It should come as no surprise that people are already talking about a rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua.
The unheralded Ruiz stopped the long-time champion Joshua on Saturday night in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, and as is so often the case in this kind of situation, fans want to know if they witnessed a fluke or the triumph of a truly superior boxer. A rematch would provide some clarity one way or the other.
The oddsmakers, ever eager to give us opportunities to put our money where our mouths are, have already released the opening odds for a rematch between the new champ Andy Ruiz and the former titleholder Anthony Joshua.
Despite Ruiz’s remarkable performance against Joshua, the early odds have once again pegged him as a significant underdog — though certainly not as significant as he was heading into the first fight. Joshua, meanwhile, has been identified as a comfortable favorite in a potential rematch.
TSN’s Arron Bronsteter has the line:
Odds released for the Joshua/Ruiz rematch pic.twitter.com/nS6T5w2X75
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 3, 2019
- Anthony Joshua: -350
- Andy Ruiz Jr.: +275
For those unfamiliar with betting, this means that a successful $350 bet on Joshua would earn $100, while a successful $100 bet on Ruiz would earn $275.
While a rematch between the two boxers has not yet been made official, promoter Eddie Hearn says it will indeed happen later this year, on Joshua’s home turf.
“Listen, tonight was [Ruiz’s] night but AJ will come back 100% and we will make the rematch in the UK in November or December,” Hearn said (via Bloody Elbow). “But this night now belongs to Andy Ruiz.
“AJ has the heart of a lion and will come back stronger. Now at least we know the opponent for the end of the year in the UK. Absolutely we will enact the immediate rematch. He will be devastated when it sinks in. It makes the fall fight a must-win.”
Who do you think would win a rematch between these two talented heavyweight boxers?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/3/2019.