Andy Ruiz Jr Hits Lightest Weight in 8 Years for Knyba Return

Andy Ruiz Jr stepped on the scales in Newark at 254.3lbs on Thursday, the leanest the former unified heavyweight champion has looked in eight years. It's a pointed statement ahead of Friday night's clash with Poland's Damian Knyba at the Prudential Center — the 36-year-old's first fight since a majority draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024, a bout he finished with a broken hand.

For context on how far Ruiz has come: the last time he hit a number this low was July 2018, when he weighed 252lbs to beat Kevin Johnson. He came in at 268lbs the night he shredded Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in June 2019 to lift the WBA, IBF and WBO belts — then ballooned to 283.7lbs for the rematch six months later. He lost the belts on points in Saudi Arabia and later admitted he'd taken the prep too lightly.

Barely a Pound Between Them

Knyba tipped in at 255.5lbs, which leaves just 1.2lbs separating the two heavyweights. That's about the only category where they're even. The 30-year-old Pole stands 6ft 7in and carries a substantial height and reach advantage over the notoriously stocky Ruiz, and he's chasing the biggest win of his career here.

Ruiz has kept a light schedule since the second Joshua fight — three bouts total. He edged past Chris Arreola, outpointed Luis Ortiz, then settled for that draw with Miller. The busier, leaner version showing up in Newark suggests he's treating this run differently.

The Robles Reunion

The most telling detail isn't on the scales. Ruiz has linked back up with Manny Robles, the coach who masterminded the first Joshua upset before the pair split. Pairing that reunion with his lowest weight in almost a decade reads like a man serious about climbing back into the heavyweight conversation.

This is also Ruiz's debut under Eddie Hearn's Matchroom banner, and it doubles as a homecoming — Newark is where he last fought more than a decade ago. As for Joshua, the man Ruiz built his name against, the Brit sits at 29-4 (26 KO) and most recently stopped Jake Paul in six rounds. Whether Ruiz's leaner frame translates into anything meaningful gets its first test Friday, live on DAZN and TNT Sports US.