Report By Miguel Maravilla
Photos Courtesy Of Matchroom
In an upset, Poland’s Damian Kynba (18-1, 11 KOs) won a unanimous decision over former heavyweight champion Imperial, California’s Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-3-1, 22 KOs) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, in headlining TNT Sports and DAZN series third installment.
Ruiz returned to the ring after a two year hiatus while Knyba was knocked out by Agit Kabayel in his last fight in his bid for the WBC heavyweight title.
The size and height differential was evident from the opening bell as Knyba towered over Ruiz. Off to a slow start, Ruiz stalked as Knyba popped the jab and kept his distance. Looking to work his way in, Ruiz followed Knyba around the ring in the third sticking the jab. Ruiz’s appeared to develop redness on the face to begin the fourth as Knyba kept on pumping his jab effectively keeping Ruiz at bay.
In the fifth, Ruiz began to close in shooting for the body and attempting to make it rough as Knyba clinched multiple times. Stalking patiently in round six, Ruiz began to gain momentum pressing as Knyba began to trickle blood from his left eye. Past the halfway mark, in the seventh, a huge right by Knyba sent Ruiz to the canvas as the former champion was hurt badly. The Polish fighter came in to close the show as he swarmed for the finish but Ruiz was saved by the bell. Ruiz bounced back in the eighth, connecting some solid shots and stopping Knyba’s momentum.
Continuing to press, Ruiz closed in on Knyba in the ninth but couldn’t really get going as Knyba used the jab to fend Ruiz off. Late in the fight in the tenth, Knyba kept on using the jab as Ruiz kept pressing looking to close the distance. The championship rounds saw Knyba continuing to work off the jab fighting conservatively clinching as Ruiz attacked, looking to get inside with little success. The twelfth and final round saw Ruiz come out connecting solidly as Knyba kept his distance. Pressing and looking to make the fight, Ruiz looked to connect on Knyba.
In going the twelve round distance, the judges scored the bout 117-110, 114-113, and 114-113.
Following the win, Damian Knyba called for a rematch against current WBC heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel.
“I really want a rematch with Kabayel.”
Andy Ruiz Jr on his defeat, “I still have it in me and I want to fight again.”
Local middleweight Roseland, New Jersey’s Vito Mielnicki Jr. (24-1, 13 KOs) was impressive in winning a unanimous decision in his homecoming over Austin Williams (20-3, 13 KOs) in the co-feature bout.
Mielnicki connected with a left sending Williams to the canvas in the opening round. Boxing efficiently throughout the fight, Mielnicki controlled Williams from start to finish working behind the jab and countering effectively.
Williams kept coming and busted up Mielnicki as he the Jersey fighter began to bleed. Despite being bloody from the nose late in the fight, Mielnicki stayed composed and mixed it up with Williams late in the fight to the final bell.
In going the distance and completing ten rounds, all three judges scored the bout 98-91.
Lightweight Eridson Garcia (24-2, 14 KOs) of the Dominican Republic picked up the WBO Latino title in handing Argentine lightweight Alan Chaves (22-1, 19 KOs) his first defeat, dropping the slugger four times in going the distance.
Garcia started off strong as he dropped Chavez with a left in round two. The Dominican Garcia stayed on task as he staggered Chaves to close the fourth round. Chaves appeared to be discouraged in the fifth as Garcia continued to attack, sending the Argentine to the canvas twice.
Garcia appeared to slip in the corner in the corner in the sixth round as Chaves was on the offensive, but interestingly, the referee ruled it a knockdown as Garcia reacted in shock. It was all Garcia in the second half of the fight as he once again knocked down Chaves for the fourth time, making a statement in route to the decision win.
After completing ten rounds the judges scored the bout 99-88, 99-88, and 99-87 as Garcia pulls the unanimous decision.
Newark’s super featherweight Zaquin Moses (8-0, 4 KOs) stopped veteran Angel Contreras (18-11-2, 12 KOs) of Mexico. Displaying good hand speed in the opening round, Moses was sharp, however late in the round, a low blow by Moses dropped Contreras and also caused an accidental headbutt. Contreras was up and swelled up on the right eye. Moses boxed smooth and was effective as he followed up to the body working the Mexican fighter.
The body attack was too much for Contreras as he did not come out for the sixth and the fight was stopped by referee Harvey Dock at the end of the fifth.
