Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. returns to the ring against Damian Knyba on Friday, 4 September in Newark, New Jersey. Reunited with trainer Manny Robles, Ruiz aims to correct recent uneven performances after admitting he ran his own training camps.
The 36-year-old heavyweight has fought just four times in seven years since stopping Anthony Joshua in June 2019. After losing the belts back to Joshua, Ruiz cited poor discipline and partying for his defeat, while later pointing to a fractured hand against Jarrell Miller. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Ruiz revealed that a lack of strict coaching oversight hindered his preparations against Chris Arreola, Luis Ortiz, and Miller. “For the other fights, when I fought Arreola, when I fought Luis Ortiz, when I fought Miller, I was kind of training myself. All I had was the mitt guy and the conditioning guy, and I was kind of controlling my whole camp,” Ruiz explained. He added: “I think because I thought I knew it all.” Although Eddy Reynoso and Alfredo Osuna were present for those fights, Ruiz acted as the boss of his own training environment.
Robles guided Ruiz to his world title victory five years ago. Now, the trainer must push his former champion beyond his comfort zone.
Facing the 6-foot-7 Knyba at the Prudential Center presents immediate physical hurdles for Ruiz. The Polish fighter possesses an 86-inch reach, giving him a massive 12-inch advantage over his opponent. To close that gap, Ruiz must use head movement, feints, and consistent foot speed rather than relying on isolated bursts of action. The low punch output seen in his previous bouts cannot be repeated if he hopes to break through Knyba’s jab. Because Agit Kabayel stopped Knyba in three rounds, a quiet victory will not re-establish Ruiz as a top contender. Following hand surgery and more than two years away from the sport, Ruiz must prove basic functionality remains. Another laboring effort will leave Matchroom with little motivation to place him in major fights.
