By Jake Donovan

Well-versed in the art of rescuing cards after late fallouts, promoter Rodney Berman has secured a new main event for his “Night of Champions” bill on November 7 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. 

Former super lightweight champ Ruslan Provodnikov will now appear atop the show as he was already training in hopes of separate opportunities elsewhere on the date. He will face Jesus Alvarez, an unbeaten welterweight from Mexico, in a bout slated for either 10 or 12 rounds, depending on whether a regional title can be secured.

More germane to the plot, the new main event comes just as the original headliner fell through over the weekend. Secondary light heavyweight titlist Jurgen Braehmer was due to face unbeaten Thomas Oosthuizen – who is promoted by Berman – but was forced off the show after suffering a hand injury during training camp. 

Efforts are being sought to reschedule the light heavyweight clash. In the meantime, the show goes on in Monte Carlo as Provodnikov comes to the promotional rescue. Berman reached an immediate agreement with Artie Pelullo of Banner Promotions in bringing the Russian slugger back to the ring.

 “He’s in great shape as he was in training,” said Berman in a statement through his press office. “Provodnikov is all-action, a made-for-TV fighter who will add great value. 

“I’m disappointed the Braehmer-Oosthuizen fight has fallen through, but I’ve been around long enough to know that such things are an occupational hazard.”

The 23-year old Ramirez is 13-0 (10KOs), but is largely untested and fighting outside of Mexico for just the second time in his career. His previous ring appearance came in February, scoring a knockout win in Verona, New York. 

Provodnikov (24-4, 17KOs) is coming off of a 12-round loss to Lucas Matthysse in April, a bout that many have hailed as one of the best of 2015. Such fighters are nothing new to the “Siberian Rocky”, who rose to prominence – albeit in defeat – following his 12-round war with then-unbeaten welterweight champ Timothy Bradley Jr., a bout that was named by BoxingScene.com as 2013 Fight of the Year. 

The narrow loss was followed up by a career-best win later that year, rallying from an earlier deficit to drop and eventually stop Mike Alvarado in 10 rounds on the road in Denver, Colorado. 

He has since lost two of his last three – dropping a disputed decision to Chris Algieri last June, and the aforementioned setback versus Matthysse. Wedged in between, Provodnikov managed a 5th round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo last November in his first fight at home in Russia since 2011. 

Also on the show: 

Yonfrez Parejo (16-1-1, 7 KOs) makes the first defense of his secondary bantamweight title versus top-rated contender Zhanat Zhakiyanov (25-1, 18 KOs) of Kazakhstan; 

Youri Kalenga (21-2, 14 KOs) returns from his disputed points loss to cruiserweight titlist Denis Lebedev as he faces Argentina's Roberto Bolonti (36-4, 25 KOs) a 10-round cruiserweight clash; 

Venezuelan Charlie Navarro’s (25-7, 20 KOs) meets David Avanesyan (20-1-1, 10 KOs) in a welterweight bout; 

Amor Beladhj Ali (14-3-1, 2 KOs) of France squares off with China's Qiu Xiao Jun (17-2, 7 KOs) in a 12-round super bantamweight bout, with the winner to be named mandatory challenger for recently crowned champ Julio Ceja.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox