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On September 19, 2026, at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California, Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz kept his WBC interim super-lightweight title by knocking out Nestor Bravo in the sixth round.
Cruz maintained control throughout the match using his usual method of applying pressure and then finished the fight with a strong left hook from a lead position at 1:30 in the sixth round. Since Bravo was unable to overcome referee Thomas Taylor's count, Cruz achieved his 19th knockout, and his professional record thus became 29-3-2.
It was also the first match that Cruz fought under his trainer Eddy Reynoso and his second successful defense of the WBC interim title.
Even though he had the physical disadvantage, Cruz at once applied pressure with the aim of reducing the distance between them. He inflicted damage on Bravo at the beginning and kept up the attacks on both his body and head during the entire fight.
The fight grew more physical, involving frequent clinches and wrestling moves, and referee Thomas Taylor kept giving warnings to both boxers, finally deducting two points from Bravo for breaking the rules.
Instead of using a series of punches, Cruz finished the fight with a well-timed left hook to the head. According to PBC, the punch knocked Bravo down at 1:30 in the round, and the Puerto Rican was still unable to get up by the time the count was over.
Cruz had employed his jab and feints throughout the fight to create openings, and these feints enabled him to hide the lead hook so that he could land the finishing punch cleanly. According to Yahoo Sports, Cruz had carried out a number of jab feints before throwing the left hook that concluded the contest.
This knockout marked Cruz's first stoppage win since his earlier knockout victory against Omar Salcido and regained his win record following his majority draw with Lamont Roach Jr. in December 2025.
Cruz's record is now 29 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, with 19 knockouts; Bravo's record is 24 wins, 2 losses, and 17 knockouts, and he suffered his first professional knockout defeat.
The win enabled Cruz to keep his WBC interim 140-pound title, since it was his second successful defense of that interim title.
It is necessary to differentiate the interim championship from the full WBC world title; Dalton Smith currently has the WBC super-lightweight championship and is set to defend it against Alberto Puello on October 24 in Sheffield, England.
The outcome of that fight might affect what Cruz does next. Having beaten Bravo, Cruz had previously talked about his intention to eventually challenge the winner of the Smith-Puello fight.
Previously, before the fight, Cruz had stated that he wished to combine Reynoso's technical method with his own aggressive style; instead of altering entirely the way he fought, he said that he wanted to introduce new features to his game while at the same time keeping up the pressure that has characterized his career.
The early outcome was achieved by the new team in their sixth round, though Cruz's subsequent bouts will provide a greater sample of how his style evolves under Reynoso.
In his interview after the knockout, Cruz right away called out Ryan Garcia.
“Hey Ryan, I'm here,” Cruz said, and called in Garcia to be his next opponent.
In response on social media, Garcia suggested December and stated that an offer was being made. He then said that he had given his attorney the authority to proceed with the offer. Yet, as of September 23, 2026, no official fight between Cruz and Garcia had been announced.
Garcia currently holds the title of WBC welterweight champion, having recently defeated Conor Benn in two rounds, which has now added another element of interest to the possible encounter.
Garcia has also made it public that he would like to fight Cruz, with December having been referred to as a possible date. However, neither of the two potential bouts has been officially confirmed.
At the moment, Cruz is leaving San Diego with the WBC interim super-lightweight title still around his waist, and has a record of 29 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws with 19 knockouts, together with another significant knockout on his record.
The key point from the fight involving Bravo was straightforward: Cruz's pressure caused the opening, and it was one left hook that concluded the fight at 1:30 in the sixth round.
Cruz maintained control throughout the match using his usual method of applying pressure and then finished the fight with a strong left hook from a lead position at 1:30 in the sixth round. Since Bravo was unable to overcome referee Thomas Taylor's count, Cruz achieved his 19th knockout, and his professional record thus became 29-3-2.
It was also the first match that Cruz fought under his trainer Eddy Reynoso and his second successful defense of the WBC interim title.
