BoxRec

“I wish Ryan Garcia a speedy recovery,” said Fortuna. “There are things more important than fighting and I hope he is able to quickly recover. We can reschedule our fight for a time when I can face and beat a 100% prepared version of Ryan Garcia.”

Fortuna, rated #2 by the World Boxing Council, says he’s not sure yet if he’ll be facing a different opponent next.

“At the end of the day, your health is what truly matters,” added Lewkowicz. “I commend Ryan Garcia for having the courage to admit he needs to focus on his life away from the ring. We will be ready to reschedule when he is and our whole team wishes him well.”

kinda bizarre turn of events

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 18:51 kinda bizarre turn of events

It’s not really that bizarre. Garcia is probably suffering from mental health or personal issues.

He can’t compete at 100% if his mind isn’t in the right place.

it is bizarre, not something i think anyone wouldve expected to happen to this fight

now go get yo head in the game ryan my man

maybe he spends too much time reading his social media.....i know some people can become consumed by it. and if you are someone who gets 'haters' and has thin skin, it can f@ck with your head

if it is mental health, dude should get a full team of therapists on it or something right now while he's young, to catch it before it f@cks with his career long term. the mental game can be as much of a doozy as the physcial one

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 19:01 maybe he spends too much time reading his social media.....i know some people can become consumed by it. and if you are someone who gets 'haters' and has thin skin, it can f@ck with your head

if it is mental health, dude should get a full team of therapists on it or something right now while he's young, to catch it before it f@cks with his career long term. the mental game can be as much of a doozy as the physcial one

Good Post.
Ryan needs to get out more.
Live the Great Outdoors.
Take up Mtn Biking.
Cut out,or at least cut down dramatically on social media.

AngryGoon38 wrote: ↑25 Apr 2021, 12:27

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 19:01 maybe he spends too much time reading his social media.....i know some people can become consumed by it. and if you are someone who gets 'haters' and has thin skin, it can f@ck with your head

if it is mental health, dude should get a full team of therapists on it or something right now while he's young, to catch it before it f@cks with his career long term. the mental game can be as much of a doozy as the physcial one

Good Post.
Ryan needs to get out more.
Live the Great Outdoors.
Take up Mtn Biking.
Cut out,or at least cut down dramatically on social media.

Yh, social media is probably the main cause of my people’s mental health these years

There's never been a boxer who's never had the odd nightmare, sleepless night, a bad bout of stage fright.

[Apart from Prince Naseem of course.]

Most successful young fighters tend to have a good support team around them and maybe Garcia's team decided that this was a fight they don't need.

Or maybe that surprise knockdown in his last fight has opened a few doors he's now having trouble keeping shut.

Ryan should challenge/call out Lomachenko.
That'd be a Much Less scarier match than those other Monsters at 135.

Joseph Diaz Jr: I'll Step In And Fight Javier Fortuna

Joseph 'JoJo' Diaz Jr. is ready to step in and save the show.

The former junior lightweight titlist has expressed an interest in a summertime clash with Dominican Republic’s Javier Fortuna, replacing Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) who recently bailed from a planned WBC interim lightweight title defense due to personal issues. Boxing Scene has learned that such a replacement bout is at least being explored, though in the very early stages and dependent upon a number of variables.

“Told Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, [Golden Boy matchmaker] Robert Diaz [and] MTK Global [t]hat I’ll step in and fight Fortuna,” Diaz announced Tuesday via social media. “Y’all wanna see it?”

The vow came as Diaz (31-1-1, 15 KOs) offered online proof of his between-fight commitment, sporting a six-pack while awaiting his next fight date. The revelation is in stark contrast to the final days surrounding his most recent fight, where Diaz was forced to vacate his IBF junior lightweight title after badly missing weight for a mandatory title defense versus Tajikistan’s Shavkat Rakhimov. Their Feb. 13 fight proceeded, with the title remaining vacant as the two fought to an entertaining 12-round draw.

Rakhimov will now face Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa, leaving Diaz on the hunt for his next fight.

Fortuna (36-2-1, 25 KOs) is now in the same dilemma, now that Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) is no longer available for their previously announced July 9 DAZN headliner. The series of events leading to this point results in Fortuna being left at the altar for at least the fourth time since a Nov. 2019 knockout win over Jesus Cuellar put him in lightweight title contention. The Dominican southpaw has been left with nothing to show for talks with WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) and scheduled fights with England’s Luke Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs), former three-division titlist Jorge Linares (47-5, 29 KOs) and now Garcia.

Diaz is willing to fill that void as well as move up in weight in order to make it happen.

Garcia-Fortuna was previously to have determined the mandatory challenger for Haney, who next attempts his third title defense versus Linares on May 29 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

In the past boxers used to break through rankings with numerous fights to become famous. Now different ryangarcias fight 2 times a year max, gain popularity in the social network, being tracked safe and promoted like "kings", but suddenly they cry about depressions.

AngryGoon38 wrote: ↑25 Apr 2021, 22:08 Ryan should challenge/call out Lomachenko.
That'd be a Much Less scarier match than those other Monsters at 135.

teo's really the only monster at 135

tank's only fought at 135 once in last 3 years and isnt fighting there next......and haney is a low power decision specialist rather than a scary monster

Faggot

This might be announced soon.

So he's fighting the guy that lost to JoJo Diaz? Coddling.

Bandog wrote: ↑30 May 2022, 14:10 So he's fighting the guy that lost to JoJo Diaz? Coddling.

