Gilberto Ramirez/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

Fresh off making history by becoming the first from Mexico to win a world title at super middleweight, the blossoming career of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs) hit a roadblock this week when he sustained a hand injury that will prevent him from making his first defense July 23 against Dominik Britsch of Germany.

They were to square off underneath the junior welterweight title-unification bout between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

The following is a statement from hand specialist, Dr. Steven Shin, who examined Ramirez:

“Gilberto Ramirez sustained an injury to the third knuckle of his right hand after a punch to the head of his sparring partner, July 5, 2016.  I examined Gilberto later that day, and ordered an MRI of his right hand. The MRI revealed a complete tear of the ulnar sagittal band at the 3rd metacarpophalangeal joint (knuckle) of his right hand, a region of the hand that is commonly injured in boxers.  Gilberto will undergo surgery this Friday for repair of this injury.  We anticipate that the soonest he will be able to fight competitively will be in approximately five months.”

Top Rank Inc. is promoting this card. Company spokesman Fred Sternburg said promoter Bob Arum is still trying to put together another semi-main event. It could be that another fight already scheduled on the card will fill that spot.