Get ready for our top Deontay Wilder v Dominick Breazeale betting tips. It’s been a while since we’ve had a weekend of boxing as good as the one that awaits with major titles decided on both sides of the Atlantic, involving or directly affecting the future of some of Britain’s best and brightest.
Bookmakers seem in the mood to celebrate and have laid out a feast of betting opportunities for punters to gorge on. We have bouts of note in America, England and Scotland and our team of former professional boxers, sports tipsters and betting experts have run the rule over the betting before returning with our views on the best bets to place for those eager to profit from the occasion.
We do the Research
As well as expert analysis and tips, we also tell you which bookmakers are offering best odds on the most popular markets and that’s crucial to turning a profit over the course of a season or calendar year. Backing a 5/1 winner is great, but not if you could’ve had the same bet at 8/1 simply by shopping around. We’ve sifted through the markets and odds comparison websites to ensure your stake money is working as hard as it possibly can on your behalf.
Follow the boxing section of our site for an in-depth preview of Josh Taylor v Ivan Baranchyk and Billy Joe Saunders v Shefat Isufi or read on as we pick apart Deontay Wilder’s WBC world heavyweight title defence against Dominic Breazeale in Brooklyn.
This bout will be shown live on Sky Sports from 5.00am on Sunday morning GMT from the Barclays Center and interested parties will include Britain’s Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Bomber Eager to Get Back on Track
WBC champion Deontay Wilder brings a professional record reading 40 wins from 41 fights with the spare being that famous draw with Tyson Fury in December of last year. The 33-year-old from Alabama has an earth-shattering 95% KO average with 39 wins. The only two men to go the distance with Wilder to date are Bermane Stiverne back in 2015 and The Gypsy King last time. Wilder stopped the former in the first round of a 2017 rematch and many in America would like to see him get another crack at doing it to Fury this year.
We did think Wilder – Fury II would’ve taken this spot and the WBC reported ordered an instant rematch following that thrill-a-minute draw last year, but negotiations failed, and the two men now have other opponents to face in the coming weeks. If those bouts go to plan, we’re hoping the rematch will happen before the end of the year.
If not, fight fans would love to see either step into the ring with Anthony Joshua who owns the bulk of the division’s titles. Throw another hard-hitting Brit into the mix in Dillian Whyte and the heavyweight scene hasn’t been this interesting in a long time. Fingers crossed red tape doesn’t get in the way of some classic match ups.
No Getting Away from That Power
Wilder was last seen winning when getting the better of well-respected Luis Ortiz in Brooklyn last March, stopping his opponent in the 10th round of an interesting fight. The scorecards had Ortiz ahead that night and he looked to be boxing his way to an upset, but there’s no getting away from Deontay’s power and he’s always dangerous. Dropped once in round five and twice in round 10, referee David Fields had seen enough and called a halt to proceedings for the beaten man’s safety.
Will Wilder return to winning ways this weekend? Bookmakers certainly think so and backers of the champion will find Unibet’s 1/8 as the general feeling in the parade ring. That’ll scare many off an interest in the fight winner market, even those playing for big odds, and it’s a price that drives us into the specials as we seek out the value.
Deontay Wilder by KO/TKO makes obvious appeal due to his devastating power and that’s something traders have picked up on also. Another early night for the favourite is 4/11 with Ladbrokes – perfect for accumulators – or the points cheer is 7/2 with the same bookie. Total rounds is another interesting one and this bout to go beyond the 8.5 rounds mark is 11/10 (Bet365) under the same mark trading at 4/6 – top price with Ladbrokes. You’ll get 8/13 on over 6.5 rounds or 6/5 under 6.5 rounds, both quotes taken from the Bet365 website.
What Does Dominic Bring
British fight fans may remember Dominic Breazeale from his ill-fated challenge with Anthony Joshua at the 02 Arena in London on June 2016. The American was bashed into submission by the champion inside seven rounds that night as his opponent sparkled but the form of both men suggest we shouldn’t be too hard on him since, Joshua going on to rule the division with an iron fist. Well beaten that night but that TKO reverse remains the only loss on his record.
33-year-old Breazeale has a record reading 20 wins against that one defeat with 18 of those 20 coming inside the distance, resulting in an impressive 86% KO average. That will give his opponent plenty to think about in the build-up to this bout as he has the power to hurt Wilder if given the opportunity. We know Deontay is smarter than his stats suggest – although he did claim he didn’t know there was a man inside the mascot he punched on live TV – so don’t expect him to risk it all by going after Breazeale from the first bell. That would be a foolish tactic and the champion didn’t earn his stripes by taking unnecessary risks.
Since losing to AJ, Breazeale has fought three times and won three times, knocking out each of the men placed in front of him. He started that run by dropping Izuagbe Ugonoh inside five rounds in his comeback bout before doing Eric Molina in eight next time out. The hat-trick was achieved thanks to a ninth round KO win over Carlos Negron in December, so there will be no lack of confidence in the underdog’s dressing room.
Bookies Say Dom Has No Chance
Despite that treble, bookmakers have been quick to write off the chances of the challenger and have him priced as a no-hoper with lovers of an outsider able to get a share of 5/1 when betting at William Hill. The same firm have the draw at 25/1 and that may catch the eye of value hunters on the back of Wilder’s share last time out. An argument could be made for having an interest bet on that, but this is a very different fight and Dominic is a completely different challenge to Tyson was.
Those happy to push their luck for a bigger price can dip their toe into the water of the method of victory market, but this is one best suited to small stakes as the prices grew and the risks rise. Breazeale to knockout the KO artist is 9/1 with Bet365, the points cheer less likely at 14/1, top price when betting with Unibet.