Teddy Atlas believes Damian Knyba may have more than a puncher's chance against Andy Ruiz Jr. when the heavyweights meet Friday at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Atlas said Knyba can create problems if he uses his size the right way, pointing to a clear path for the taller fighter to work from the outside and keep Ruiz at range. That is enough, at least for Atlas, to consider Knyba a live dog at three-to-one rather than a simple step-in opponent.
The matchup comes with a real question attached to Ruiz, who has not fought in nearly two years and has shown uneven form since his upset win over Anthony Joshua in June 2019. Ruiz made that win pay off in a major way, but the momentum did not last long. Six months later, Joshua won the rematch and took back the titles, and Ruiz's results after that have not matched the shock of that first victory.
His recent run has included a draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024, when Miller battered Ruiz down the stretch, as well as a sluggish stretch that has kept the focus on whether Ruiz can still be the same fighter at his best. He also met Chris Arreola 17 months after the Joshua upset, part of a career arc that has featured big moments but not always consistent follow-through.
Why Knyba has a path
Atlas framed Knyba's chances around style as much as size. The idea is simple: if Knyba can use his height, reach and legs to box from the outside, he can make the fight awkward for Ruiz and keep the heavier exchanges from turning in Ruiz's favor. Atlas was careful not to go too far, but his comments suggested he sees enough uncertainty to hesitate before dismissing the underdog.
Ruiz, meanwhile, enters Friday's bout after weighing 254.3 pounds at Thursday's weigh-in. That number will only matter if it connects to how he moves early and whether he can pressure Knyba before the taller fighter settles into a rhythm.
For Ruiz, this is another chance to reset the conversation. For Knyba, it is an opportunity to prove Atlas right and turn a three-to-one label into something more dangerous than the odds suggest.
