Boxing: Punters split over Jospeh Parker's world title hopes

Punters are split over who will win tonight's world title fight between Andy Ruiz Jr and Joseph Parker. Photo / Photosport

The punters are split on who's going to win tonight's bout between Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz Jrat Vector Arena, according to the TAB.

Parker remains the firm favourite to win the fight, paying $1.30 to Ruiz's $3.30.

But the the TAB's Mark Stafford said the money was fairly evenly split between the two fighters at this stage, although more was expected to go on Parker closer to event.

"The general patterns are they take the underdog in the week leading up, which they've done with Ruiz, and then on the day of the fight they'll take Parker, which they are doing,"he said.

"We're still seeing a little bit of money on Ruiz but most of it is on Parker now."

Most of the Parker bets were for a knockout victory whereas those putting money on Ruiz Jr were expecting the fight to go the full 12 rounds.

Stafford said the biggest bet was $5000 for Parker to win, "but the big betters don't generally get involved until very late in the piece so we won't know until later in the day".

Tonight's fight is the biggest to be held on New Zealand soil and could see this country's first New Zealand-born world heavyweight championship belt holder.