Haye must let his fists do the talking

SPORTS BETTING: THERE is a well-known saying which states: If you are going to talk the talk, you have to be able to walk the walk.


Well, that could hardly be more true for David Haye as he builds up to his world heavyweight championship unification fight against giant Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg on Saturday night.



The ultra-confident Haye is a good guy, but he can go over the top in the build-up to major fights.



The Englishman has been talking of a “brutal execution” of Klitschko and will have to produce an awesome display at the weekend if he is to back up such hostile words with action.



With a weight and reach advantage, Klitschko is the bookies’ favourite to win the fight at 8-13.



Haye is 13-8 against, but he had to overcome even greater physical disadvantages to beat the giant Nikola Valuev to win the title last year so a precedent has already been set.



The difference this time is that Klitschko possesses greater boxing skills than Valuev and a ramrod jab which could keep Haye at a distance.



The Hayemaker will need to bob and weave before landing his bombs, but speed is a potent weapon and if he can avoid the Klitschko leads then the 10-1 about him winning the fight by stoppage is a real possibility.







BRITAIN’S Andy Murray went into quarter-final action at Wimbledon today as the 5-1 fourth favourite to win the title.



With a semi-final against Rafa Nadal on the horizon, that’s not a price which interests me, nor does Roger Federer’s place at the head of the market at around 7-4.



I reckon Nadal (11-4) and Novak Djokovic (7-2) are much the most likely winners as they have dominated the men’s game this summer and are currently the best players around in the heat of battle.



Get on the 5-2 for them to meet in the final.



As for the women’s tournament, the gorgeous Maria Sharapova is a rejuvenated player this year and is a hot favourite at 6-5 to regain the crown she won in 2004.



Petra Kvitova is second favourite at 3-1, followed by Victoria Azarenka (4-1) and Sabine Lisicki (6-1).

    





IF there is one certainty about the Tour De France, which gets under way this weekend, it is that there is bound to be a drugs scandal.







Despte rigid screening processes, some cyclists seem to think they can beat the system, while there is always the suspicion lurking that some drugs-users do get through undetected and therefore have an advantage over “clean” competitors.



The finger has been pointed at Alberto Contador on occasions, but the Spaniard has not tested positive and has won the last two Tours on merit.



He is 8-11 to do so again, with Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck, runner-up in the last two years, rated his only feasible rival at 21-10. After these two, it’s 25-1 bar.



Britain’s Mark Cavendish is the king of the sprints and has already racked up 15 tour wins.



That’s some way behind the 34 of Belgian legend Eddy Merckx but, at his current rate of success, it won’t be long before Cavendish is threatening that total.



However, the 6-4 favourite for this year’s Points Classification faces formidable opposition for the green jersey in the shape of Alessandro Petacchi, the Italian who won this section last year.







RECOMMENDATIONS: David Haye to stop Wladimir Klitschko, 10-1 (Skybet); Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic to meet in Wimbledon final , 5-2 (Skybet).