Damian Knyba Upsets Andy Ruiz Jr., Drops Him in Seventh En Route to Unanimous Decision
By Real Combat Media Boxing Editorial Staff
Newark, New Jersey, (September 4th, 2026)–Andy Ruiz Jr.’s comeback hit a wall Friday night at the Prudential Center, as Damian Knyba used his massive size advantage to drop the former unified heavyweight champion in the seventh round and cruise to a unanimous decision, handing Ruiz his third career loss in his first fight back in two years.
What Happened
Knyba, at 6-foot-7 with an 86-inch reach, controlled range from the opening bell, working behind a stiff jab that Ruiz’s 6-foot-2 frame couldn’t consistently solve. Ruiz showed his sharpest form of the night in rounds five and six, landing enough right hands to open a cut near Knyba’s eye, but the momentum reversed hard in round seven. Knyba hurt him with a right hand, followed with a combination, and put Ruiz face-first on the canvas. Ruiz beat the count and survived a follow-up assault to reach the bell, badly marked up and, by his own admission afterward, fortunate the round ended when it did.
Ruiz answered with his best stretch of the fight in rounds eight and nine, but Knyba’s jab and clinch work on the inside kept any real comeback from materializing. All three judges sided with Knyba, 117-110 and 114-113 twice, scorecards that drew immediate criticism from ringside media for being far closer than the fight itself. Ruiz falls to 35-3-1 (22 KOs). Knyba improves to 18-1 (11 KOs), the biggest win of his career and a bounce-back from a stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel this past January.
Ruiz Reacts
Ruiz pointed to Knyba’s clinching as the difference afterward. “Every time I try to come in, he hold me really tight, and I couldn’t let my combinations go,” he said, “but he played a good game plan.” Asked whether he still believes he can win a world title again, Ruiz didn’t hesitate. “It was just a long layoff, and it was a great opponent,” he said. “I didn’t want to take an easy fight, that’s why I took Damian. I still got it in me. I just need to stay active, and I want to fight again.” He has ruled out retirement, despite two members of the TNT broadcast team, Timothy Bradley Jr. and Shawn Porter, suggesting on air that he should walk away.
Full Fight Card Results
Heavyweight (Main Event): Damian Knyba (18-1, 11 KOs) def. Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-3-1, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision (117-110, 114-113, 114-113)
Middleweight (WBO Global Title): Vito Mielnicki Jr. (24-1, 13 KOs) def. Austin Williams (20-3, 13 KOs) by unanimous decision (98-91, 98-91, 98-91)
Lightweight (WBO Latino Title): Eridson Garcia (24-2, 14 KOs) def. Alan Chaves (22-1, 19 KOs) by unanimous decision (99-87, 99-88, 98-88)
Super Featherweight: Zaquin Moses (8-0, 4 KOs) def. Angel Antonio Contreras (18-11-2, 12 KOs) by TKO, Round 5
Super Featherweight: Dennis Thompson def. Jose Casillas by unanimous decision (80-72, 79-73, 77-75)
Super Welterweight: Kahshad Elliott def. Jean Pierre Valencia by split decision (60-54, 55-59, 58-56)
Lightweight: Brooke Mullen def. Bria Miller by unanimous decision (60-53, 60-53, 59-54)
Super Lightweight: Jordan Simpson def. Michael McDonald by TKO, Round 4
Watch
The Knockdown: Knyba Drops Ruiz in Round 7
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