Former Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz comes out of a two-year hiatus to face Polish fighter Damian Knyba on Sept. 4, 2026, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The fight headlines the third installment of TNT Sports and DAZN’s monthly "The Fight" series and marks Ruiz's debut under his new promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing.
Ruiz first became a household name after his TKO of Anthony Joshua in their first fight back in June 2019 (via DAZN Boxing on YouTube):
Since that fight, however, the 36-year-old Mexican-American fighter has done little to convince fans he remains an elite heavyweight.
What Happened to Ruiz?
He was easily outboxed in the rematch with Joshua, in which “AJ” made the necessary adjustments to win (via DAZN Boxing on YouTube):
Ruiz hasn't fought since battling Jarrell Miller to a majority draw in August 2024, a performance that was, frankly, lackluster compared to his previous performances (via Turki Alalshikh on YouTube).
Ruiz apparently dealt with a broken thumb during that fight and struggled with personal problems that contributed to his inactivity, according to promoter Eddie Hearn in an interview with iFL TV.
His victory over Chris Arreola was against an aging opponent who was still able to keep it competitive with Ruiz (via Premier Boxing Champions):
The same could be said about his win over Luis Ortiz (via Premier Boxing Champions):=
While those fights were entertaining and Ruiz returned to the win column, the fact remains that athletes in their 40s were able to keep their fights competitive with Ruiz, who was expected to finish both given his talent.
Ruiz Returns
After a stint with the iconic coach Eddy Reynoso, Ruiz is training again with Manny Robles, who was his coach during the first “AJ” fight. With Oleksandr Usykrecently vacating his belts, Ruiz believes another world title run remains within reach.
After earning roughly $7 million in their first meeting and another $13 million in the rematch, the financial appeal of completing the trilogy would be another big bag for both Joshua and Ruiz. An impressive victory on September 4, however, could put him back into the conversation in a heavyweight division which has largely moved on without him.
"At the moment, it’s talk, isn’t it? He’s got to prove himself in September that he’s still a great fighter,” Hearn admitted. “But he’s got a great chin, he’s got fast hands, he can whack, and he’s got good IQ. He’s a serious fighter.”
Despite his ambitions, the stakes extend beyond simply getting a win for Ruiz. Another flat performance, or worse, a defeat, would make it difficult to justify his ambition of challenging for a heavyweight title.
