Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua will go toe-to-toe for Ruiz’s heavyweight titles this Saturday in a rematch of last summer’s stunner at New York’s Madison Square Garden. This time the two will duel in a 15,000-seat open-air stadium in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, dubbed “Clash on the Dunes.” The main event is expected to start around 3:45 p.m. ET. This one comes at you via live stream on DAZN.
Joshua vs. Ruiz Jr.: What you need to know
Joshua (22-1-0, 21 knockouts) is looking for revenge after his shocking seventh-round loss to Ruiz (33-1-0, 22 KOs) in June.
Joshua was heavily favored in the first bout but was overwhelmed by Ruiz, whose historic upset rivals such other unforgettable stunners as Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, Hasim Rahman taking down Lennox Lewis and Corrie Sanders upending Wladimir Klitschko.
Ruiz beat Joshua with both speed and power, hurting him early and then going in for the kill after some tentativeness and a lack of recovery on the Briton’s part.
Ruiz isn’t an Adonis in terms of his physical attributes – and some might wonder about his endurance – but, as he demonstrated against Joshua, he’s all business and effective once he gets into the ring.
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Joshua vs. Ruiz odds, picks, tips, best bets
Per BetMGM, Joshua (-250) is a moderate favorite to return the favor against Ruiz Jr. (+188) on the 3-way betting line, with a draw (+3300) also a choice. You might want to avoid that, however, as it is extremely unlikely.
This has trilogy written all over it, and there are already some rumblings from the Ruiz camp that if Joshua scores the win, they would want a Joshua-Ruiz Jr. III bout. Expect that to happen.
Joshua probably will be a little more measured and less reckless than he was in the first fight, and you can bet he spent a lot of time on his defense. That might help the fight go a little deeper, although he will still be champing at the bit looking to repay Ruiz for the embarrassing defeat in June, too.
Joshua (+350) at full distance might not be a terrible play, but a wager on Joshua winning in Rounds 7-12 (+250) is a much better bet, and gives you more opportunity. He’ll get the knockout, and his belts back, and you can expect we’ll get a third installment of this series, too.
If you like Joshua for the KO/TKO/technical decision or DQ victory, BetMGM, you’ll have to lay a little money, but not much at (-125). A win on points by Joshua fetches a return of +350, which is a bit enticing, too. It’s a good bet, as mentioned above, to take the knockout instead, however. Joshua should be focused, determined and ready to return the favor. BetMGM has a special prop bet for those looking for the victory via KO or TKO, too.
If you feel the fight will go 12 rounds, with either fighter winning on points (+275), it is a bit of an intriguing play, but it went just seven last time, and Joshua should fire out of the box looking to end it sooner rather than later.
Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on Joshua straight up at -250 to win outright would return a $4.00 profit.
My recommendations are playing JOSHUA IN ROUNDS 7-12 (+250), while BETTING HIM STRAIGHT UP on the 3-way fight result line at (-250). I have a hard time seeing Ruiz beating him in two consecutive bouts, especially since that would eliminate the need for a third fight in this series. And let’s face it, boxing loves drama, and there would be none with another Ruiz win.
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