Andy Ruiz Jr returns to boxing for heavyweight bout in Newark

2 sources2 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 7:00 AM

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Andy Ruiz Jr returns to boxing for heavyweight bout in Newark
Summary

Andy Ruiz Jr resumes his professional boxing career at the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday night. The former world heavyweight champion is scheduled to face Damian Knyba in a 12-round non-title fight. This appearance marks his first competitive bout since a majority draw against Jarrell Miller over two years ago. Ruiz, who turns 37 next week, has reunited with his former trainer Manny Robles as part of a three-fight promotional contract with Matchroom Boxing. The fighter previously held the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles after an upset victory against Anthony Joshua in 2019 before losing those belts in a rematch six months later. His recent career has been characterized by long absences and inconsistent training habits, which he attributes to a lack of focus.

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Status Watch
  • Andy Ruiz Jr fights Damian Knyba at the Prudential Center this Friday.
  • This is a 12-round non-title heavyweight bout.
  • Manny Robles has returned as the trainer for Ruiz.
  • Ruiz signed a three-fight contract with promoter Eddie Hearn.
  • The fight is Ruiz's first since his majority draw with Jarrell Miller in 2024.
Latest Updates
  • 7:00 AMYahoo SportsAndy Ruiz Jr once turned boxing upside down. Can he do it again at 36?
  • 7:00 AMThe Guardian SportAndy Ruiz Jr once turned boxing upside down. Can he do it again at 36?
What they're saying
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Seven years after springing one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, the Mexican Rocky is back with his old trainer for one final run at the heavyweight summit Seven years ago, Andy Ruiz Jr became the first fighter of Mexican descent to win the world heavyweight championship in one of the biggest upsets boxing has ever seen, stopping the undefeated Anthony Joshua inside seven rounds at Madison Square Garden. A replacement opponent summoned on five weeks’ notice who went off as an 11-1 underdog, Ruiz came off the canvas in the third to knock Joshua down four times before the referee finally waved it off. Hailed as the “Mexican Rocky”, he was lionized as a border-straddling hero in his hometown of Imperial, the dusty agricultural community framed by the mountain ranges and flat deserts of south-eastern California. He made the late-night rounds, took an audience with Mexico president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and signed a $10m guarantee when Joshua activated his rematch clause. The money, cars, fame and women arrived all at once. Continue reading...

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Seven years after springing one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, the Mexican Rocky is back with his old trainer for one final run at the heavyweight summit

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