Andy Ruiz, the boxer who handed Anthony Joshua his first professional defeat, has vowed to continue his career despite a brutal loss to Poland's Damian Knyba on Friday night. The 36-year-old Mexican fighter returned to the ring after a two-year absence and was on the receiving end of heavy punches throughout the bout.
Knyba delivered a barrage of blows in the seventh round, but Ruiz weathered the storm, aided by the bell, before ultimately losing by unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight 117-110, 114-113, and 114-113 in Knyba's favor. Knyba's record now stands at 18 wins and one defeat.
"It was just a long layoff, and it was a great opponent," Ruiz stated after the fight in New Jersey. "I didn't want to take an easy fight, so that's why I took Damian. He's a big guy. But we've got to take risks. I've still got it in me, man. I've just got to stay active and I want to fight again."
Ruiz expressed frustration with Knyba's tactics, saying, "Every time I tried to come in, he'd hold me really tight, and I just couldn't let my combinations go. He played a good game plan, but I'd love to run it back and do things a lot different."
Ruiz's career has been hampered by injuries since his upset victory over Joshua in June 2019 at Madison Square Garden. In that fight, Ruiz, a late replacement for Jarrell Miller, knocked out the previously undefeated Joshua in the seventh round to capture the IBF, WBO, and WBA world heavyweight titles. Joshua later avenged the loss six months afterward.
Since the defeat of Joshua, Ruiz has had only four more fights, including wins against Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz, a draw with Miller, and now this loss to Knyba, marking his third career defeat. His return bout was not the outcome his promoter, Eddie Hearn, had hoped for, as Hearn is also heavily involved in negotiations for a highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, reportedly targeted for November, with potential venues in London and New York City being considered.