There’s nothing quite like a massive heavyweight title fight such as Wilder Fury 2.
Their original encounter in the Staples Center in Las Angeles must surely go down in the annals of boxing as one of the most dramatic fights to ever take place inside the squared circle.
Deontay Wilder knocked Tyson Fury down to the canvas twice, yet the Gypsy King got back up again to claim a memorable and controversial split decision draw.
Saturday night’s rematch is 5/4 with Betfred to go the distance again. The fight not lasting the full 12 rounds is odds-on.
Whether this second bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas can live up to the hype and drama of the first is difficult. Another draw seems highly unlikely, with bookmakers offering odds of 22/1 on no clear winner.
Wilder, known as the Bronze Bomber, has knocked out both of his subsequent opponents to Fury. You can get evens with Paddy Power about him winning here.
A Wilder KO win is rated the most likely outcome in the method of victory markets at 5/4. This is because he has stopped all but two opponents.
Fury, meanwhile, is four times less likely to knock the WBC heavyweight champ out at 5/1 with SportNation and a decision victory believed to be his only avenue.
The Gypsy King has knocked 20 previous opponents out, so it’s not unheard of. His last fight saw Fury take Otto Wallin to the judges and win via unanimous decision – a 2/1 chance with Betfair to happen again.
Wilder Fury 2 a tricky puzzle for punters
There is always a danger of sentiment creeping in. Fury’s rollercoaster ride that brought him low outside of the ring and then redemption is worthy of a Hollywood film script.
Since returning from that battle with his personal demons, he has by and large taken easy fights. The one exception is his previous bout with Wilder.
Fury is just the 27/25 betting outsider with Unibet for their second match.
It really is that close and there aren’t many big price bets to be had with any confidence.
Given what happened in the original bout, odds of 5/6 with BetVictor for Fury to be knocked down look generous. He was floored twice by Wilder, so that outcome should arguably be shorter.
Some shrewd observers think Wilder Fury 2 will be settled late in the piece. Either winning in rounds 7-12 is another possible punt at 11/5 with Coral here.
Alternatively, if the fight does go the distance, a points victory cannot be ruled out either. It’s evens with Ladbrokes that either Fury or Wilder wins via the judges’ scorecards.
Taking a view on this bout is tough. For all the build-up, the sequel living up to the original is rare in boxing.
It’s the power of Wilder against the slimmed down and relatively nimble Fury. The latter has to be on his guard or, as the Bronze Bomber showed when they first fought, he could be down on the canvas.
Wilder Fury 2 best bet: 5/6 with BetVictor, Fury to be knocked down in the fight.
