The pairing was confirmed during Saturday’s edition of PBC on FS1.
James (25-1, 12KOs)—who turns 31 two weeks after his next fight—enters riding a five fight win streak following the lone loss of his career, a 10-round decision to Yordenis Ugas in Aug. 2016.
DeMarco (33-7-1, 24KOs) comes in on the heels of a points loss to unbeaten prospect Maxim Dadashev last October. Prior to that, the 33-year old southpaw from Tijuana, Mexico had claimed two straight wins, including a stunning 1st round knockout of then-unbeaten 140-pound prospect Eddie Ramirez in their Oct. 2017 Fox-televised clash.
The bout officially represents a jump in weight for DeMarco, who has sporadically fought at welterweight but is largely campaigning in the 140-pound division. He reigned as a lightweight titlist for more than year earlier in the decade, scoring a come-from-behind 11th round knockout of Jorge Linares in Oct. 2011 and making two defenses before suffering a knockout loss to then-unbeaten Adrien Broner in Nov. 2012.
DeMarco is 5-4 since that night, having fallen short in a 140-pound title bid versus Jessie Vargas in April 2014.