It’s big fight week, so that means the folks at RingTV.com have uploaded an online expert’s poll. This Saturday, it is of course the heavyweight title fight between defending WBC champ Tyson Fury and long-time contender Dillian Whyte. Fury is a big betting favourite, and “The Gypsy King” is a massive favourite to win as far as the Ring poll of experts goes.
Of the 20 experts asked to pick the fight, NOT ONE person opted to go for challenger Whyte. 20 to zip, all for Fury. Are the experts bang on the money, or have they got it badly wrong?
Of the 20 experts picking Fury to win, 14 are picking him to win via stoppage. Some pundits/former fighters/promoters/writers, such as Paulie Malignaggi, Norm Frauenheim and Ron Borges think the fight will see the later rounds, with Fury getting a stoppage around the tenth round or thereabouts. Others, such as Lee Groves, Diego Morilla and Camille Estephan, like Fury to get a stoppage at or around the half-way stage of the fight.
Six experts think Fury will likely win by way of decision (with Malignaggi predicting either a points win or a late stoppage win for Fury). It might be something of a shock to Whyte fans and supporters that in terms of the 20 experts Ring called up, there was no love for “The Bodysnatcher.” Again, have the experts got this one badly, badly wrong?
Fury himself said at today’s presser that he “laughs at the big odds” this fight is currently generating. “7/1, 10/1 – all I can think is that these odds are from people who don’t understand boxing,” Fury said. Fury said he is expecting a hard fight, and a great fight, and he says he has trained accordingly. Whyte may be a hefty underdog, but he is seen by many as a live hefty underdog.
Whether the fight goes long or whether it goes short, there WILL be fireworks. That much almost everyone agrees on. And if Whyte can pull off the upset, a whole lot of people will owe him a big apology.
Who are YOU picking to win, and how?