Javier Fortuna vs. Antonio Lozada - November 21, 2020
Posted: 23 Oct 2020, 04:17
Press Release
Former world champion Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna will take on Mexico's Antonio Lozada in a 10-round lightweight showdown that headlines FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, November 21 from Los Angeles.
FS1 PBC Fight Night begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will see unbeaten Starling Castillo battle lightweight contender Austin Dulay in the 10-round co-main event. In special features on the telecast, middleweight prospect Raymond Guajardo competes in a four-round attraction and lightweight prospect Armani Alméstica makes his pro debut in a four-round affair. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions.
"Javier Fortuna and Antonio Lozada have both put on explosive performances at the highest levels and will look to ascend up the stacked lightweight division when they meet on FS1 Saturday, November 21," said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. "Combined with an intriguing lightweight clash between Starling Castillo and Austin Dulay, plus powerful prospects Raymond Guajardo and Armani Alméstica in separate bouts, November 21 is set to deliver an action-packed evening."
Born in La Romana, Dominican Republic, Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs) returns to action after a 2019 campaign that saw him defeat contender Sharif Bogere in February, before knocking out Jesus Cuellar in the second-round on FS1 in November. Now fighting out of Braintree, Massachusetts, Fortuna has won six of his last seven contests, with his only blemish coming by split-decision against then lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr. Fortuna previously captured a 130-pound title by defeating Bryan Vasquez in 2015.
The 30-year-old Lozada (40-4-1, 34 KOs) will look to bounce back from a pair of defeats in 2019, including coming up short against former two-division champion Jose Pedraza. Born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Lozada's U.S. debut came in 2018 when he stopped then unbeaten Felix Verdejo to score an upset and announce himself as a 135-pound contender. Lozada has fought professionally since his 2006 debut, which came when he was just 16-years-old.
A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Castillo (12-0, 9 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on November 21. The 25-year-old has fought professionally since 2017 and scored knockouts in seven of his first eight fights. After adding three victories to his resume in 2019, Castillo kicked off his 2020 with a second-round stoppage of Miguel Taveras in February.
The 25-year-old Dulay (13-2, 10 KOs) will return to the ring looking to bounce back from a February defeat against veteran contender Diego Magdaleno. Prior to that fight, the Nashville native had won back-to-back fights since a 2018 loss against top super featherweight Chris Colbert.
Fighting out of his native San Antonio, Texas, Guajardo (5-1, 4 KOs) turned pro in March 2019 with five victories, including four by way of knockout. The 20-year-old southpaw steps back into the ring after losing to Clay Collard in a memorable firefight on FS1 in February that saw both men hit the canvas in round one.
Trained by his father Freddy, a former pro boxer, Alméstica will make his pro debut after an impressive amateur career that included winning the 2018 Youth National Championships and National Golden Gloves, in addition to the 2017 National Junior Olympics. The 19-year-old lives and trains out of his native Orlando, Florida.
