Andy Ruiz Jr vs Jarrell Miller Preview
Two of North America’s most flawed but compelling fighters go head-to-head this weekend. Andy Ruiz Jr. will fight Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller on August 3rd at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles at 9:30 pm IST. This is a crucial match for both men with their careers on the brink.
Ruiz rose to superstardom after he shocked the world in 2019. That’s when he stopped Anthony Joshua and became the first Mexican heavyweight champion. However, he’s only had two fights since he lost the title later that year in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Miller has battled indiscipline and the consequences of his actions. PED abuse marred his career, but he can get it back on track. Ruiz is the strong favourite, but many experts fancy Miller’s chances.
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Jarrell Miller Key Stats and Head-to-Head
These two men had the potential to be generational talents. Instead, they’ve left fans yearning for what could have been. Indiscipline and poor decisions have cost them dearly, as they hope to remain relevant in the heavyweight division.
Ruiz has an overall record of 35-2 with defeats against Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker. He enters this bout on a two-fight win streak over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz. Meanwhile, his last three matches went to decisions. He has a 62.86% KO percentage with his last knockout win coming in his iconic title victory against A.J.
The Mexican-born star hasn’t entered a competitive ring for two years and has only fought twice in the last four. Some are even calling this the comeback to his comeback. Last time out, he destroyed Cuba’s Ortiz in an entertaining decision.
He knocked Ortiz down twice in the second round with another in the seventh. Ortiz had some success and outboxed Ruiz across several rounds. But the former champion’s power is his great equaliser and ‘The Dominator’ secured a decision win.
However, it’s fair to say that he’s had some missteps since then. A much-anticipated North American clash with Deontay Wilder never materialised. Nor did he fight Tyson Fury for the WBC strap. He had opportunities to reenter the title picture but failed to take them. Mismanagement and a weak support network held him back.
Ruiz’s antics after his victory over Anthony Joshua are infamous. He threw away his heavyweight titles by partying relentlessly instead of training. But if anybody has mishandled their career worse than him, it’s Miller.
It’s easy to forget that Miller was Joshua’s original opponent before Ruiz stepped in as a last-minute replacement at Madison Square Garden. ‘Big Baby’ tested positive for EPO and suffered a second doping suspension. He followed this up by failing another drug test in 2020 ahead of his proposed bout with Jerry Forrest.
Miller’s last action was a TKO defeat against Britain’s Daniel Dubois in 2023. This was the first defeat of his 28-fight boxing career. ‘Big Baby’ entered this fight at a career-high 300 lbs. Initially, the weight didn’t help him because Dubois dodged him easily and picked at him with clean shots.
However, the fight changed when Miller pushed forward, and forced Dubois to play his game. He made this match extremely draining for the Briton. Dubois kept trying to push Miller away, which fatigued him. Then Miller found his range, landing short hooks and uppercuts.
The finish came in the dying moments of Round 10. Dubois caught an exhausted ‘Big Baby’ with a sharp uppercut and immediately pressed forward with a flurry of punches. A stunned Miller stumbled backwards against the ropes before Dubois stopped him with heavy shots. It was a tough lesson for the American boxer.
Miller displayed his new slimmed-down physique before this fight and stunned fans. The Brooklyn native shed 45 lbs ahead of his clash with Ruiz. It’s safe to assume that he’s taking this one seriously. At 36 years old, he no longer has time on his side.
Both men fight out of an orthodox stance. Miller has a four-inch reach advantage and is significantly taller. However, Ruiz has spent his professional boxing career fighting bigger men, so this won’t bother him.
Motivation is a massive factor in this fight. Many fans think that Ruiz’s heart is no longer in the sport. His lack of experience in the ring will also be an issue. Ruiz is the favourite at our betting site, but Miller is a live underdog.
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Jarrell Miller Predictions
Our boxing prediction is for Jarrell Miller to upset the odds and win this match. The New Yorker has fought more recently than Ruiz Jr, even if it was a defeat. He performed reasonably well against Dubois and appears highly motivated ahead of this bout.
Miller lost a huge amount of weight ahead of this heavyweight boxing match. This is the clearest proof of his desire to bounce back. Meanwhile, Ruiz eked out a decision over a 43-year-old Luis Ortiz. He’s barely fought since he threw his titles away in Saudi Arabia. His $10 million payday from the Joshua rematch killed his ambition. It was simultaneously the best and worst thing that happened to him.
Ruiz has indeed fought a better calibre of opponent than Miller. This experience is massive for the California native. He won’t fear ‘Big Baby’ but it remains to be seen if he has the technical skill to beat him.
Both men are extremely tough, but we can see Miller finishing Ruiz. He has an 83% knockout rate and hits like a train. Ruiz is also a power puncher and has no issue bringing down giants. Maybe Miller will be gun-shy after suffering the first TKO loss of his career.
Check the live betting odds during this fight. This could be a close bout, but remember, heavyweight boxing matches can end in the blink of an eye. Ruiz proved against Luis Ortiz that his power is a game-changer.
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Jarrell Miller Betting Tips
Ruiz is the favourite ahead of this fight at 1/4. However, we disagree with these odds because we think this will be a closer bout. The former champion has not done enough recently to deserve this status.
Miller is a 5/2 underdog at our online bookmaker, which seems extreme given his recent action and weight loss. He also has far better body language ahead of this bout and appears more motivated.
Betting on Miller seems like the sensible option. A successful €10 stake would make a sizeable €25 profit. The same bet on Ruiz would only see gains of €2.50. This is not enough to warrant backing the former champion.
Ruiz can win this fight, but it’s going to be difficult. Miller will try to walk him down and put pressure on the smaller man. Check over-under betting for this match because it’s likely to go into the later rounds. If a finish comes, it could be in the double digits for rounds. Ruiz is more likely to fatigue quicker than Miller.
Jarrell Miller in fantastic shape and looking lean, ahead of his fight against Andy Ruiz Jr this weekend. Miller has been training with Jarron Ennis. pic.twitter.com/l8gEL2xbRF
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) July 29, 2024
It may also be worth selecting the method of victory instead of the outright winner. Anyone betting on boxing this weekend should back Miller to win this boxing match by TKO. His size and forward movement could give Ruiz severe problems. Meanwhile, he may have more desire than the former champion.
Why not create a parlay for this weekend’s boxing action? In the main event, you can bet on Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov, there are two super-welterweight titles on the line in this fight. ‘Bud’ is hoping to become a four-weight world champion and seal his status as the pound-for-pound king. Use our welcome bonus for these fights to maximise your potential winnings with no extra risk.
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Jarrell Miller Outcome
This fight could have huge implications for the heavyweight division. People often say that careers are on the line, but this is truer than ever in this match. It’s over for the loser because title contention will become impossible. There’s also huge money at stake for the winner.
However, there’s potentially a massive opportunity for the victorious fighter. The IBF stripped Oleksandr Usyk of his title after he failed to defend against the mandatory challenger. Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois will probably fight for the vacant strap. The winner will hope to fight Usyk to reunify the division.
But there’s a good chance that the winner of Ruiz or Dubois could be the next IBF challenger. Miller would love a rematch against the only man to beat him. Meanwhile, Ruiz has never fought either of Hrgovic or Dubois. Another potential option is a clash with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
