Ryan Garcia returns this Saturday live at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles, California against Javier Fortuna, broadcasted by DAZN and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
Ryan Garcia vs Javier Fortuna Preview
Ryan Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) who is currently the #2 ranked WBC lightweight contender is coming off a three month absence since defeating Emmanuel Tagoe in April after going over a year without a fight.
Garcia will be fighting arguably the toughest if not second toughest opponent of his career against the 33 year old Javier Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs) with his last two fights being 1-1 in a tough decision loss to Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz Jr, and then a rebound victory against Rafael Hernandez via knockout in the first round.
Fortuna in comparison to Garcia’s biggest career victory being against Luke Campbell, has also been in the sport for a long time. He arguably hits harder than Campbell and for Garcia who showed a shaky chin in the fight could be enough for Fortuna to fully expose Garcia’s durability.
To Garcia’s favor however, he holds the youth, size and speed advantage to which he has been known for his entire career, and even though as previously mentioned, Garcia showed the ability to adapt mid fight as he finished Campbell after being dropped by the British fighter.
Prior to Garcia taking a 16 month hiatus between the Campbell and Tagoe fight, he was scheduled to face Fortuna after his loss to Diaz Jr however, mental health issues was cited as the fight being postponed.
It is a surprising move by Golden Boy Promotions to once again pair up Garcia with Fortuna instead of Garcia with Diaz Jr who most recently lost to undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney.
The boxing aficionados have been waiting for sometime now for Garcia to be put in a step up in competition and though Fortuna isn’t a downgrade, he is not an upgrade either. Garcia Vs Diaz Jr would’ve been the more attractive and revealing fight for the young boxing star to further cement himself as a real contender and command fights with either Gervonta Davis, Visiliy Lomachenko, and other lightweight contenders before eventually knocking on the door of lightweight king, Devin Haney.