Isaac Cruz vs. Nestor Bravo Fight Result
Cruz entered the fight with the aim of defending his WBC interim super-lightweight title against Nestor Bravo of Puerto Rico, who had a record of 24 wins and 1 loss according to the PBC's official fight statistics. Bravo's weight was 139.2 pounds, and Cruz weighed 139 pounds; in addition, Cruz had to concede five inches in height and 6½ inches in reach.Even though he had the physical disadvantage, Cruz at once applied pressure with the aim of reducing the distance between them. He inflicted damage on Bravo at the beginning and kept up the attacks on both his body and head during the entire fight.
The fight grew more physical, involving frequent clinches and wrestling moves, and referee Thomas Taylor kept giving warnings to both boxers, finally deducting two points from Bravo for breaking the rules.
How Isaac Cruz Finished Nestor Bravo
The deciding moment occurred in the sixth round.Instead of using a series of punches, Cruz finished the fight with a well-timed left hook to the head. According to PBC, the punch knocked Bravo down at 1:30 in the round, and the Puerto Rican was still unable to get up by the time the count was over.
Cruz had employed his jab and feints throughout the fight to create openings, and these feints enabled him to hide the lead hook so that he could land the finishing punch cleanly. According to Yahoo Sports, Cruz had carried out a number of jab feints before throwing the left hook that concluded the contest.
This knockout marked Cruz's first stoppage win since his earlier knockout victory against Omar Salcido and regained his win record following his majority draw with Lamont Roach Jr. in December 2025.
Cruz's Official Fight Statistics
The last figures indicated that Cruz landed 68 of the 253 punches he threw, which is a connect rate of 26.9 percent, while Bravo landed 40 of his 212 punches, or 18.9 percent.Cruz's record is now 29 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, with 19 knockouts; Bravo's record is 24 wins, 2 losses, and 17 knockouts, and he suffered his first professional knockout defeat.
Cruz Retains the WBC Interim Super-Lightweight Title
The win enabled Cruz to keep his WBC interim 140-pound title, since it was his second successful defense of that interim title.
It is necessary to differentiate the interim championship from the full WBC world title; Dalton Smith currently has the WBC super-lightweight championship and is set to defend it against Alberto Puello on October 24 in Sheffield, England.
The outcome of that fight might affect what Cruz does next. Having beaten Bravo, Cruz had previously talked about his intention to eventually challenge the winner of the Smith-Puello fight.
A New Chapter With Eddy Reynoso
The fact that Cruz fought in the Bravo match was also his first bout under the guidance of the well-known trainer Eddy Reynoso.Previously, before the fight, Cruz had stated that he wished to combine Reynoso's technical method with his own aggressive style; instead of altering entirely the way he fought, he said that he wanted to introduce new features to his game while at the same time keeping up the pressure that has characterized his career.
The early outcome was achieved by the new team in their sixth round, though Cruz's subsequent bouts will provide a greater sample of how his style evolves under Reynoso.
Isaac Cruz Calls Out Ryan Garcia
In his interview after the knockout, Cruz right away called out Ryan Garcia.
“Hey Ryan, I'm here,” Cruz said, and called in Garcia to be his next opponent.
In response on social media, Garcia suggested December and stated that an offer was being made. He then said that he had given his attorney the authority to proceed with the offer. Yet, as of September 23, 2026, no official fight between Cruz and Garcia had been announced.
Garcia currently holds the title of WBC welterweight champion, having recently defeated Conor Benn in two rounds, which has now added another element of interest to the possible encounter.
What lies ahead for Cruz?
At 140 pounds, Cruz has a number of possible routes ahead of him, and if the winner of the fight between Dalton Smith and Alberto Puello contests one, the interim champion will find himself directly in the running for the WBC title.Garcia has also made it public that he would like to fight Cruz, with December having been referred to as a possible date. However, neither of the two potential bouts has been officially confirmed.
At the moment, Cruz is leaving San Diego with the WBC interim super-lightweight title still around his waist, and has a record of 29 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws with 19 knockouts, together with another significant knockout on his record.
The key point from the fight involving Bravo was straightforward: Cruz's pressure caused the opening, and it was one left hook that concluded the fight at 1:30 in the sixth round.
