Two former heavyweight contenders are ready to stand out in a division that is being held up at the moment. Andy Ruiz Jr. and Luis Ortiz will face off against one another on September 4. The fight, taking place inside Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, will feature two fighters with some pop.
Ruiz, who has 22 wins via knockout, last won via power punch in June 2019, when he beat Anthony Joshua via TKO. Taking Joshua down several times, Ruiz won the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles in the process. Now, the Mexican fighter faces a counterpart in Ortiz with 28 wins via knockout. Ruiz will look to play it smart in this fight.
“When I try to go for the knockout, it usually doesn’t go my way. I’m training for 12 rounds and if the knockout comes, it comes. You best believe I’m in condition to go hard for all 12 rounds,” Ruiz stated during open workouts.
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At one point, Ortiz, a former WBC title contender, won six straight fights via knockout and then six out of his last seven in another stretch. His only losses have come to to Deontay Wilder, which happened twice. Now, Ortiz is ready to take down Ruiz, or at the very least, will try to outwork him.
“I have studied Andy from top to bottom. If I don’t knock you out with one punch, then I’m just going to chip away at you until you can’t go anymore,” Ortiz stated.
The Sporting News offers our insight on how the upcoming fight will play out and takes a look at the best betting options.
Betting Odds for Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Andy Ruiz Jr. is the -371 favorite, while Luis Ortiz is the +254 underdog.
Prop bets for Ruiz vs. Ortiz
- Ruiz via KO/TKO; -120
- Ruiz via decision: +260
- Ortiz via KO/TKO: +550
- Ortiz via decision: +650
- Draw: +1600
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Expert prediction for Ruiz vs. Ortiz
Statistically speaking, Ruiz has a better +/- rating (+6.3). Ruiz lands 28.7% of his shots. His opponent lands 22.4% of their blows, and he lands around 10.9 punches per round out of 38 thrown.
Ortiz has a +/- rating of +1.6. He lands 23.5% of his shots, his opponents land 21.9% of their blows, and he lands 10.2 punches per round out of 43.4 thrown. Ortiz has a high volume rate.
Outside of power Ortiz averages 28 jabs, while Ruiz averages 18.1 per round. Ortiz lands 3.8 jabs per round, while Ruiz is close with 3.6. The lack of throwing does not appear to alter Ruiz’s game plan.
In his most recent fight against Charles Martin, Ortiz landed single-digit shots in three straight rounds. He ended up out-landing Martin 60 to 46, with a 32.6% connect mark. Against Chris Arreola, Ruiz landed single-digit shots three times and landed above 15 punches four times. He landed 161 blows (a 25.7% connect mark), while Arreola landed 109 (a 20.9% connect mark).
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On paper, it appears that Ruiz’s stamina is greater than Ortiz’s. That may have to do with age and activity. While he doesn’t usually strike for power, Ruiz likes to punch fast. Ortiz loves to use his power. He will look to do anything to strike down his opponent and use Ruiz’s momentum against him.
Ruiz is going through his third trainer in as many years. Leaving Eddy Reynoso so he could be the sole focus of his new trainer may benefit him. He is slimmed down and has appeared much more patient, compared to what we usually see from him. If Ruiz can play a game of chess, it is unknown if Ortiz can keep up. Ruiz may have what it takes to extend his redemption tour.
Sporting News prediction: Ruiz via TKO (round eight)
When is Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz?
- Date: Sunday, September 4
- Start time: 9 p.m. ET
- Main event: 12 a.m. ET (approximate)
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz takes place on September 4. The main card starts at 9 p.m. ET. Ruiz and Ortiz should make their way to the ring around 12 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz?
- Fox Sports
- PPV.com
- Traditional pay-per-view
The Ruiz vs. Ortiz main card will air on Fox Sports PPV via Premier Boxing Champions. You can also view the fight via PPV.com and traditional PPV.
You can use the Fox Sports app to watch the event. Viewers can stream through the Fox Sports app via Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Xbox ONE, a laptop, or any mobile or tablet device.
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz PPV price: How much does the card cost?
To watch Ruiz vs. Ortiz, you will need to pay $74.99.
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz fight card
- Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz; Heavyweights
- Isaac Cruz vs. Eduardo Ramirez; WBC lightweight title eliminator
- Abner Mares vs. Miguel Flores; Super-Featherweights
- Jose Valenzuela vs. Jezreel Corrales; Lightweights
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