But two other main event battles feature world champions making important title defenses, including WBC middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo on Showtime and WBO junior featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete on ESPN+
Here’s where to watch the biggest and best fights this weekend including all the most important information about how to see them.
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019
What: Andy Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs)
Where: Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
When: noon ET
How: DAZN
Why: There hasn’t been a bigger or more important heavyweight fight this year, and the fallout of whatever happens on Saturday in Saudi Arabia could change the boxing landscape for decades to come. Consider this: Can DAZN survive without Joshua being a global superstar? And will the PBC create its own heavyweight title and ditch the alphabet gang if Ruiz can secure the win and face Wilder soon after for all the marbles? Whatever happens in this fight will be huge, and even without all that stuff, it should be a heck of a fight.
Other Notable Bouts: Alexander Povetkin vs Michael Hunter, heavyweights, 12 rounds; Dillian Whyte vs Mariusz Wach, heavyweights, 10 rounds; Filip Hrgovic vs Eric Molina, heavyweights, 12 rounds
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What: Jermall Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) vs Dennis Hogan (28-2-1, 7 KOs)
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
When: 9 pm ET
How: Showtime
Why: Charlo was elevated to WBC champion when Canelo Alvarez was named franchise champion. Nobody really knows what any of that means, but Charlo is one of the best middleweights in the sport and one of Showtime’s top commodities. Hogan was a top 154-pound contender that many thought deserved the nod over Jaime Mungia in his last fight for the WBO junior middleweight belt.
Other Notable Bouts: Chris Eubank Jr vs Matt Korobov, middleweights, 12 rounds; Marlon Tapales vs Ryosuke Iwasa, super bantamweights, 12 rounds
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What: Emanuel Navarrete (29-1, 25 KOs) vs Francisco Horta (20-3-1, 10 KOs)
Where: Auditorio GNP Seguros in Puebla, Mexico
When: 9 pm ET
How: ESPN+
Why: Navarrete makes the fourth defense of the WBO belt he stunningly ripped from Isaac Dogboe last year against Horta. It’s not expected to be much more than a showcase bout for Navarrette, but Horta has at least won ten straight entering the fight.
Other Notable Bouts: Jerwin Ancajas vs Miguel Gonzalez, super flyweights, 12 rounds; Miguel Marriaga vs Alfredo Mejia Vargas, featherweights, 8 rounds
