Andy Ruiz Jr., Damian Knyba In Advanced Talks For September 4 Fight

The former unified heavyweight champion is nearing his first bout in more than a year as negotiations continue for a Newark showdown with Damian Knyba

Andy Ruiz Jr. is closing in on his first fight in more than a year, with advanced talks underway for a September 4 clash against Damian Knyba in Newark, New Jersey. The proposed heavyweight bout would give Ruiz his first opportunity since August 2024 to restart his push toward another world title shot.

Knyba (17-1, 11 KOs) also enters the fight looking to rebound. The 6-foot-7 heavyweight suffered the first defeat of his professional career in January, when Agit Kabayel stopped him in three rounds in their clash for the interim WBC heavyweight title. Before that setback, the Top Rank prospect had put together an unbeaten record while climbing the rankings.

Andy Ruiz Jr and Damian Knyba are in advanced talks for a fight on September 4th in Newark, New Jersey sources told The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger. pic.twitter.com/agBE1OB5c3

— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) July 6, 2026

The fight for Ruiz Jr. represents another opportunity to prove he can still compete with top heavyweights late in his career. A convincing win would help revive his standing after several years in which negotiations for major fights repeatedly failed to produce results.

The September 4 event has yet to be officially announced, but negotiations are reportedly at an advanced stage. If an agreement is reached, both heavyweights will enter the contest looking to put disappointing recent chapters behind them and move back into contention.

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