Andy Ruiz Jr. returns to the ring Friday night, September 4, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, facing Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba in the main event of the third installment of The Fight, the monthly boxing series from TNT Sports and DAZN. The card airs in the United States on TNT and truTV beginning at 8 p.m. ET and streams worldwide on DAZN.
It is Ruiz Jr.’s first fight in more than two years. The former unified heavyweight champion (35-2-1, 22 KOs) has not competed since a majority draw with Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles in August 2024. The 36-year-old from Imperial, California, the first heavyweight world champion of Mexican descent, signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom in July, reuniting with the promoter who staged his June 2019 upset of Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m going to be fighting in Newark, New Jersey on September 4 baby,” Ruiz Jr. said in the Matchroom announcement. “After we get this victory, I would love to fight all the guys that have the belts Oleksandr Usyk vacated and we’re going to become a two-time champion next year, let’s get it.”
Ruiz Jr. has spoken openly about his conditioning heading into the bout. According to NY Fights, he has dropped 43 pounds from a high of 300 between fights and says he is currently at 257, which would be his lowest weight in eight years. Whether the layoff, the weight cut and a new promotional situation add up to a productive return remains the central question of his comeback.
Knyba (17-1, 11 KOs) presents a live test. The 30-year-old from Bydgoszcz, Poland, who lives and trains in New Jersey, stands 6-foot-7 and is coming off the first loss of his career, a third-round stoppage against Agit Kabayel in Germany in January with the interim WBC heavyweight title on the line. Kabayel has since been elevated to full champion. Friday marks Knyba’s fourth appearance at Prudential Center.
“I can’t wait to be back at the Prudential Center, my second home,” Knyba said when the fight was announced. “I’m excited to be back in the ring in front of the New Jersey and New York fans, and they will fill the seats with white and red.”
During fight week, Knyba made clear he is not counting on a diminished version of the former champion. “I’m expecting the most hungry and best version of Andy Ruiz. I’ve been training my whole life for fights like this,” Knyba said, per NY Fights. “I know there’s going to be a ton of Polish people here supporting me.”
The co-feature is arguably the most consequential fight on the card. Roseland, New Jersey’s Vito Mielnicki Jr. (23-1, 13 KOs) meets Austin “Ammo” Williams (20-2, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout between two contenders ranked at the top of the WBO ratings. BoxingScene lists Williams at No. 2 and Mielnicki Jr. at No. 3 with the WBO, and the winner figures prominently in the title picture at 160 pounds.
Mielnicki Jr., 24, made his pro debut at Prudential Center in June 2019 while still in high school and is fighting for the first time under the Matchroom banner, co-promoted with Boxlab Promotions. He has trained with Ronnie Shields in Houston for this camp.
“Ammo is a good fighter, and I’m not going to sit here and pretend otherwise,” Mielnicki Jr. said, per BoxingScene. “He’s talented, he’s strong, and he’s been in big fights. I want to thank him for taking this fight because he believes he can beat me, just like I believe I can beat him.”
At Wednesday’s final press conference, Mielnicki Jr. leaned on his standing with the sanctioning bodies. “Go look at the rankings. I’m ranked higher in every sanctioning body,” he said, per NY Fights. “I know I need a guy like him on my resume to get my respect that I deserve.” He added, “It’s my time. I’ve been moving my way up the ranks, the highs and lows of a career. But it’s my time.”
Williams, 30, of Houston, challenged Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title in March, losing a unanimous decision over 12 rounds. He has answered questions about his setbacks directly during fight week.
“I’m taking this all, I’m using this energy,” Williams said. “I wasn’t a kid put in this sport, I chose it myself. This ain’t a numbers game for me, this is my life I put on the line, I take the risks, I take the step ups. This is another night to show I’m that guy.”
Two more televised bouts round out the card. Unbeaten Argentine lightweight Alan Chaves (22-0, 19 KOs) faces Eridson Garcia (23-2, 15 KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Chaves drew attention in his United States debut four months ago with a viral knockout of Miguel Madueno. In super featherweight action, 21-year-old Newark native Zaquin Moses (7-0, 3 KOs) steps up to his first scheduled eight-rounder against Angel Antonio Contreras.
TNT Sports has scheduled live programming throughout fight week. The official weigh-in airs Thursday at 4 p.m. ET on truTV. On Friday, the Ringside pre-fight show begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and truTV, hosted by Adam Lefkoe with Terence Crawford, Timothy Bradley Jr. and Shawn Porter serving as analysts. Todd Grisham handles play-by-play on the main broadcast alongside Sergio Mora, with Chris Mannix reporting from ringside.
According to TNT Sports, The Fight has reached 5.6 million total viewers through its first two events, including last month’s championship doubleheader in Las Vegas headlined by Lamont Roach Jr. and William Zepeda.
