Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2-1, 22 KOs) is closing in on a September 4 return against Damian Knyba (17-1, 11 KOs) in Newark, New Jersey, with the former unified heavyweight champion looking to rebuild after years of frustrating inactivity.
Ruiz last fought in August 2024 as he secured a majority draw against Jarrell Miller. The 36-year-old has boxed just three times since his 2019 loss to Anthony Joshua, with injuries and stalled negotiations repeatedly derailing attempts to re-establish himself among the heavyweight elite.
Knyba enters off the first defeat of his career, after being stopped in three rounds by Agit Kabayel in January in an interim WBC heavyweight title clash. He had built an unbeaten record before that setback and will be looking to bounce back immediately.
Neither Ruiz nor Knyba is currently in title contention, but a convincing performance on September 4 could put the winner back in the conversation after Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate three world titles.