Former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr. suffered a setback in his long-awaited return to the ring, falling to a unanimous decision against Poland’s Damian Knyba on Friday night at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
The loss marks a challenging start for the 36-year-old, who is seeking to rebuild his career after more than two years since his last bout. Ruiz Jr., who famously captured the heavyweight titles seven years ago by defeating Anthony Joshua, was outclassed over ten rounds by the disciplined Polish challenger.
The judges’ scorecards reflected the steady dominance of Knyba, with the bout scored 117-110 and two rounds of 114-113. Ruiz Jr. faced a moment of peril in the seventh round when his legs buckled, sending him to the canvas and forcing the bell to save him from further punishment. Despite a late surge in attempts to knock out Knyba, the Mexican fighter could not overturn the deficit.
Showing signs of the physical toll, Ruiz Jr. sported a black eye following the contest. The former champion has battled various injury issues since his rematch loss to Joshua in 2019.
Following the match, Ruiz Jr., who recently joined Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom promotion, remained defiant about his future in the sport. He emphasized that he chose a tough opponent rather than an easy route back.
“I didn’t want to take an easy fight, so that’s why I took Damian. He’s a big guy. But we’ve got to take risks. I’ve still got it in me, man,” Ruiz Jr. said. “I’ve just got to stay active and I want to fight again.”
Meanwhile, Knyba is now looking to capitalize on the victory by pushing for a shot at the world title. The Polish boxer has called out the current WBC heavyweight champion, Agit Kabayel. Knyba suffered a knockout defeat to Kabayel in Germany earlier this year and expressed his desire for a rematch.
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