Andy Ruiz Jr v Anthony Joshua: Date, fight time, TV channel and cost, streaming, betting odds, fighter records & undercard

Anthony Joshua returns to the ring on Saturday night (5pm, December 7) at the Diriyah Arena as he eyes revenge against WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The 2012 Olympic champion (22-1, 21 KOs) lost all those belts back in June the Mexican-American pulled off one of the great heavyweight boxing upsets in New York, where he floored Joshua four times en route to his seventh-round victory.

Joshua is favourite once again but Ruiz Jr (33-1, 22 KOs) is by no means a huge underdog this time at odds of just 2/1 to retain his belts.

Here, we look at both fighters records, tale of the tape, the latest Sky Bet odds and offers, our top predictions, details of the undercard plus how and where to watch on television.

Ruiz Jr v Joshua II: Big fight details

• When: December 7, 2019. Event starts 5pm GMT
• Where: Open-air 12,000-seat stadium in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
• TV Channel: Sky Sports Box Office & TalkTalk TV (£24.95, booking details further down)
• Records: Ruiz 33-1, 22 KOs. Joshua 22-1, 21 KOs
• Titles on the line: WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO
• Sky Bet odds: Joshua 4/9 (8/11 KO/TKO/DQ, 4/1 points), Ruiz 2/1 (11/4 by KO, 12/1 points)

Click here for our full big-fight guide and booking information

Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2: Tale of the tape

Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2: Full undercard and running order

• Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua
  WBA 'super' IBF and WBO Heavyweight titles
  Ring walk between 2000GMT and 2100 GMT
• Alexander Povetkin vs Michael Hunter
  WBA Heavyweight Title Eliminator
• Dillian Whyte vs Mariusz Wach
  10 Rounds at Heavyweight
• Filip Hrgovic vs Eric Molina
  WBC International Heavyweight Title
• Magomedrasul Majidov vs Tom Little
  Eight Rounds at Heavyweight
• Diego Pacheco v Selemani Saidi
  Middleweight
• Ivan 'Hopey' Price v Swedi Mohamed
  Super Bantamweight
  First fight approx 1700 GMT
• * All subject to change

Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2: Betting tips & predictions

Our boxing expert Chris Oliver has previewed the big fight and the undercard so check out his tips and predictions by clicking here or on the image below.

Ruiz Jr v Joshua: Talking points

Click the image below for Chris Oliver's talking points ahead of Saturday's showdown.

Ruiz Jr v Joshua: Big Fight news & features

• Ruiz Jr v Joshua: Big Fight Tips
  Our boxing expert Chris Oliver has previewed the big fight and the undercard.
• Ruiz Jr v Joshua Talking Points
  Boxing expert Chris Oliver looks at the key talking points ahead of Saturday's second showdown between Andy Ruiz Jr and Anthony Joshua.
• Joshua mocks Ruiz Jr
  Anthony Joshua mocked rival Andy Ruiz Jr. after weighing in more than three stones lighter for their world heavyweight title rematch
• Ruiz Jr unaffected by fame
  Andy Ruiz Jr is determined to avoid adding his name to the list of the heavyweight one-hit wonders whose reigns were swiftly derailed once they succumbed to the trappings of fame.
• Joshua won't celebrate a win
  Anthony Joshua has insisted that victory in his world heavyweight title rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night will be no special cause for celebration.
• Rivalry set to run and run
  Anthony Joshua is convinced his rivalry with Andy Ruiz Jr will extend beyond the Saudi dunes where he will attempt to win back his world heavyweight title belts on Saturday night.
• Five fights that shaped Joshua
  We look back at the five most important bouts to date in Anthony Joshua's career, from his quick and occasionally controversial amateur days to lucrative world title showdowns.
• Joshua leaning on amateur lessons
  Anthony Joshua has revealed how his boxing career almost went up in smoke following a drugs conviction in 2011 - and how a subsequent painful loss rekindled his passion for the sport.
• Ruiz Jr: I'll make history again
  Andy Ruiz Jr has vowed to "make history again" ahead of his world heavyweight title rematch with Anthony Joshua.
• Joshua stands by McCracken
  Anthony Joshua has launched an impassioned defence of his trainer Rob McCracken following the criticism that followed his stunning knockout defeat to Andy Ruiz in June.

