Best Bets for Joshua vs. Pulev

A dream matchup between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could be in store for 2021, but first, Joshua must take care of business against Kubrat Pulev on December 12. Here’s a complete betting guide to the upcoming championship fight that includes current odds and free picks to make!

Not sure how to bet Joshua vs. Pulev? Welp, you've come to the right place because we have expert advice right here!

But first, it's important to know how online oddsmakers are currently handicapping the heavyweight title bout. As you can see below, the defending champ, Joshua, is an overwhelming favorite:

1st Fighter				2nd Fighter
Anthony Joshua	-1000	21.00 (Draw)	+800	Kubrat Pulev

1st Fighter				2nd Fighter
Anthony Joshua	-1000	21.00 (Draw)	+800	Kubrat Pulev

With only days to go before fight night on Saturday, December 12, odds should stay roughly the same, barring any significant event. But as you can tell above by the odds, you get more bang for your buck at certain betting sites like MyBookie.

But the value doesn't stop at betting lines only. Nope, you can also earn hefty sign-up bonuses at bookies like MyBookie. The site is doling out up to $1000 in free play for first-time players. Deals like these are common at competing bookmakers, too.

A betting event like Joshua-Pulev is great for reaping rewards from such promotions. At the end of the day, are you really going to pass up on completely-free money? We hate to think so.

Could Pulev Be Another Andy Ruiz Jr?

Make no mistake about it, Pulev is a big-time underdog against the title-holding Joshua, but he's still getting a more fair shake than Andy Ruiz Jr. did the first time he faced Joshua. Of course, that fight will go down in boxing lore as one of the biggest upsets ever. At the time, most bookies had Ruiz around +900 odds to win.

While Joshua avenged that upset loss to Ruiz — almost exactly a year ago by unanimous decision, the last time he's competed in the ring — it hasn't left the minds of fight fans. Naturally, many are wondering whether Pulev can too catch Joshua off guard like Ruiz did the first time. Can he?

If we're being completely honest, probably not. The only real similarity between Pulev and Ruiz is their pre-fight record before facing Joshua. Both entered with only one career loss. Pulev holds a 28-1 mark with the lone blemish being a KO loss to Wladimir Klitschko, an all-timer in his own right.

But the similarities end there. Unlike Ruiz, Pulev doesn't have the power to make Joshua pay — well at least not anymore. While half of Pulev's 28 career victories have come from knockout, only two of his last eight wins have been by stoppage.

Pulev's power has diminished sharply with age, which is another glaring mismatch. Get this, Pulev is 39 years old — an entire eight years older than Joshua. We hate to say he's washed, but he is, for a lack of a better word. All one has to do is watch Pulev's recent outings to make that washed comment obvious.

No matter what Bob Arum is saying, Joshua will walk all over Pulev come December 12. However, with such steep betting odds in his favor, there's little money to win from betting Joshua straight up. Instead, you'll need to find value elsewhere such as prop wagers.

In How Many Rounds Does Joshua Defeat Pulev?

Betting the over/under on how long the fight goes is the more lucrative route than moneyline. In a 12-round bout like this, it'll be set at 6.5 rounds. Depending on the bookie, you'll get a -110 line both ways, however, some have the under at slight plus-money odds.

We're taking the under. Look, beyond what we already said about Pulev — he's old and has minimal punching power — his defense is also subpar. That plays right into Joshua's style as the in-ring aggressor. The champion will systematically pick apart an inferior opponent like Pulev.

And we believe he'll do so quickly. Joshua is a flashy fighter. He likes disposing of opponents in a hurry and has done so most of his career. With the boxing community already penciling in a unification fight versus Fury in 2021, Joshua will be out to appease those fans with a convincing and early win.

Betting advice: Joshua by knockout and under 6.5 rounds

How To Watch Joshua vs. Pulev

For those in Northern America, the fight will stream exclusively on DAZN. The streaming service costs $20 a month, which is much less than a single pay-per-view, and unlocks other boxing content, too. Joshua's strong fan base in the United Kingdom will get the action in the usual Sky Sports Box Office.

With the fight taking place in London, the show start time will be mid-day at 2 pm EST. The main event is on the books for a 5:30 EST bell time or so. A limited crowd of 1,000 people is expected to sparely pack the Wembley Arena.

Folks, that does it for us! We just gave you betting advice, but now it's on you to either take it or not. Whatever you decide, one of the online sportsbooks below can help take your bets. These bookies are among the best found on the entire Internet. We've included in-depth reviews and current promotions so you can compare and contrast at your own will.