Previewing Saturday’s Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. heavyweight boxing matchup, with boxing betting odds, picks and best bets
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Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. will go toe-to-toe for the world WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight championship titles 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 fight is Saturday with the main event 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 KOs) is back in the ring looking for revenge after his shocking seventh-round loss at Ruiz Jr. (33-1-0, 22 KOs) in June.
Joshua was heavily favored in the first bout, but he was unable to make it through seven rounds. Ruiz Jr. pulled off an upset of historic proportions, similar to Buster Douglas stunning Mike Tyson, Hasim Rahman taking down Lennox Lewis, and Corrie Sanders upending Wladimir Klitschko.
Ruiz Jr. beat Joshua with speed, hurting him early and going in for the kill after some tentativeness and a lack of recovery on the Briton’s part. Joshua was wounded early in the fight, and he seemed to get rattled early due to Ruiz’s lightning speed and the fact he was hurt and unable to recover.
Ruiz might not be an Adonis as far as his physical attributes, and some might expect his cardio not to be up to snuff, but once he gets into the ring he’s all business — and every bit physically fit. In fact, his outstanding speed is a bit surprising considering he appears to be out of shape at first glance.
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Joshua vs. Ruiz Jr. odds, picks, tips and 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 is likely going to be a little more measured and less reckless than 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 betting 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.
If you want some action on this title bout or other boxing matches, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.
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