Ruiz Jr v Joshua betting odds: Who is the bookies' favourite?

Anthony Joshua heads into this fight as favourite at 4/9 but we all know what Andy Ruiz Jr can do and he can be backed at 2/1 to pull off a not so big upset.

Sky Bet have plenty of markets and RequestABet specials to get involved with (click here for the full list) so here are a quick selection for fans of both rivals to check out...

Method of Victory

• Joshua by KO/TKO (8/11), Joshua by decision (4/1)
• Ruiz Jr by KO/TKO (11/4), Ruiz Jr by decision (12/1)

Price Boosts

• Joshua to win by KO/TKO in rounds 4-6 - 11/2 from 7/2
• Ruiz Jr to win by KO/TKO in rounds 7-9 - 12/1 from 10/1

Selections of specials

• Joshua to win in rounds 1-3 - 6/1
• Ruiz Jr to win in rounds 4-6 - 8/1
• Who will land most punches - Joshua 2/9, Ruiz Jr 10/3
• Both fighters to be knocked down and Joshua to win - 7/1
• Both fighters to be knocked down and Ruiz Jr to win - 9/1
• Either fighter to win in round one - 16/1
• Ruiz Jr's corner to throw towel into the ring to end fight - 16/1
• Ruiz Jr to be knocked down in 4-6 and Joshua down in 7-9 - 50/1
• Ruiz Jr to win by points and 0 knockdowns in the fight - 12/1
• Joshua and Ruiz Jr to land 50+ jabs each - 50/1
• Ruiz Jr to win by split decision - 80/1
• Ruiz Jr to win and land 150+ punches - 100/1

Fight to go the distance

• Yes: 10/3
• No: 1/5

Odds correct at 02/12/2019

What TV channel is Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2 on, how much is it, what time does it start and do you need to have Sky?

The event whole will begin at 1700 GMT, Saturday, December 7, on Sky Sports Box Office (Sky channel 491) and Sky Sports Box Office HD (Sky channel 492), while the main event is expected to start between 2000 GMT and 2100 GMT. It is priced at £24.95 for UK customers, €27.95 for Republic of Ireland customers, up until midnight, Friday, December 6. It'll remain the same prices after that when booking via remote control/online but go up to £29.95 / €32.95 (ROI) if booked via the phone.

Two repeat showings (full duration) will be shown at 7am and 2pm on Sunday, December 8. To book the event click here.

If you're not a Sky subscriber you can still watch the action via TalkTalk TV for a one-off price of £24.95.

TalkTalk TV’s Sky Sports Boost gives you access to eight Sky Sports channels, including Main Event, Premier League, Football, Cricket, Golf, F1, Action and Arena, versus BT who only offer one of these channels. As well as this fight, a selection of other Sky Sports Box Office Pay Per View events are available on TalkTalk TV.

For more details on this option, head to www.talktalk.co.uk.

How to buy and watch Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2 on Sky

To book via your Sky remote

Press Box Office, select Sports and Events. Use the arrow buttons to highlight the event. Press select, and the buy screen will be displayed. Press select to confirm your order. Enter your pin if prompted.

To book online

Click here to book Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2. There is no surcharge for online bookings.

To watch online

Watch Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2 online through the Sky Sports Box Office app and website. If you don't have a Box Office account, you'll be able to sign up and buy the fight right now by visiting https://sports.skyboxoffice.com

Phoneline

To order the event, call 03442 410888 (0818 220 225 from ROI) (there may be a £2 booking fee for telephone bookings). There is a £5/€5 surcharge for bookings made via the phone from midnight, Friday, December 6, to 1am, Sunday, December 8.

Where is it taking place?

Anthony Joshua's rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on Saturday marks the first time the world heavyweight boxing championship has been contested in the Middle East.

It will be staged in the 15,000-seat Diriyah Arena.

Related boxing links

• More boxing news and previews
• Sky Bet’s latest boxing odds