Andy Ruiz vs. Damian Knyba | DAZN - September 4, 2026

[BROZO]

Lets Face it. Cochiloco hit the jackpot on a lucky punch agains Joshua. has built a following and career around that. no other big names on his resume really other than Joseph Parker. He is what he is, had the spotlight, had a chance if he would have taken it seriously to have a better career but since winning the title has been stretched by old guys Luis Ortiz and Chris Areola and big baby, no he gets spanked by an even lesser opponent. Hope he has saved up some $$ or he will have it rough.

[gregregegg]

Ruiz has had horrific inactivity, and he is kinda a solved puzzle... his hands are quick his feet are slow... but he is a name.

Id he wants to contiue g e should fight a few actual scrubs... blame inactivity for all his woes, say he is back then one last run... butttt.

faded names only... wilder, AJ 3, Whyte, chisora, Parker 2, Fury, Joyce, zhang, pulev... usyk (if he looks bad and dosent retire) these are the fights to target.

[Finkel]

I didn't notice until now Lyson had refereed three of Kabayel's last five.
I was watching the Smakici fight yesterday, and while I don't see the issue with that stoppage (Smakici effectively punch himself out in three rounds), I agree that Knyba one was very soft (especially with a title on the line)

Kabayel was basically out on his feet for 20 seconds against Smakici. He wasn't punching back or defending himself yet Lyson gave him every possible chance to survive. He then gave him a mandatory eight count after Kabayel stumbled into the ropes despite Kabayel never actually going down.

Against Knyba the same referee waved it off at the first remotely available excuse. That stoppage was regarded as early pretty much everywhere outside the Kabayel camp.

The pattern is hard to ignore: when Kabayel is in serious trouble, maximum patience. When his opponent is under pressure, minimum patience.

Germany has a notorious reputation for hometown decisions. Boxing here often feels much closer to a mob-controlled sport than it does in the UK or US.

With Smakici...nah, I don't see it. With all due respect, I think you are looking for something not there in the Smakici fight. That would be an extremely soft way to win the european title against an unbeaten former champion. Kabayel edged the first, came out strong in the second, then when trying to clinch, couldn't, and ate a lot of heavy shots until he fell into the ropes, then Lyson correctly gave him a count. After the count the round turned into the two fighters knocking seven bells out of each other. Unfortunately, for Smakici, he was totally spent in the third when the stoppage came. There is nothing wrong for me there. If Smakici didn't go all in like that, maybe it is a routine fight for Kabayel. No good blowing your load in under three rounds if you can't even drop the guy clean and he is still fighting back.

The Knyba fight... yeah, as I said, that was very soft. Knyba rightly feels hard done by

[Finkel]

Ruiz has had horrific inactivity, and he is kinda a solved puzzle... his hands are quick his feet are slow... but he is a name.

Id he wants to contiue g e should fight a few actual scrubs... blame inactivity for all his woes, say he is back then one last run... butttt.

faded names only... wilder, AJ 3, Whyte, chisora, Parker 2, Fury, Joyce, zhang, pulev... usyk (if he looks bad and dosent retire) these are the fights to target.

As you say, he is a solved puzzle.
AJ, Parker, Fury, Usyk would just out box him. Maybe even Wilder who likes to fight outside.

Maybe from your list, go with Whyte, Chisora, Joyce and Zhang as they wouldn't have the feet. And Pulev is just way too old now

Possibly Wardley would be an interesting fight, as I suspect he would stand infront of Ruiz

[joshj909]

Only money fights against other retirees or getting brought in as an opponent for Ruiz going forwards. Can't compete at anywhere close to the top level any more.

Knyba Will probably get picked as an opponent by someone else trying to build their name. Itauma?

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

At the end, ref did a remake of Terry helping Clev.

walk him on back to the corner.

[handsofstone]

117-110 Knyba, poor fight, Ruiz is finished, Knyba showing you don't have to have a good jab as long as your busy with it, for most of the first half he just pawed with it keeping Ruiz at bay , using his height and reach as well as constantly moving away, Ruiz just trudged forward being ineffective, not letting his hands go and he paid the price in the 7th, got wobbled with a right then took about 7/8 hard punches before collapsing, the ref went to stop it but changed his mind before giving Ruiz a mandatory 20 count, heavy heavy knockdown but Ruiz recovered well next couple rounds , started letting his hands go putting it on Knyba before reverting back to nothing, Knyba seen it out back on the jab

[Ruthless-RKO]

Should he have fought someone this tall?

I mean.. does Kabayel’s win over him look better now?

[golden_labrador]

Should he have fought someone this tall?

