Pitbull Cruz knocks out Nestor Bravo and calls for a fight with Ryan Garcia

Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz did what he does best Saturday night: He brought the pressure from the opening bell and never let Nestor Bravo settle in.

Cruz dropped Bravo with a powerful lead left hook in the sixth round, successfully defending his WBC Interim Super Lightweight Title in the Premier Boxing Champions main event at Pechanga Arena.

The fight was stopped at 1:30 of the sixth round after Bravo’s knees buckled from the perfectly placed hook. Referee Thomas Taylor immediately waved off the bout as Bravo struggled to regain his footing.

Cruz improved to 29-3-2 with 19 knockouts, while Bravo fell to 24-2 with 17 knockouts.

As has become his trademark, Cruz attacked immediately. The fighters battled for position in the early rounds and repeatedly ended up wrestling to the canvas, prompting Taylor to warn both men.

“This was a boxing match,” Cruz said. “We fought with intelligence. The mental aspect of it really helped me navigate the fight when Bravo was trying to get me out of my comfort zone. I stayed calm, collected and that made the difference in the end.”

The physicality continued throughout the bout. Bravo was warned for two low blows and lost a point in the fourth round after throwing Cruz to the canvas. Cruz responded with his fists, staggering Bravo with a left hook.

Bravo said he believed the referee favored the champion.

THE MEXICAN MIKE TYSON, AND THE FACE OF MEXICAN BOXING @IsaacPitbull98!!! 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽#PitbullBravo pic.twitter.com/jb55rrSXdJ

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) September 20, 2026

“I felt the point deduction was because we were in his house,” Bravo said. “He was the champion. Like if we fought in Puerto Rico, they would most likely favor me. He was being physical and dirty.”

Bravo had stretches of success in the third, fourth and fifth rounds, but Cruz continued applying pressure and refused to be drawn out of his game.

“I was smartly aggressive and I never let Bravo rattle me,” Cruz said. “I knew the knockout was going to come by itself, eventually.”

It came in the sixth.

Cruz landed the fight-ending hook cleanly, a punch he said had been a specific focus during training camp.

“We worked on that punch in camp,” Cruz said. “That specific shot. We took our time and it worked out perfectly.”

Bravo questioned the stoppage afterward, saying a punch to the back of his head had affected him earlier.

“I don’t feel the stoppage was appropriate,” Bravo said. “He caught me, yes, but like I said, the back of the head of the punch is what hurt me.”

The CompuBox numbers reflected Cruz’s control. He landed 68 of 253 punches, or 26.9%, compared with 40 of 212, or 18.9%, for Bravo.

Mariachi band playing, crowd cheering, and fans showing love. Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz celebrates backstage after his huge KO win! 🇲🇽🎶 pic.twitter.com/8OOtOnGfXq

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) September 20, 2026

After the knockout, Cruz immediately called out Ryan Garcia.

“Hey Ryan, I’m here. My next fight is with you,” Cruz said. “Come on Ryan, come on!”

Cruz said he would be ready whenever the fight materializes.

“December, May or September,” he said. “If Ryan wants to fight me, it doesn’t matter when. I’ll be ready.”

In the co-main event, Daniel “Iceman” Blancas remained unbeaten with a seventh-round TKO of Sergio Jimenez. Blancas improved to 16-0 with eight knockouts.

Mexican Olympic silver medalist Marco Verde also remained unbeaten, stopping Guillermo Hernandez in the fifth round to improve to 7-0 with four knockouts.

Filipino Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial opened the DAZN broadcast with a third-round knockout of Omar Ulises Huerta, improving to 8-0 with five knockouts.