Andy Ruiz vs. Damian Knyba Predictions, Odds & Best Bets – Full Card Preview
By Jaren Kawada in Boxing
Published:
- Andy Ruiz ends another two-year-long layoff against recent title challenger Damian Knyba on Friday night
- Ruiz has not fought since a majority draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024
- Check out the best analysis, predictions and bets for the full Ruiz vs. Knyba fight card below
Two years after fighting Jarrell Miller to a draw in Los Angeles, former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz (35-2-1) returns to the ring against former Damian Knyba (17-1). The fight marks Ruiz’s first with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing after a five-year run with Premier Boxing Champions.
Ruiz, 36, has fought just once in the last four years. The ex-champion has endured multiple life changes during that time, including most recently reunited with former trainer Manny Robles, who coached him to his iconic upset win over Anthony Joshua in 2019.
While Ruiz has gone dark, Knyba clawed his way from the United States regional scene to a world title fight with Agit Kabayel in January. Although he ultimately suffered a TKO loss to the current WBC titleholder, Knyba impressed with his early work against the Kurdish juggernaut before getting overwhelmed.
Ruiz and Knyba headline a four-fight main card beginning at 8.p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on TNT and DAZN.
Odds as of Sept. 4, 2026, on BetMGM. Check out the best boxing apps in 2026 to place a wager.
The first two fights of the TNT main card are lopsided in the betting market, but the main and co-main event matchups are expected to be competitive. Undefeated Zaquin Moses is the biggest favorite on the card as a massive 10-1 favorite over Angel Antonio Contreras, who comes back at +1200.
The co-main event bout between Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams and Vito Mielnicki Jr. is expected to be the closest fight of the night, according to the oddsmakers. Mielnicki is a slight -140 favorite in his Matchroom Boxing debut.
Andy Ruiz vs. Damian Knyba Prediction
There are always a plethora of questions whenever a fighter returns from a multi-year-long layoff, especially considering how poor Andy Ruiz looked in his last outing. Ruiz has struggled with consistency his entire career but at least appears to be back on the right track entering this fight after reuniting with Manny Robles and recording one of the lowest weights of his career at weigh-ins.
Still, Ruiz will be tested in multiple ways against the giant Knyba, who owns a huge five-inch height and 12-inch reach advantage in this matchup. Although he can be awkward at times, Knyba maximizes that frame with his fighting style, utilizing a lot of lateral movement and picking off opponents with jabs and uppercuts. Knyba’s long-range boxing was giving Agit Kabayel fits early in their WBC heavyweight title fight before the champion managed to close the distance.
If Ruiz can get inside, he has more power and the better chin than Knyba to replicate the success Kabayel had against him. Yet, throughout his career, Ruiz has never liked facing fighters who force him to move his heavy feet. That is unlikely to change at 36, even if he did come in lighter than he has in previous years.
The power in Ruiz hands always allow him to turn the fight around at any moment, but it is difficult to trust him at this price given the layoff. Instead, we will be backing the bigger, younger boxer to use the lessons learned in his loss to Kabayel to help him pick up the biggest win of his career.
- Boxing Picks: Damian Knyba Moneyline (+200 on BetMGM)
Austin Williams vs. Vito Mielnicki Jr. Best Bet
Vito Mielnicki Jr. is getting an opportunity to immediately launch himself into world title contention in his Matchroom Boxing debut against Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams. Mielnicki is not yet a household name in boxing but has the right matchup to take that step on Friday night against the former WBC middleweight title challenger.
Williams is battle-tested, but Mielnicki has the speed and overall boxing advantage. The 24-year-old makes the most of his fast hands by diversifying his attacks and manipulating the pace, speed and rhythm of his punches. Once he gets his timing down, Mielnicki also has a strong counter game that makes him difficult to slow down.
The biggest weakness in Mielnicki’s game is his defense, but Williams is even worse there. As good of a boxer as ‘Ammo’ can be, his porous defense has repeatedly been his undoing against elite competition. Mielnicki has the speed and power to expose those same issues and frequently hurt Williams.
Williams is the more experienced fighter who never goes away, and Mielnicki has never been in the kind of war that the 30-year-old could give him. But the last time ‘Ammo’ faced a noticeable speed disadvantage, he sustained a concussive beatdown at the hands of Carlos Adames.
Mielnicki’s speed and power will prove he belongs amongst the elite in a showcase performance in his hometown.
- Boxing Picks: Vito Mielnicki Jr. Moneyline (-140 at BetMGM)
Alan Chaves vs. Eridson Garcia Best Bet
Five months after his Knockout of the Year-worthy performance, Alan Chaves is back in the biggest stage of his career on the Ruiz vs. Knyba main card. It took Chaves some time to find an opponent, but Matchroom eventually lured Zuffa Boxing washout Eridson Garcia into accepting the fight on less than one week’s notice.
Garcia has seemingly flown to Newark for the sole purpose of being Chaves’ next highlight. The 32-year-old is a classic Hispanic warrior, fighting on pure grit and durability more than technical boxing skills. Almost none of Garcia’s attacks are set up and the vast majority of his entries come in the form of wide hooks and overhands. He has not had any time to improve that approach before fighting Chaves.
Chaves is not the best boxer either, but he is patient setting up his attacks and has clear fight-ending power with each punch. Garcia often waits too long to strike, giving Chaves the openings he needs to close the show with another emphatic stoppage.
A good boxer will eventually give Chaves problems, but that is not who Garcia is. ‘Venemo’ gets another highlight on national television.
- Boxing Picks: Fight to End Within 8 Rounds (-140 on BetMGM)
Zaquin Moses vs. Angel Antonio Contreras Prediction
Zaquin Moses, the younger cousin of Shakur Stevenson, returns to action on Friday night and looks to improve to 8-0 in his hometown. The slick southpaw’s next test will come from 30-fight veteran Angel Antonio Contreras, who is just 3-5 in his last eight outings and 2-8-1 fighting in the United States.
At 21, Moses is still far from a finished product but his base boxing skills are already there. Moses has a pristine jab and already does a great job manipulating the distance with his footwork, though he still struggles to string together combinations and truly separate himself from his opposition. Still, Moses has yet to lose a round through seven pro fights.
Moses is the better boxer in this matchup with Contreras, but for the first time in his career, he will face a gritty pressure fighter who will force him to box off his back foot for all eight rounds. Moses likes to pick his shots in a slow pace, but Contreras will not let him rest for a second. That style could present issues for a fighter like Moses who does not like fighting in the pocket and thrives at a slow pace.
Contreras can upset Moses on volume if the younger fighter lets him, but even then, he will have to create huge moments to steal a win on the scorecards in Moses’ hometown. Any and all close rounds will likely swing to the crowd favorite. Still, at these odds, we have to take a small shot on the underdog given the vast experience difference. Contreras has already been in the ring with some of the best in the division, including pushing Bruce Carrington for a few rounds and fighting Ramon Cardenas to a split decision.
- Boxing Picks: Angel Antonio Contreras Moneyline (+1200 on BetMGM)
