
Former heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz Jr will look to get his career moving tonight, when he returns to face Damian Knyba in the main event of this month’s “The Fight” on DAZN and TNT.
Bad Left Hook will be here from 8 pm ET with live results, reactions, and more, including round-by-round updates for the main event and chief support on the undercard, which will see Vito Mielnicki Jr face Austin “Ammo” Williams in what is really a must-win fight for both middleweights.
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It’s a four-fight card in all, and we’ll also have the live chat rolling down in the comments section, so join us and your fellow fight fans tonight!
ON NOW: Vito Mielnicki Jr vs Austin “Ammo” Williams
Preview: Mielnicki (23-1, 13 KO) was given too hard of a push back when PBC was on FOX, yet had no budget so they tried to focus on young, undercooked prospects they thought would draw eyes, like Vito and Joey Spencer. Both had hope, but also looked like they might hit a low ceiling. Spencer did. Vito is still in the game. He suffered an upset loss in 2021, but bounced back. He has started to figure himself out. He was 18 in that fight, he’s 24 tonight. And if he’s going to grow into being an actual contender, it was time to give it a go. Williams (20-2, 13 KO) is 30 and has been found wanting against Hamzah Sheeraz in 2024 and Carlos Adames earlier this year. He took a spirited beating in both fights. He needs to win this one, if he doesn’t it’s going to be really hard for him to really get back in the mix and not become a gatekeeper. But if he does, yeah, 160 is still open. And for Vito, this is his toughest fight yet on paper, a chance to prove he really belongs and isn’t a promoter creation.
Eridson Garcia def. Alan Chaves by Unanimous Decision
Official Scores: 98-88, 99-88, 99-87 for Garcia
Post-Fight Thoughts: Huge win for Garcia (24-2, 14 KO) and a big, bubble-busting setback for Chaves (22-1, 19 KO). Chaves had a massive disadvantage in reach, he’s kind of small at 135, and he it was a big problem that he couldn’t do anything about. I do think, as many have already suspected, that Chaves had a nose issue from early on, and he was very tough in there, but he was dropped four times and just totally dominated overall. Garcia had his number and Chaves never had an answer. This fight was designed to make Chaves a top contender at 135; that is not what Matchroom got from it in the end.
Total domination from Eridson Garcia in what should be a clear, unquestionable upset victory. BLH Unofficial Score: 99-87 for Eridson Garcia
Chaves down for a fourth time in Round 9. Again gets out of the round. This has been an awful night for Alan Chaves, but the man is tough. He’s proven that. That’s about it, being brutally honest.
After Round 8, the NJ commision has reviewed the slip and ruled it a slip. Could totally swing that round from 10-8 Chaves to 10-9 Garcia. I do love that the judges are now being asked to remember how they felt about an uneventful round from about 10 minutes ago. Great system.
Garcia ruled down early in Round 6 on what appeared to clearly be a slip. Remainder of the round is uneventful. BoxRec study in the future will make that seem like a lot more success than Chaves has had so far. He didn’t even actually land a punch there. Garcia slipped on obvious water on the canvas.
Chaves down AGAIN. About a minute left in Round 5 and will try to continue. He does, and he makes the end of the round, but this has become one-way traffic.
Chaves down again early in Round 5! He’s hurting in there. He gets up but Garcia is completely dominant so far.
Chaves was rocked pretty hard again right before the end of Round 4. This is getting increasingly one-sided. Chaves fighting like he just doesn’t have ideas.
We’re three rounds in and Chaves is having a terrible time with Garcia. Chaves has the power to still be dangerous but Garcia came in here with a great plan and is executing it.
Garcia with a nice opening round and now Chaves is down in Round 2! He’s up but he got nailed there, he’s struggling with the reach of Garcia.
Preview: Chaves (22-0, 19 KO) is 25, southpaw, out of Argentina, might be a real contender at 135. He’s got some decent wins and looks good on the eye test, he can punch, and he smashed Miguel Madueno in his first fight away from home in April, good to see him back pretty quickly and continuing to try and build his name in the States. Garcia (23-2, 14 KO) was a Zuffa hopeful who appears free to roam after his loss to Andres Cortes in April. I didn’t think Garcia did poorly in that fight or anything, but he’s a fairly low-ceiling guy. Still, has to be taken seriously here; he did upset Taiga Imanaga in Riyadh, and he’s scored some decent wins. He can fight! I think this is a pretty nice matchup to be third from the top on this show. He also has a crazy reach advantage in this fight.
Zaquin Moses def. Angel Antonio Contreras by TKO after Round 5
Time: 3:00
Post-Fight Thoughts: Fine performance from young Moses, now 8-0 (4 KO). His corner was pressing him to go for the stoppage if the sixth round had started, but it didn’t, the corner pulled the plug after five. I think commentary called Contreras (18-11-2, 12 KO) “The Tough Mexican” about 30 times in the five rounds we got. He came here to fight, but the class difference was obvious and just too much, and even if Moses is not a huge puncher, he was doing damage to the body especially. He’s a cool, confident young fighter, doesn’t hunt for knockouts, believes in his skills, but also doesn’t fight arrogantly.
It’s over! Contreras’ corner pulls the plug after five rounds. Moses TKO-5
We’re through four rounds. The gulf in talent is, as expected, very wide. Moses has done some nice body work.
Zaquin landed one of the most incredible super-low blow/head butt combos you’ll ever see in the opening round.
Fight’s about to start. Harvey Dock is your referee.
Preview: Should be a typical Prospect vs Guy fight, Moses (7-0, 3 KO) is the 21-year-old cousin of Shakur Stevenson, and also a Newark native, so he’s on home turf and also here to sell some tickets. Legit prospect, not sure if he’s some super blue chipper or anything like that. Contreras (18-10-2, 12 KO) is a 32-year-old journeyman from Monterrey, Mexico, has won two straight but at very low level. But he’s tested a lot of good prospects — Bruce Carrington, Michael Angeletti, Justin Viloria, Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez — and he tends to go the distance.
Super Featherweights, 8 rounds
How to watch Ruiz Jr vs Knyba
Start time: 8:00 pm ET (Main Card)
Streaming: DAZN (subscription required)
TV: TNT (U.S.)
Location: Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
Ruiz Jr vs Knyba running order
Main Event
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Damian Knyba, heavyweights, 12 rounds
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Undercard
Vito Mielnicki Jr vs Austin “Ammo” Williams, middleweights, 12 rounds
Alan Chaves vs Eridson Garcia, lightweights, 10 rounds
Zaquin Moses vs Angel Antonio Contreras, super featherweights, 8 rounds








