Joe Joyce v Christian Hammer predictions and free boxing betting tips

Free boxing tips, best bets and analysis for Joe Joyce v Christian Hammer from Wembley Arena on Saturday night.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, approx 11pm Saturday

Best bet

Joe Joyce to win in rounds seven to 12
1pt 6-4 Betfred

Fight preview

Joe Joyce returns to the ring on Saturday night and the WBO’s number one heavyweight isn’t taking any chances with his selected opponent.

The Juggernaut takes on Christian Hammer at Wembley Arena and quotes of 1-33 tell you it’s a case of when, not if, for the Putney puncher.

However, Betfred offer 6-4 that Joyce wins this fight in rounds seven to 12 and that looks a play.

Hammer is exposed but the Romanian-born boxer is an experienced and durable heavyweight and the 34-year-old has failed to go the distance in only four of his 34 bouts.

One of those was on his pro debut in 2008, another a long time ago against Mariusz Wach, and the lastest two came when tackling Tyson and Hughie Fury.

Clearly, the Gypsy King is an elite-level fighter, but Hammer still went seven rounds and the fight against Hughie Fury came shortly after the peak of the Covid crisis, and the Galati boxer didn’t look comfortable before retiring with an arm injury in the fifth.

Hammer is better judged on his performances when he took Frank Sanchez, Luis Ortiz and Alexander Povetkin the distance and he may well frustrate Joyce. That’s not to say that Hammer has a chance of winning this bout, but there will be no ambition and that is to the benefit of backers of a late Joyce stoppage.

The Juggernaut is a relentless front-foot swinging machine, but there’s no Oleksandr Usyk-style skill and movement and the Putney puncher could find himself tied up on the inside in the early rounds.

The Londoner's fantastic conditioning and work-rate should tell in the later stages of the fight and that’s when Joyce can be fancied to nail it.

The Juggernaut will be targeting a crack at the WBO world title, but the 36-year-old will have to wait for the Anthony Joshua and Usyk rematch later this year before that’s on the cards and Joyce may have to be patient for a victory on Saturday too.

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