However on Saturday, the Kazakhstan fighter ends that layoff when facing Jesus Ramos for the WBC interim middleweight title.

Their scheduled 12-round contest will be the co-main event preceding Isaac Cruz-Nestor Bravo, live on DAZN at 7 p.m. ET at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

"There are always good and bad days in life, especially in boxing," Nursultanov (20-0, 11 KOs) told The Ring.

"I worked a lot on myself mentally. When you are away from competition for a long time, you learn patience, discipline, and how strong your desire really is. There were difficult moments, but they made me understand even more clearly what I want from this sport.

"I kept working, stayed focused, and believed that my time would come. Today, I'm happy and grateful to be in this position, and I'm ready to show everyone what I've been working for."

The 33-year-old contender accepts that having not boxed since November 2023 isn't an ideal situation, though feels he has spent time wisely in the meantime.

"Especially before a fight of this magnitude," he said. "But I never stopped training, improving, and staying focused on my goal."

"I spent a lot of time in Kazakhstan, working hard and staying connected to boxing," he explained. "I had the chance to look at my career and life from a different perspective.

"This period was about more than just boxing; I met Gennady Golovkin, someone who has inspired an entire generation of Kazakh fighters. Talking with him and seeing his mentality gave me even more motivation.

"I've used this time to become a stronger and more complete fighter, both physically and mentally. Kazakhstan has a great boxing tradition, and I'm proud to represent my country on this stage."

Nursultanov respects Ramos but feels now is his time and the layoff has increased his hunger for success.

"He's a very good fighter but on September 19, I'm going to show what I'm made of, how much I want this, and how far I'm willing to go to achieve my dream," he said.

"Ramos is a strong, skilled fighter. He puts pressure on his opponents, works well to the body, and he's physically strong. I respect what he brings to the ring. But every fighter has weaknesses.

"My team and I have studied him carefully, and we see things we can take advantage of. I believe my timing, movement, and boxing IQ will create opportunities. My job is to make him fight my fight. "My goal has always been to become a world champion. Boxing is my life, and everything I've done has been leading me toward this moment. I've waited a long time for an opportunity like this, and I'm coming to take it. I'm ready for everything he brings, and will show him exactly how much becoming a world champion means to me."

Ramos (24-1, 19 KOs), The Ring's No. 8 middleweight, began his professional career in Mexico before heading to America, where he quickly outgrew the 147-pound division.

The hard-charging 25-year-old outpointed Brian Mendoza over 10 rounds, stopped one-time prospect Joey Spencer in seven before a controversial 12-round defeat by Erickson Lubin in September 2023.

"Mono" has responded to that setback by producing a four-fight win streak, notably stopping former unified 154-pound titlist Jeison Rosario in eight rounds while outboxing Shane Mosley Jr over 12 rounds to claim the WBC interim belt on December 6.