Fury v Hammer: Back Tyson all the way as there’s little risk here

Naming the upcoming fight between Tyson Fury and Christian Hammer Risky Business is supposed to highlight the threat the Romanian poses but in reality it could just as well mean Tom Cruise has a better chance of stopping the unbeaten Mancunian.

A lot has been made about the fact that Fury (23-0-0) doesn’t need to take the fight after working his way into position as the mandatory challenger to Wladimir Klitschko’s WBO strap but despite his many, many gaffes the 26-year-old is no mug and simply wouldn’t risk his chance at a title shot in a fight he thought he could lose.

Granted most fighters believe they can beat anyone, you need that confidence if you are to have any sort of career, but the truth is Hammer is just not the opponent he is being built up to be.

He may be ranked third by the WBO and mark a step up in competition from the majority of Tyson’s victims to date but there is nothing to suggest he’s any better than the “new and improved” Dereck Chisora who was beaten with ease by Fury last time out.

This is reflected in the odds, with Fury billed as the 1/25 favourite and Hammer priced up as the 33/1 rank outsider.

Hammer is 6ft2 and can count Danny Williams and Kevin Johnson among his own victims, but with three losses already and two of those inside the distance there is very little to suggest he can trouble the Brit.

Tyson has his detractors, but the fact remains he has won all 23 of his fights and 17 of those by way of knockout.

The vast majority of those stoppages (14) have come in the opening five rounds of his fight,  making the Fury to win in rounds 1-6 market a worthy alternative to the win market at 6/5.

Those looking for bigger odds though could take heed of the four KOs Fury has pulled off in the fifth round and opt for the 8/1 on a repeat ending at the O2 Arena.

Either way, come the final bell we’ll be no closer to finding out if Fury has what it takes to beat Klitschko but at 24-0 he’ll certainly deserve his chance.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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