Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller Picks, Predictions & Odds: Destroyer Comes Up Short

Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz returns from exile to face fading contender Jarrell Miller in one of our featured boxing attractions this Saturday, August 3, at BMO Stadium on the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov undercard. 

Ruiz returns from being out of the ring for nearly two years as he hopes to shake off the ring rust and resume his hunt for a heavyweight title, whereas Miller tries to rebound from his first career loss. 

Boxing odds have Ruiz as a -300 favorite and Miller as a +230 underdog. Here are my best free Ruiz vs. Miller predictions and betting picks from BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Ruiz vs Miller prediction and pick

• My fight prediction
  Miller moneyline (+230 at DraftKings)
  
  
• My best bet
  Over 8.5 rounds (-300 at BetMGM)

Fight analysis

One would be hard-pressed to find a pair of more disappointing heavyweight fighters than Ruiz and Miller. These two have frequently found ways to sabotage their careers in their own unique ways, turning this fight into a loser-leaves-town match rather than the marquee bout it could have been.

Of course, Ruiz managed to win his heavyweight title from Anthony Joshua via a shocking upset in 2019, a fight that Miller was supposed to be in before testing positive for a banned substance. Ruiz, who has a reputation for not taking his boxing career seriously despite his unique skills and abilities, ballooned to nearly 300 pounds as Joshua pecked away at his fleshy exterior to regain his title. He’s only fought twice over the last four years, with underwhelming wins against Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz.

Miller continued to test positive for banned substances and saw his promising run as a contender turn him into an afterthought. He was doing well against Daniel Dubois, who needed a final-round knockout to beat him last December.

“Big Baby” somehow manages to be a mobile and fast-handed heavyweight despite tipping the scales at over 300 pounds on average. However, Miller has made it a point to be as competitive as possible — something that can’t be said about Ruiz. While there’s nothing honorable about his repeated drug use, Miller remains the more active fighter and has done what he can to stay a potential contender.

After losing the title to Joshua in the 2019 rematch, Ruiz struggled mightily against an aged Arreola, and I thought he lost to an aged Ortiz when he won that fight by split decision. Even before he won the title, Ruiz struggled with dedication to the sport and his craft, and that hasn’t been the case with Miller. Miller simply hasn’t reached the top of the mountain like Ruiz did.

I don’t believe Ruiz is coming back for any reason besides another sizable payday, and to draw the Latino crowd. Miller is coming off a loss to Dubois that he was moments away from winning, and his activity along with his desire to remain competitive will be enough to put away a disinterested Ruiz in an upset.

Pick: Jarrell Miller moneyline (+230 at DraftKings)

Best best analysis

Though Miller often outweighs his opponents by a considerable margin come fight night, he’s a fighter who earns his stoppages via accumulation rather than one-shot knockouts. The same goes for Ruiz. Between the two of them, Miller likely holds the power advantage, whereas an in-shape Ruiz has faster hands and better combinations. Either way, these two are strong-chinned fighters and are well-conditioned despite their size.

Maybe I’m wrong about Ruiz being checked out. He was good enough to compete at the highest level of the division, whereas Miller’s sole moment resulted in a knockout loss. That being said, I anticipate this will be a fight that won’t be solved early, and my best bet is that it goes over 8.5 rounds.

Pick: Over 8.5 rounds (-300 at BetMGM)

Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of 8-1.

Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller tale of the tape

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