Former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr suffered defeat in his long-awaited return to the ring, losing to Polandu2019s Damian Knyba by unanimous decision at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Key Highlights
- Andy Ruiz Jr lost his comeback fight to Damian Knyba by unanimous decision.
- The judges scored the bout 117-110, 114-113 and 114-113 for Knyba.
- Ruiz suffered a seventh-round knockdown during the contest.
- The former heavyweight champion blamed ring rust and Knybau2019s frequent clinching.
- Ruiz immediately called for a rematch.
- The 36-year-old had not fought since his August 2024 draw with Jarrell Miller.
- Ruiz said he remains determined to continue his boxing career.
The 36-year-old Mexican-American boxer was competing for the first time in two years as he attempted to revive a career that reached its peak in 2019 when he stunned Britainu2019s Anthony Joshua to capture the unified heavyweight world titles.
Ruiz struggled to find his rhythm throughout the contest and was knocked down in the seventh round. Although he recovered and completed the fight, Knyba maintained enough control to secure victory on the judgesu2019 scorecards.
The judges awarded the fight to Knyba by scores of 117-110, 114-113 and 114-113, giving the Polish heavyweight the biggest victory of his career and improving his professional record to 18 wins and one defeat.
Ruiz Calls for Rematch
Despite the setback, Ruiz immediately expressed interest in a rematch, arguing that Knybau2019s repeated clinching prevented him from effectively unleashing his combinations.
u201cHe held a lot whenever I tried to come in, and I couldnu2019t get my combinations going,u201d Ruiz said.
u201cHe had a good game plan, but Iu2019d love to run it back and do things differently.u201d
Ruiz also admitted that his long absence from competitive boxing affected his performance, describing ring rust as one of the factors behind his difficult outing.
His previous fight was an August 2024 draw against American heavyweight Jarrell Miller.
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Ruiz Remains Determined to Continue Career
The former world champion recently linked up with British promoter Eddie Hearn and said he remains committed to extending his professional career despite the defeat.
u201cIu2019ve still got it in me. Iu2019ve just got to stay active and I want to fight again,u201d Ruiz said.
The defeat leaves Ruiz with a professional record of 35 wins, including 22 knockouts, one draw and three losses.
For Ruiz, the loss represents another setback in his attempt to return to the top of the heavyweight division, but his immediate call for a rematch suggests he intends to remain active and continue his comeback.
