The main event of the boxing card in Newark was the fight between former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz and Polish boxer Damian Knyba. The American, best known for his upset over Anthony Joshua, was considered the outright favorite, but the outcome of the bout turned out to be sensational: the judges awarded the victory to the Pole by unanimous decision. The career context of both fighters and the course of the fight are covered in the XAB.info article, citing Sport RBC.UA.
Sensation in Newark: the ex-champion loses unanimously
The Ruiz–Knyba bout was the main event of the Newark boxing card and delivered an unexpected result. Despite his status as a former world champion and his reputation as the favorite, the American lost on all three judges' scorecards. The unanimous decision was recorded with scores of 117:100, 114:113 and 114:113 in favor of Damian Knyba, underscoring how convincingly the Pole won the majority of the rounds.
The Pole's tactics and the American's passivity
From the opening seconds, it was Knyba, not the expected Ruiz, who seized the initiative. The Polish fighter worked the distance intelligently and regularly landed on his opponent, while the American moved unusually passively and failed to impose his usual power style. This shift in roles is reflected in the lopsided 117:100 scorecard on one judge's sheet — the judges saw a clear Polish advantage in the overwhelming majority of the rounds.
Key rounds: the knockdown and the attempt to fight back
The turning point came in the seventh round, when Knyba sent Ruiz to the canvas in a severe knockdown. In the eighth round the American tried to step up his pace and for a while forced the Pole into defense. However, in the championship three-minute rounds (the ninth and tenth) Knyba moved well on his feet and did not allow the ex-champion to change the course of the contest, holding his advantage until the final bell.
The judges' scorecards and the night's outcome
In the end, all three judges awarded the victory to Damian Knyba by unanimous decision — 117:100, 114:113 and 114:113. For Ruiz, this defeat became the third loss of his professional career. The American's last win had come back in September 2022, and his previous fight — against Jarrell Miller in August 2024 — ended in a draw, so this bout was his first in two years and once again did not bring a victory.
Career context: Ruiz's long layoff and Knyba's form
For Damian Knyba, this triumph was an important step after a disappointing previous outing: in January the Pole lost to Agit Kabaile by technical knockout in the third round. Thus, the win in Newark allowed him to return to winning ways and demonstrate competitiveness against a former world champion. For Ruiz, the loss in his first fight in two years only confirms a prolonged decline in form and raises further questions about his future in the heavyweight division.