He was supposed to fight him last year.

he should be fighting diaz instead, wouldve been easy enough to make too id think. all southern california fight

Cruz was too risky to jeopardize a future big money fight between Garcia and Tank.

Good fight for Garcia especialy if he is keen to fight tank. In a way Fortuna is just B grade Tank (dimentions and stance and power). good warm up/test/see if you got what it takes to step up, fight.

Undefeated, lightweight superstar Ryan Garcia (22-0, 18KOs) of Victorville, CA, will make his second appearance of the year, facing former two-time world champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs) of La Romana, DR.

The 12-round lightweight fight will take place on Saturday, July 16 and will stream live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN.

“If there is any doubt I was hesitant to fight Fortuna a year ago, that will all be made clear after our fight,” said Ryan Garcia. “This was the fight I wanted and now it’s time. I am so grateful to my friends, family, and especially my fans for their support. I have never felt better, stronger, and more motivated. It’s time to silence all the doubters and it starts on July 16.”

“This is going to be a very exciting fight. I know it didn’t take place last year like originally announced but I hope that this time it will be real so that I can offer a good show to the public,” said Javier Fortuna. “I feel very happy with the work that I have been doing with my promoter, Sampson who has been trusting me since the beginning of my career. I will prepare 100% to win my fight. I trust my team now more than ever and have full confidence in my coach Belvin García, who I consider my family. Together, and with God on our side, I know we will hold up our hands high in victory on fight night.”

“It’s time to show the world Ryan Garcia as an elite level fighter,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO, Golden Boy. “This fight against Javier Fortuna will not only be a tough fight, it will show the world how talented he is.”

“What a month we have had on DAZN and what a fight this will be!” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN. “This is an absolute cracker featuring one of the brightest talents in the sport in Ryan Garcia against a two-time world champion in Javier Fortuna. You do not want to miss this on July 16th! Watch live and exclusively worldwide on DAZN.”

After a spectacular performance against top-ten lightweight contender Emmanuel Tagoe in April 2022, Ryan Garcia proved he still is a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division. Originally scheduled to face Fortuna in July 2021, Garcia was forced to bow out of the event due to mental health struggles. However, he has defeated almost every top contender via knockout, including a seventh-round stoppage of 2012 Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in 2021.

His amazing undefeated career with 18 knock-outs inside the ring, including his spectacular shutout performance against Emmanuel Tagoe has earned him a spot as one of the lightweight divisions top stars of our time. Now, the 23-year-old, undefeated lightweight sensation is on a mission to prove he has what it takes to defeat the division’s elite.

Ranked in the top 10 of the lightweight division by ESPN.com, the WBC, and The Ring Magazine, Javier Fortuna is a dangerous lightweight contender with a lot to prove on July 16. The 33-year-old southpaw is a former two-time world champion who previously held the WBA Interim Featherweight World Championship and the WBA Super Featherweight World Championship. Fortuna was last seen in a spectacular first round stoppage of Rafael Hernandez in Santo Domingo, DR this past February and will be looking to have another spectacular performance when he faces Ryan Garcia on July 16.

Garcia vs. Fortuna is a 12-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Sampson Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, July 16 and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

press release writers need to learn that once you use so many extolments, it starts to reflect worse on the fighter

Garcia is not messing around. That's very tough as a comeback fight.

Press Release | Ticket Information

The 12-round lightweight clash between undefeated, lightweight superstar Ryan Garcia (22-0, 18KOs) of Victorville, CA, and former two-time world champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs) of La Romana, DR will take place in Downtown Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, July 16. Fighting in Southern California for most of his career, this will be the first time Garcia has fought in Downtown Los Angeles since 2017.

The fight, originally scheduled to take place in 2021, has become a grudge match between Garcia and Fortuna and will be streamed live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for Garcia vs. Fortuna go on sale Tuesday, June 7th at 10:00 a. m. PT and are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100, $75, and $50 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase online at AXS.com, CryptoArena.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

“I am so excited to be fighting at the world famous Crypto.com Arena on July 16th,” said Ryan Garcia. “Let’s turn LA upside down.”

“We are excited to welcome Golden Boy and this marquee fight between Ryan Garcia and Javier Fortuna to downtown Los Angeles and Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, July 16th,” Lee Zeidman, President, Crypto.com Arena.

Crypto.com Arena has undoubtedly developed an unrivaled reputation for excellence having established itself as one of the world’s busiest and most successful venues in the world. As the home of four professional sports franchises – the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, the NHL’s LA Kings and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks – Crypto.com Arena has proven to be a home court advantage for the local teams.

The AEG owned and operated arena continues to distinguish itself as the host of major, high-profile events of national and international distinction including the 2004, 2011 & 2018 NBA All-Star Games, 2002 & 2017 NHL All-Star Game, 2000 Democratic National Convention, 2009 World Figure Skating Championships and 19 of the last 22 GRAMMY Awards shows.

The past twenty-two years have also been marked with performances and special events that brought international stature to the downtown Los Angeles venue including concerts Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Usher, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Keith Urban, Roger Waters, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar, Michael Bublé, Carrie Underwood and Justin Timberlake, as well as world championship boxing, family shows and special events.

Hosting over 250 events a year, the arena’s reputation for world-class amenities, features and commitment to quality of service and the guest experience is second to none.

Garcia vs. Fortuna is a 12-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Sampson Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, July 16 at the Crypto.com Arena and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.