Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz: Meeting of Two Supremely Talented Fighters

• Andy Ruiz is a former heavyweight champion of the world
• Luis Ortiz has won 33 and lost just two fights
• Andy Ruiz Jr’s form shows 34 wins against two losses

Fight fans have a fascinating contest from the heavyweight division this weekend, just a few weeks after Oleksandr Usyk’s memorable points decision win over Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. On Saturday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr faces Luis Ortiz in a non-title match that could provide us with the next challenger to Usyk or Tyson Fury if the pair can’t agree on terms on the unification bout we all want to see happen next.

Ruiz vs Ortiz is a meeting of two supremely talented fighters who are desperate for one final roll of the dice. If either man is to stand any chance of challenging for the championship once again, then victory on Saturday in LA is a must. The winning fighter will progress up the pecking order, closing the distance on the leading names in professional boxing’s highest category. The result is the most important aspect of this bout, but the winning fighter will also want to put on a show, catching the attention of the leading fighters and promoters.

Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz Odds

Odds taken from Caesars Sportsbook

Do Ruiz and Ortiz have a long-term future in boxing? We’ll find out at the end of this one. But which fighter do you expect to come away with that all-important victory? Solving that puzzle is no mean feat, but, as always, we have drafted in the help of our boxing writer and former professional fighter Frankie Monkhouse who tells us what to expect. Read on as we break down the form of both men, cover the best betting odds and make our final predictions.

The bookies have Ruiz as the most likely winner of Saturday’s bout with the American fighter from California starting as the pre-bout favourite. That will come as no major surprise to followers of heavyweight boxing who have seen two sides to Ruiz in recent years. He’s a fighter who knocked out Joshua to take his belts, then went away, put on even more weight and came back to defend, showing the obvious signs of his unprofessional lifestyle.

You just never know which Andy is going to show up on fight night, and that’s one of the reasons why this fighter is so popular. He blows hot and cold, upsetting the odds when written, then putting in a below-par performance when an easy night’s work is expected. It’s important to keep this in mind when making your predictions and placing bets on this fight, and it may be worthwhile keeping your stakes at interest levels or biding your time and betting in play. The leading sportsbooks have plenty of markets and offers available, including specials and promotions.

The odds included in the above table are offered by Caesars Sportsbook on the fight-winner market. This is the easiest and most popular way to bet on boxing. Simply choose the fighter you expect to win the bout and place your bet. If they live up to expectations, your bet will be paid out as a winner, and the profits will be added to your account balance. But if your pick is a loser, the bookie will keep your stake. It’s not the only option available to boxing bettors, and we delve deep into the markets where we have found a bet worth placing.

Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz Pick

The bookies appear to have this fight nailed down with the right man chosen as their favourite. The odds suggest Ruiz is a much better fighter than Ortiz, and anything other than a solid win would be a surprise, but we don’t believe that’s the case. Anyone with even a passing interest in the current heavyweight boxing scene will probably know and respect Ortiz as a fighter. He has been on the edges of the title picture for most of his career, but a tricky southpaw style has seen many champions avoid him. Luis is part of the infamous ‘who needs them’ club.

Ruiz is best remembered for that stunning knockout win over AJ at Madison Square Gardens in New York. He failed to defend the titles, losing them to Joshua in a rematch that took place less than six months after the first fight. Andy brings a record of 34 wins against two defeats, with 22 of those victories scored inside the distance. Both losses came on points against AJ and another former champion in Joe Parker. Is Ortiz as good as these fighters? No, and that’s why we’re sticking with the favourite, although it would help if Ruiz’s head is in the game and he’s back at his best.

Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz Prediction

Ruiz has the power and work rate to beat Ortiz, and it’s his combination of punches and looping right hands that will work best against an awkward opponent. But don’t write off the underdog here. Ortiz is 43 years old now and started to slow down a while ago. If he was at his best; fit, active and hungry, this would be a completely different fight, but it’s likely the Cuban-born southpaw boxer has all but given up hope of becoming champion of the world. We’ll get a definitive answer to that on Saturday.

Ortiz has lost twice and been stopped twice, taken out by Deontay Wilder in the second half of the contest on both occasions. He has taken many hard-hitting opponents the distance and beaten them all, apart from the Bronze Bomber. We last saw Ortiz scoring his second KO win on the bounce since that defeat to Wilder, getting rid of Alexander Flores inside a round and Charles Martin last time out in round six.

How to watch Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz