Overview
- Ruiz weighed in Thursday at 254.3 pounds, his lightest listed weight since 2018, while opponent Damian Knyba came in at 255.5 pounds.
- The 12-round heavyweight main event is scheduled for Sept. 4 at Newark’s Prudential Center and will air in the U.S. on TNT and truTV with global streaming on DAZN.
- Ruiz reunited with longtime trainer Manny Robles and has reported a roughly 43-pound drop from a peak above 300 pounds after signing a multi-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing.
- Knyba, a 6-foot-7, rangy heavyweight with a reported 86-inch reach, is being presented by Matchroom as a probing test of Ruiz’s ability to breach long jabs and work inside.
- Promoter Eddie Hearn and at least one media analyst forecast a Ruiz decision if his reduced weight and conditioning hold up, but they caution his two-year inactivity and Knyba’s size could create difficult stretches in the ring.