I mean.. does Kabayel’s win over him look better now?

I thought Knyba was going to pull off a shocker against Kabayel until the ref stopped it. maybe he was gone at that point but he seemed like a live opponent

[gregregegg]

Should he have fought someone this tall?

I mean.. does Kabayel’s win over him look better now?

I generally like the matchup of short fast hookers with tall stiff opponents, but I have to admit when the reach gap gets this big it cam get a bit weird and uncomfortable for andy..

I don't think this helps kabayal much, ruizs last good win was AJ 7 years ago....

[KiwiRider]

I like Andy, so it was really hard watching him eat so many jabs. And I personally think the fight should have been stopped in the 7th.
I really don't think he should be mentioned in any big bouts anymore, whatever he had in speed of hand and feet is all but gone. Being in so few fights in the last what, five years? He should just pack it in

[Sendo Takeshi]

Should he have fought someone this tall?

I mean.. does Kabayel’s win over him look better now?

Ruiz just isn't it anymore.

Since the second AJ fight, he got dropped by an old Arreola, barely survived 85 year old Ortiz, got gifted a decision against Pharmacy Miller and then got his a*s dominated by top 50 Knyba.

Dude has been done at world level forever.
Only money fights are on the horizon for him.

[Floydendizer]

Poor matchmaking from Hearn , the guy was a foot taller & completely wrong for an inactive Ruiz , investment shot to pieces on fight 1 .

[TBA]

Knyba is decent if unspectacular. He does make me wonder though in the changeover era how far he can go with top coaches who would have him sit down on his punches here and there, and make the jab a missile where need be.

Chin is a spectacular KO waiting to happen, but that's part of the allure I guess.


Rather than trying to shaft him on the cards, Eddie should have been behind him instead of Ruiz and use it to launch him for future UK cards. Plenty of Poles to fill up a decent London arena. Do the gift of the gab that he gave Kabayel fits and was a dubious stoppage.

[gregregegg]

I don’t think knyba is particularly good. I just think Ruiz is past it, hasn’t had a good win in 7 years…

Knyba would be a decent fight for Hysa… or a comeback fight for Moses.

If Ed has options on him… wouldent mind huni or Teramoa getting the knyba fight.

[golden_labrador]

I don’t think knyba is particularly good. I just think Ruiz is past it, hasn’t had a good win in 7 years…

Knyba would be a decent fight for Hysa… or a comeback fight for Moses.

If Ed has options on him… wouldent mind huni or Teramoa getting the knyba fight.

Knyba provides a stiff challenge for anyone, particularly considering some of the poor heavyweights out there. I reckon he beats Hysa but Moses would take him apart

[Heldenjaeger]

I just think Ruiz is past it, hasn’t had a good win in 7 years…

The Ortiz and Arreola wins are his best wins outside of the Joshua upset. His entire resume is paper thin. One of the worst champions in history. Maybe the worst who actually beat a reining champion?

[whatashambles]

Ruiz would be a good comeback opponent for Itauma

[handsofstone]

Anyone criticising the matchmaking is missing the point, are we accepting gimmes? Regardless of Ruiz inactivity he's an experienced former champ who doesn't deserve walkovers, people acting like Knyba is a monster ffs, moan about mismatches and moan about favourites losing because of different attributes, Andy Ruiz fkd his own career and it's not as if he was gonna be a Matchroom poster boy, Eddie will recover

[784118]

117-110 Knyba, poor fight, Ruiz is finished, Knyba showing you don't have to have a good jab as long as your busy with it, for most of the first half he just pawed with it keeping Ruiz at bay , using his height and reach as well as constantly moving away, Ruiz just trudged forward being ineffective, not letting his hands go and he paid the price in the 7th, got wobbled with a right then took about 7/8 hard punches before collapsing, the ref went to stop it but changed his mind before giving Ruiz a mandatory 20 count, heavy heavy knockdown but Ruiz recovered well next couple rounds , started letting his hands go putting it on Knyba before reverting back to nothing, Knyba seen it out back on the jab

Spot on.

[Heldenjaeger]

Anyone criticising the matchmaking is missing the point, are we accepting gimmes? Regardless of Ruiz inactivity he's an experienced former champ who doesn't deserve walkovers, people acting like Knyba is a monster ffs, moan about mismatches and moan about favourites losing because of different attributes, Andy Ruiz fkd his own career and it's not as if he was gonna be a Matchroom poster boy, Eddie will recover

I agree with most of what you said but it's not looking so good for Hearn right now. His "future superstar" Chaves got destroyed on the same card.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]