On the 21st of August, Andy Ruiz caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of boxing after knocking down the then champion four times in the space of seven rounds. This rematch on the 7th of December is a chance at redemption for Anthony Joshua – a chance to reclaim the IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO heavyweight champion belts. From a huge 1.03 odds favourite to a more moderate 1.40-ish odds favourite, Joshua has everything to lose. In simple terms, the match would be career-defining.
What Happened in the Previous Fight
In the last match, it could be argued that the fact the AJ was making his debut in the US made him nervous. To be more specific, he wanted to impress the US crowd and perform at an elite level. However, he played into Ruiz’s hands. In that match, it was obvious AJ threw his game plan out of the window, chasing shadows. The only round (third round) that he kept to his corner’s game plan – standing up straight, using his jab and protecting his chin with one-twos – was the only round where he scored a knockdown. However, as soon as he scored that knockdown, he decided to go for the jugular,overcommitted and got caught with a firm overhand left. From thereon, AJ never recovered, and the rest they say, is history.
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Where the Match Would be Decided
Anthony Joshua loves to control and dictate the pace of his matches. Ruiz on the other hand, just keeps coming forward, applying pressure after pressure. In this regard, AJ has his work cut out absorbing Ruiz’s pressure without feeling restricted, all the while maintaining his pose, which was the opposite of what he did during their last fight. Even though AJ must think on his feet, he must not overthink, as that would drain his energy pretty quickly. To counteract, he must keep Ruiz at bay with his jabs and take advantage of his reach (Joshua is 6ft 6in), similar to what he did when he fought Parker in Cardiff in 2017. Joshua’s biggest hurdle in this match would be overcoming the mental scars from, not only losing to Ruiz just six months ago, but being knocked down four times by a guy he was supposed to beat. Embarrassing!
Betting Odds on Bet9ja, 1xbet, Betway, and Hamabet
Despite losing the first match, Joshua is still the favourite, although the odds this time around indicates the danger Ruiz poses. On Bet9ja sportsbook, AJ is priced at 1.42 while Ruiz is priced at 2.65.1xbet has AJ priced at 1.43 and Ruiz at 2.87. On Betway, AJ is priced at 1.39, while Ruiz is priced at 2.61. Hamabet has AJ priced at 1.37 and Ruiz at 2.51. In terms of betting margins, the odds presented by 1xbet offers the best value with a 4.7% margin. This is followed by Hamabet (12.8%), Betway (10.2%), and Bet9ja (8.1%). Take a look at our betting strategies before you place a bet.
No risk bet from 1xbet
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