Slightly flourishing competitor Ryan Garcia and former champion Javier Fortuna have agreed on conditions for a fight this summer, a source told ESPN.
In March, Garcia was ordered by the WBC to fight Fortuna in defense of the interim WBC Lightweight title. The winner will likely be in the fight to face Devin Haney, who has the largest belt in the sanctioning body in the £ 135 division.
The location and date have not yet been set, but sources confirmed to ESPN that it will probably not take place on July 10, which is the same date as UFC 264 with the trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. News of the Garcia-Fortuna fight was first reported by The Athletic.
Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) won a victory in January over Luke Campbell, which was the toughest fight in the 22-year-old’s young career. Fortuna (36-2-1, 25 KOs), who was once the lightweight junior champion, has won three consecutive fights in a non-competition against Adrian Granados in 2018.
Friday’s development comes exactly two weeks before a scheduled money offer if promoters Garcia and Fortuna fail to reach an agreement.
Garcia, who has one of the biggest social media followers in boxing, has long been seen as one of Golden Boy Promotions’ best customers. Garcia defeated Campbell in the seventh round of the TKO with a big body blow, Garcia’s fifth straight victory by elimination.