Ryan Garcia and Javier Fortuna agreed to fight July 16 in Los Angeles, ESPN reported Monday.
DAZN will carry the lightweight bout between the American Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs), ranked sixth in his category by The Ring magazine, and the Dominican Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs), whom The Ring ranks 10th among lightweights.
It will mark Garcia’s second fight in a little more than three months after more than a year without a fight. Garcia and Fortuna were scheduled to square off last July before Garcia withdrew, citing a need to address his mental health.
Garcia pulled out of a different bout last November after needing wrist surgery, but returned in April to defeat Emmanuel Tagoe by unanimous decision in San Antonio.
Fortuna fought Joseph Diaz last July instead and lost a bout for the WBC interim lightweight belt.
The undefeated Garcia was already looking ahead to a possible fight with lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, which could happen provided Garcia defeats Fortuna first.
“Let me handle business July 16th I’m going to get tank,” Garcia tweeted Sunday, before the Fortuna fight was reported. “He was screaming the whole fight I’m next so let it be … December let’s get it.”
–Field Level Media