Isaac Cruz Returns Against Nestor Bravo in San Diego on Sept. 19

DAZN has locked in a WBC interim title doubleheader for San Diego's Pechanga Arena on September 19, headlined by Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz (28-3-2, 18 KO) against Puerto Rico's Nestor Bravo (24-1, 17 KO). The co-feature pits Jesus Ramos Jr. (24-1, 19 KO) against Meiirim Nursultanov (20-0, 11 KO) for a second belt on the night.

Cruz, all 5'4" of him, has settled in at 140 since moving up to stop Rolly Romero for the WBA title in 2024. His two fights since tell you where he's at: a lopsided win over Omar Salcido and a genuinely fun draw with Lamont Roach Jr. Now working under Eddy Reynoso, the 27-year-old Mexican said he's motivated to keep proving he belongs at the top end of the division.

The Underdog's Case

Bravo is the problem, or rather isn't. His lone blemish sits inside Xolisani Ndongeni's recent 2-6 skid, which is not the kind of loss that screams contender. He did rebound in January by stopping Pedro Campa, and he's leaning hard into the Puerto Rico–Mexico rivalry, promising his team is preparing the right way and that the island will crown a new champion. On paper, though, he's a live body more than a live threat against a fighter this battle-tested.

The co-main is the trickier read. Ramos, "El Mono," has found a home at 160 after outpointing Shane Mosley Jr., and he's currently ranked #9 in the middleweight picture. Nursultanov, meanwhile, has been the WBC mandatory challenger seemingly forever.

Why It's Only an Interim Belt

The reason both bouts carry interim tags rather than full straps comes down to the logjam above them. WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames (25-1-1, 18 KO), fresh off a decision over Austin Williams, keeps flirting with a jump to super middleweight, and the sanctioning body hasn't shown much appetite for enforcing deadlines. So the mandatory picture stays frozen and everyone fights for placeholder hardware instead.

For Cruz, an interim belt is another rung, not a destination. He's already held real gold, he's shared a ring with the division's toughest names, and a routine win here keeps him in the conversation for something bigger at 140. For Bravo and Nursultanov, this is the shot they've been waiting on, participation trophy or not.