Ruiz vs Knyba results: Andy Ruiz Jr’s comeback bid ended in failure, as Damian Knyba floored and outscored the former unified heavyweight world champion over 12 rounds in New Jersey on Friday. Check out the Ruiz vs Knyba report below.
Ruiz Jr lost his belts in an immediate rematch against Anthony Joshua in 2019. Since then, he’s fought just three times, last appearing in August 2024, where he was held to a draw by Jarrell Miller
Knyba (18-1, KO11) was coming off his first career loss in January. He was halted in three rounds by Agit Kabayel for the interim WBC world title.
It was a quiet first couple of rounds. Knyba worked well off his jab, and that shot proved more potent in the third, with Ruiz working to the body, but too slow to enjoy real success.
Knyba smothered Ruiz’s work while banking rounds off his jab. Still, Ruiz picked the pace up in rounds five and six. The American connecting to the body in the fifth, and landed a nice right hand that cut the eye of his opponent.
Knyba drops Ruiz in round seven
However, the tide turned again though in round seven, as a combination of punches wobbled Ruiz. Knyba poured the pressure on to force his man to the canvas. Ruiz shipped a lot of punishment, but bravely survived the round.
That said, he regrouped, and roared back to life in the next couple of rounds, but then went back into his shell, allowing Knyba to dictate and bank the rounds.
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The Pole possibly shaded a tired-looking final round on workrate alone, and the fight went to the scorecards.
Two scores of 114-113, and a third at 117-110 confirmed a shock defeat for Ruiz, and his career now lies in tatters, amid calls for a rematch.
Ruiz Jr vs Knyba Results – Undercard
Vito Mielnicki Jr was also a wide winner on the cards, as he defended his WBO Global middleweight title against Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (20-3, KO13). Williams was down in the opening round, and Mielnicki eventually won by three scores of 98-91.
Elsewhere on the bill, Eridson Garcia took the unbeaten record of Alan Chaves in some style. He took the WBO Latino and IBF International lightweight titles with a wide points success over 10 rounds.
Chaves was dropped four times in total, and Garcia won on the cards by scores of 99-87, 99-88 and 98-88.
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Meanwhile, in eight-rounders, Dennis Thompson remained unbeaten, as the super bantamweight took a points win against Jose Casillas. While at super featherweight, Zaquin Moses forced Angel Antonio Contreras to retire after five rounds.
Elsewhere, Kahshad Elliott was a winner on the cards against Jean Pierre Valencia at middleweight. While Brooke Mullen did the same at welterweight against Bria Miller.
Rounding off the Ruiz vs Knyba report, middleweight debutant Jordan Simpson won in the final round against Michael McDonald.
