Rohan Polanco Out of Christian Gomez Fight Due to Illness

Rohan Polanco falling ill hours before fight night scrapped his welterweight bout with Christian Gomez and quietly reshaped how Saturday unfolds in San Juan. The change landed late Thursday. Polanco was ruled out after becoming sick, and the fight was removed without replacement.

The rest of the show moves forward at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, still topped by Xander Zayas against Abass Baraou, though the rhythm of the night has shifted.

Juanmita Lopez De Jesus against Conner Goade now runs directly before the main event.  It is the final test before the headliner, the last chance to keep the crowd sharp and the broadcast steady.

Why the Polanco withdrawal alters the card flow

Polanco against Gomez was built as a welterweight measuring stick, the kind of six to eight rounds that settles nerves early and sets a tone. Losing it thins the mid-card and compresses momentum. There is less space for recovery between fights.

For Gomez, the night ends before it starts. For Polanco, illness halts momentum without a punch thrown. No records change, yet timing does. Matchmakers hate late scratches for this reason. The gym work stays unseen, and the calendar turns cold.

The broadcast adjusted around that absence. Live streaming now starts earlier on the Top Rank Classics FAST channel, with a clear runway to the main event. Zayas against Baraou is expected around 10 p.m. ET, though the undercard must now carry the evening more directly.

Why Lopez De Jesus vs Goade gets trusted late

Placing Lopez De Jesus and Goade immediately before Zayas is a vote of confidence.  Trainers want clean work. Producers want rounds that move.

This is where composure shows. The crowd leans forward. Corners shorten instructions. Fighters who rush get caught.  Lopez De Jesus boxes at home. Goade walks into a building already warm.

Puerto Rico will also see the full card locally on WAPA Deportes, starting earlier in the evening, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. AST. The night still belongs to Zayas and Baraou.