Julio Cesar Martinez out of August 15th title defense with throat infection

The hits keep coming and they don’t stop coming.

Mexican publications ESTO and RÉCORD report that WBC super flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez has withdrawn from his August 15th title defense against McWilliams Arroyo, citing a sore throat and fever that kept him from training at 100%.

According to WBC chief Mauricio Sulaiman, who claims that it’s not a case of coronavirus, Martinez (16-1, 12 KO) began feeling ill this past Tuesday, but attempted to train through it until it became too much to bear. “Rey’s” trainer, Mauricio Aceves, says his charge has been assigned 10 days of total rest and that he intends to have him back in action against Arroyo (20-4. 15 KO) in September.

If that timeline proves accurate, it will be Martinez’s longest layoff since 2017. He was last seen overpowering Jay Harris in February.

While losing one of the sport’s breakout action stars is a serious blow, DAZN thankfully put together a fairly strong card around him. It will presumably go ahead with Cecilia Braekhus vs. Jessica McCaskill as the main event alongside Shakhram Giyasov vs. Francisco Rojo and prospects Nikita Abibiy, Raymond Ford, and Marc Castro.