Williams (who is fighting on the undercard), and he said, "Fight is too close to call -- Wilder by KO or Fury by decision -- I just can't pick." I am more in line with taking the boxer versus the puncher and think Fury can stay away from the hell bomb right of Wilder and secure the win.
Pick: Fury +170 or better.
- Will Smith Jr. (boxing sharp): "Fury is an inspiration and commendable for overcoming all that he has, and still competing at an elite level of boxing. With this in mind, I still feel as though this fight is too much too soon. Fury will box and move and give Wilder issues for a while; then, I think Fury, probably a bit overtrained and weight-drained, will tire out. Big shots from Wilder will accumulate and the inevitable stoppage will come. Deontay Wilder by KO in the later rounds."
