Kell Brook v Matthew Hatton: uphill task for European champion
Published:Undefeated Kell Brook is overwhelming favourite for his Sheffield clash with Matthew Hatton this weekend, with the hometown fighter priced at just 1/8 to beat the Stockport-born European welterweight champion.
Brook looks a tremendous prospect currently, with the 2009 Britain’s young boxer of the year sweeping everything before him and striking fear into world champions, with 18 knockout wins from 26 professional bouts.
The current WBA intercontinental champion, Brook has made enough of an impression in recent European bouts to earn him a shot at Hatton’s European welterweight title in a highly-anticipated “War of the Roses” battle, and victory at 1/8 would surely see him finally earn a world title opportunity.
However, 5/1 Hatton will be no pushover, as the gritty 30-year-old aims to prove he too deserves a chance to make a fist of a world title opportunity, and emulate his elder brother Ricky.
Hatton is notorious for his ability to scrap and stay in fights, even in matches against more talented fighters, and his battling traits could prove crucial in a meeting where he is such an underdog.
Of his 42 wins from 49 professional fights, Hatton has emerged victorious via the knockout route just 16 times, so for punters who do fancy an upset, it could be more sensible to back the Manchester native to triumph on points at 7/1.
Sheffield-born Brook is 11/10 to win by the same method with the fight going the distance, but with a much larger percentage of his victories coming by knockout, it may be a better option to invest in a Brook win by knockout here at the same price too.
Punters keen to bet on the length of the fight can take advantage of the 8/11 odds for the fight to go the full 12 rounds, while Brook supporters may want to snap up the 1/1 for it not to go the distance.
