Ruiz Finally Returns, AJ’s Undercard Gets Two Title Fights, and Filipino Fighters Chase Gold
The boxing calendar is starting to look like a proper summer menu, and for once the heavyweight division is leading the charge. This week brought us the official confirmation of Andy Ruiz Jr’s return, two world title fights added to the Anthony Joshua undercard, and — if you’re Filipino like me — some genuinely exciting news from the lighter weights.
Let’s dig into what matters.
Ruiz vs Knyba: A Pulse Check on ‘The Destroyer’
Andy Ruiz Jr will face Poland’s Damian Knyba on September 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, headlining the third edition of DAZN and TNT’s “The Fight” series. The announcement, made official by Matchroom on July 14, gives us the clearest picture yet of where Ruiz’s career is headed after signing with Eddie Hearn’s stable.
Let’s be honest about where Ruiz is at. The man who shocked the world against Anthony Joshua in 2019 has fought only three times since, with a draw against Jarrell Miller in 2024 being the most recent — and that was two years ago. He’s 36, carrying more mileage than his fight tally suggests, and the discipline questions have never really gone away.
Knyba (17-1, 11 KOs) is a 6’7″ Polish giant based in New Jersey, coming off a third-round stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel in January. He’s not a world-beater, but at 260 pounds with a reach advantage over the 5’11” Ruiz, he could make things awkward. The real question isn’t whether Ruiz can beat Knyba — it’s whether he can look good doing it. A sluggish, weight-drained performance against a B-level opponent tells us his title ambitions are done. A sharp, explosive stoppage? Maybe there’s still something left.
The co-feature is genuinely intriguing. Vito Mielnicki Jr, who like Ruiz recently signed with Matchroom, faces Austin “Ammo” Williams in a middleweight clash that could steal the show. Williams pushed WBC champion Carlos Adames the distance in March and is no pushover.
Joshua’s Undercard Goes From Solid to Stacked
Anthony Joshua’s return against Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah was already one of the summer’s biggest events. Now it’s got the undercard to match.
Matchroom confirmed on July 13 that Hamzah Sheeraz will defend his WBO super middleweight title against Germany’s Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly puts his IBF super welterweight belt on the line against Ireland’s Caoimhin Agyarko. That’s two world title fights on the same night, both on the same card, in divisions where the winners will be calling out the biggest names in the sport.
Sheeraz is still one of the most physically imposing fighters in the division — 6’3″ at 168 pounds with the kind of reach that gives boxers fits. Zachenhuber is unproven at this level, and I expect Sheeraz to handle him inside eight rounds. Kelly-Agyarko is a trickier fight to call. Kelly won his belt off Bakhram Murtazaliev in January, but Agyarko is undefeated, hungry, and has the kind of relentless pressure that exposes technical boxers who aren’t fully locked in.
Fury-Joshua: The 2 AM Question
The latest chapter in the Fury-Joshua saga involves a very specific logistical headache: a 2 a.m. start time if the fight lands at Wembley Stadium. Organizers have confirmed that broadcast commitments from Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season would require ringwalks no earlier than 2 a.m. London time, and Joshua’s camp has reportedly accepted the condition.
It’s a reminder that this fight, as massive as it is for British boxing, is ultimately a Saudi-financed production regardless of where it lands. Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Thailand on July 24 and Joshua fights Prenga a day later — both are warm-up acts for what everyone hopes is the final negotiation push for the biggest all-British heavyweight fight since the sport began.
Filipino Corner: Two Title Bids on the Horizon
This is the part that gets me excited. Filipino boxing isn’t just living on Pacquiao nostalgia — there’s genuine momentum building.
Jerry Francisco fights TODAY (July 15) at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, challenging Japan’s undefeated Yuga Ozaki for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight title. Francisco (12-3, 4 KOs), fighting out of Sanman Boxing Gym, is the clear underdog against Ozaki (9-0-1, 7 KOs), a 23-year-old southpaw with a 77% KO rate who already held this belt before vacating it. But Francisco has genuine durability and ring IQ — he won the WBC Asian Continental title with a composed performance against Raymond Poon Kai-Ching. If he can drag Ozaki into deep waters, an upset isn’t out of the question.
Then there’s Mark “Rasta Mac” Vicelles. The 29-year-old Cebuano light flyweight has secured a shot at the IBF world title against Thailand’s Thanongsak Simsri on September 26 in Shizuoka, Japan. Vicelles (21-2-1, 11 KOs) got the nod despite being ranked just No. 13 by the IBF — which tells you the sanctioning body saw something they liked, or the money was right. Simsri is a terrifying puncher with 35 KOs in 40 wins, but his one loss suggests he can be outboxed by someone with enough lateral movement and stamina. Vicelles has won four straight since his Japanese debut loss in 2024, and he’s been training out of Suruga Danji Boxing Gym in Shizuoka. The home crowd won’t be on his side, but he’ll have the advantage of familiar surroundings.
Two Pinoy title bids, both in Japan, both in the light flyweight division — it feels like the glory days of Filipino little men making noise on the world stage. If you’re Filipino like me, you circle September 26 on your calendar right now.
What’s Coming Next
The next two weeks are loaded. July 18 brings Diego Pacheco vs Immanuwel Aleem on DAZN. July 24 has Tyson Fury vs Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Netflix. July 25 is the monster — Joshua vs Prenga in Jeddah on DAZN PPV, and on the same night, Tim Tszyu vs Errol Spence Jr in Australia on Prime Video.
Then on July 26, Zuffa Boxing runs its ninth event at the Theater at Madison Square Garden with Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler and Richardson Hitchins on the card. That card took on extra significance after Shakur Stevenson signed with Zuffa — it’s now the proving ground for one of the sport’s biggest names.
The summer is cooking. Stay sharp.