June 1: New York (DAZN)
Anthony Joshua(22-0) is coming off a September big win over Alexander Povetkin. In the bout against Povetkin it appeared at times as if Joshua would have to dig deep in order to get the win.
Povetkin landed a lot of his power shots to keep the bout close on the cards up until the point that Joshua sat on his punches to score a seventh round knockout.
The 29-year-old Joshua standing at 6’6” is more of a super heavyweight with power in both hands and above average waist movement and quick footwork for a man his size.
Andy Ruiz Jr.(32-1) is coming off an April big win over Alexander Dimitrenko. Unlike Joshua’s Adonis statue like physique, Ruiz is built more like a snickers eating, beer guzzling semi truck driver.
But do not make the mistake by instantly writing off Ruiz based on his appearance. Ruiz has speedy hands, power, and employs his feints to set up fight ending over hand right heavy shots.
Ruiz is at his best when he stands in the middle of the ring and forces his foes to trade punches with him. Ruiz must sell his feints and throw his short body hooks and must get creative in placing his combinations together to bait the much bigger Joshua to walk into a massive over hand right shot.
Joshua will need to stay pumping his jab and keep the fight on the outside to keep Ruiz away from the inside, on the inside is where Ruiz wants to be to dig at Joshua’s midsection.
I expect to see a competitive clash of styles between Joshua and Ruiz, Joshua will begin to find some breathing room on the scorecards around the 7th or 8th round when he begins to take subtle steps towards making the key adjustment of throwing his jab over Ruiz’s jab to land the cleaner harder impact punches.
I am expecting to see Joshua get rattled by a few of Ruiz’s right hooks and will need to go through some soul searching to get the win in this one. Ruiz as well will need to swim out of deep waters when Joshua begins to find a home for his extremely heavy left cross.
Give me Anthony Joshua to stop Andy Ruiz Jr. by 10th round T.K.O.
June 8: Reno, Nev. (ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
- Title fight: Oscar Valdez vs. Jason Sanchez, 12 rounds, for Valdez’s WBO featherweight title
June 8: New York (DAZN)
- Gennady Golovkin vs. Steve Rolls, 12 rounds, super middleweights
June 15: Las Vegas (ESPN+)
- Tyson Fury vs. Tom Schwarz, 12 rounds, heavyweights
- Sullivan Barrera vs. Jesse Hart, 10 rounds, light heavyweights
June 15: Leeds, England (ESPN+)
- Title fight: Josh Warrington vs. Kid Galahad, 12 rounds, for Warrington’s IBF featherweight title
June 15: Riga, Latvia (DAZN)
- Mairis Briedis vs. Krzysztof Glowacki, 12 rounds, cruiserweights, World Boxing Super Series semifinals
- Yunier Dorticos vs. Andrew Tabiti, 12 rounds, cruiserweights, World Boxing Super Series semifinals
June 21: Indio, Calif. (DAZN)
- Title fight: Andrew Cancio vs. Alberto Machado, rematch, 12 rounds, for Cancio’s WBA “regular” junior lightweight title
- Title fight: Angel Acosta vs. Elwin Soto, 12 rounds, for Acosta’s WBO junior flyweight title
June 23: Las Vegas (Fox/Fox Deportes)
- Title fight: Tony Harrison vs. Jermell Charlo, rematch, 12 rounds, for Harrison’s WBC junior middleweight title
June 28: Temecula, Calif. (ESPN/ESPN Deportes)
- Title fight: Richard Commey vs. Ray Beltran, 12 rounds, for Commey’s IBF lightweight title
June 29: Houston (Showtime)
- Title fight: Jarmall Charlo vs. Brandon Adams, 12 rounds, for Charlo’s WBC interim middleweight title
June 29: Providence, R.I. (DAZN)
- Title fight: Demetrius Andrade vs. Maciej Sulecki, 12 rounds, for Andrade’s WBO middleweigtht title
