This Saturday night it’s the fight we’ve all been waiting for – Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jnr, part 2. AJ famously fell to the first professional defeat of his boxing career back in June, when Mexican heavyweight Andy Ruiz humbled the Olympic Champion in New York.
It was a result that shook the sporting world, with pretty much everyone backing AJ to make relative lightwork of his opponent prior to the fight. After a quiet opening two rounds, AJ looked to have the contest wrapped up in the third-round when he knocked down Ruiz.
However, seemingly unphased by Joshua’s power, the Mexican rose to his feet and went on to return the favour straight to Joshua’s chin, knocking him down after a barrage of heavy blows just moments after he himself had been punched to the deck. Joshua unconvincingly got back on his feet but was clearly shaken by the exchange and it would show throughout the rest of the fight.
The clash would end in a 7th-round technical knockout for the 11/1 underdog Ruiz and Joshua was left with a hugely unwelcome first defeat of his career. This time around, AJ will be desperate to right the wrongdoings of that fateful night at Madison Square Garden in the summer. The bookies still make Joshua 4/9 favourite on Saturday, though Andy Ruiz is priced at a much shorter odds of 2/1 this time around.
So, with both fighters priced at such short odds, where does the real value lie this weekend? As previously touched on, the last battle started slowly – like most heavyweight fights do – with both boxers sounding each other out and getting a feel for their opponent in the opening stages.
However, it completely exploded in round-three when Joshua unleashed his power on Ruiz, only to be stunned by the 30-year-old’s response. This time, both fighters will have a much better understanding of each other’s technique and style so we’re likely to see a more conservative approach in the first 3-4 rounds.
That said, AJ will be desperate to make a statement early on here and could look to test Ruiz straight away. He would perhaps be foolish to come out gung-ho, though, considering his opponent’s ability to completely soak up punches.
Round group betting could be the way to go in this one, that way you’re not limited to a single three-minute round which could completely kill your bet early doors. AJ is priced up at odds of 9/2 to win the fight in rounds 7-9 with bet365 and considering we’re expecting it to be a cagey affair in the opening stages, that could be a good bet.
| Saturday – 9.00pm | Odds | Bets |
|---|---|---|
| AJ to win in rounds 7-9 | ||
| Anthony Joshua to win in rounds 7-9 Best Bet | 9/2 |  |
Odds correct as of 2019-12-06 09:25:35
With ultimate respect to Ruiz, Joshua is the better fighter, fact. He is a much more complete athlete and is currently in the best condition he’s ever been in, which will most likely pay dividends on Saturday. Despite the previous result – which Ruiz completely deserved after a phenomenal performance in New York – we’re really not expecting a repeat on Saturday.
Joshua knows that if he loses this then his credibility as a top-level heavyweight boxer will be left completely diminished; it is simply not an option for the 30-year-old. Joshua claims that he is “punching like a horse kicking backwards” at the moment; if he truly connects with Ruiz this weekend then it’s game over for the North American.
Andy Ruiz is no bum, however. He is a credible boxer who has shown he’s got the ability to go toe-to-toe and even defeat Joshua. With this in mind, placing a bet on this fight going the distance and Joshua winning the contest on points at 7/2 with Ladbrokes seems like another decent shout. Ruiz to win on points is 21/1 on the betfair exchange, so if you can foresee another upset this Saturday – that’s the bet for you in our my opinion.
| Saturday – 9.00pm | Odds | Bets |
|---|---|---|
| AJ to win on points | ||
| Anthony Joshua to win on points Best Bet | 7/2 |  |
Odds correct as of 2019-12-06 09:54:58