Jesus Ramos Jr. Pulled From Pitbull-Bravo Co-Main Event Title Fight at Weigh-Ins

Isaac Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo fight card loses co-main event as interim champion falls ill

Mar 25, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Jesus Ramos (blue/white trunks) celebrates after defeating Joey Spence (not pictured) in their boxing bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The Isaac Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo card just lost its co-headliner on fight night eve.

The initially scheduled nine-fight card was slated to end the night with two title fights. Cruz and Bravo will still be the dramatic conclusion, but the now-eight-fight event lost its co-headliner.

Interim WBC middleweight champion Jesus Ramos Jr. was expected to attempt his first title defense against Meirim Nursultanov in the co-main event but was forced to withdraw from the fight during weigh-ins, Lance Pugmire of BoxingScene reported.

Ramos fell ill with suspected food poisoning, per Pugmire. A later report from Ring Magazine confirmed he was briefly hospitalized before getting released on Friday.

Premier Boxing Champions intends to keep the Ramos vs. Nursultanov matchup intact and reschedule it for a later date. For now, PBC elevated a 10-round super middleweight fight between the undefeated Daniel Blancas and Sergio Jimenez to the new co-main event.

Former Olympic silver medalist Marco Verde's eight-round middleweight bout against Guillermo Hernandez will be bumped up one spot, with Eumir Marcial vs. Omar Ulises Huerta promoted to the first fight on the main card. The four-fight main card will be the only portion of the event broadcast on DAZN.

Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Meiirim Nursultanov postponed due to illness

Nov 2, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Meiirim Nursultanov (black/red trunks) celebrates after defeating Cristian Olivas (not pictured) in their WBC and USNBC middleweight title bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Nursultanov won via unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Although Ramos, 24-1, will not compete on Saturday, he will remain the interim WBC super middleweight champion, with his next fight still expected to be against Nursultanov. Ramos has yet to cement his reign with a title defense since becoming a world champion in December 2025.

Ramos clinched world championship status with a competitive unanimous decision win over Shane Mosley Jr. to extend his win streak to four. The win made him the ideal No. 1 contender for full champion Carlos Adames, who has been the WBC 160-pound titleholder since mid-2024.

Save for a competitive loss to two-time world title challenger Erickson Lubin, Ramos has been on a straight path to the top of the middleweight division his entire career; Nursultanov, however, has been on the opposite track.

Nursultanov has remained undefeated, but at 20-0, the Kazakh has not fought since November 2023. By the time his title fight with Ramos is rescheduled, it will likely have been over three years since his last walk to the ring.

Despite the layoff, Nursultanov is still the WBC's No. 1-ranked middleweight contender.

Long layoffs have been a staple of Nursultanov's career, even on the regional circuit. From his pro debut in 2016 to his last fight in 2023, he only averaged 2.5 fights per year.