Boxing: Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr. II Odds & Prediction

The boxing world was stunned on June 1 when three of the four major heavyweight titles (WBA, WBO, IBF) changed hands with Andy “Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. stopping Anthony “AJ” Joshua in the seventh round. The rematch is taking place this Saturday, December 7, at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

Even though Joshua lost the first bout, online sportsbook Sportsbook has him as the -205 favorite with Ruiz coming back at +175.

Joshua vs Ruiz Jr. Odds Analysis

I think the odds are just about right for this rematch. Ruiz proved he deserved to be in the ring with Joshua as he became the first Mexican heavyweight champion and the odds reflect this as he was a +1200 underdog in the first bout.

Breaking Down Joshua vs Ruiz Jr. 1

It was a tremendous upset the first time these two men fought at Madison Square Garden on June 1. That was Joshua’s first fight on American soil and perhaps he took the fight a little for granted. The former champ was set to fight Jarrell Miller before Miller tested positive three times for performance-enhancing supplements and was denied a license from the New York Athletic Commission.

In the first scrap, AJ landed the first big punch, sending Ruiz to the canvas for the first time in his career in the third round. Destroyer seemed aware of his surroundings and didn’t look out of sorts following the knockdown and in fact went straight at the champion, dropping him twice in that round.

AJ never seemed to get his feet under him following that wild third round. He looked sluggish and wobbly. Credit to Ruiz, who smelled the blood in the water and went right at home applying the pressure for the remainder of the fight, which ultimately ended in the seventh round.

Aftermath and Rematch

Rumors emerged following the fight that Joshua had been dropped badly in sparring earlier in the week, and there were marks on his face as he entered the ring against Ruiz. That said, he denied those rumors. It was expected that the rematch would take place on Joshua’s home soil in England, but ultimately Saudi Arabia was the decided location.

Both fighters have slimmed down since their first meeting, especially in the case of Ruiz, who’s hoping to tip the scales at 255 to 257 pounds compared to the 268 pounds he weighed in June. I think we will see a more focused and aggressive Joshua in the rematch, using his jab to keep Ruiz at bay and maybe open up later in the bout. Ruiz, on the other hand, is going to once again want to keep his chin down and pressure the former champion, but in doing so he will be in danger of AJ’s power.

Prediction: Anthony Joshua (-205) via decision

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Joshua vs Ruiz II Prop Odds

If you are looking for a little more value than just picking who will win the fight, online sportsbook Sportsbook has a list of prop bets that you can wager on. There are a couple of prop bets that I like and will be playing. The first is “Fight Goes the Distance” with the “Yes” coming in at +275. Although there were fireworks in the first bout, with each competitor landing heavy and each hitting the canvas, I think Joshua is going to be more patient this time around and could drag this fight into deeper waters, potentially outpointing Ruiz for 12 rounds.

In the same vein, the second prop bet I like is AJ to win in rounds 10-12 at +750. Joshua himself has said that he rushed the knockout in the first bout after knocking Ruiz down in the third round, which led to him getting caught, and he never fully recovered. When AJ would engage with Ruiz, he did land flush, but the current champ was able to eat the shots well, outside of the one that dropped him in the third. I think if Joshua can pick away over the first three-quarters of the fight landing heavy shots throughout, he can find an extra gear late and get the knockout.

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook

Odds as of December 2 at Sportsbook