- Ryan Garcia has opened as the heavy betting favorite to beat Javier Fortuna.
- Garcia and Fortuna have agreed to fight on July 16th at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
- The two were scheduled to fight in July 2021 but Garcia withdrew from the bout to address his mental health issues.
Ryan Garcia spent most of 2021 on the shelf. Now, he’s trying to make up for the lost time.
After winning his comeback fight two months ago, the rising boxing star is booked to fight former world champion Javier Fortuna on July 16 in Los Angeles.
King is Back
The KING is back 👑
Undefeated Lightweight sensation @RyanGarcia faces 2-Division champion Javier Fortuna on July 16 🍿#GarciaFortuna pic.twitter.com/WoOyafXynq
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 31, 2022
Garcia and Fortuna were scheduled to fight last July but Garcia pulled out from the fight to take care of his mental health issues. King Ryan was later booked to fight Joseph Garcia in November 2021 but he also withdrew from the bout due to a wrist injury that required surgery. The 23-year-old Garcia finally returned to the ring last April, defeating Emmanuel Tagoe via unanimous decision. Garcia is 22-0 with 18 knockouts. One fight earlier, Garcia won the interim WBC lightweight title by stopping former Olympic Gold medalist Luke Campbell.
The Southern California native was at ringside last weekend in Brooklyn when Gervonta “Tank” Davis fought Rolly Romero. Garcia then went on to call out Davis on social media, challenging Tank to a December fight after he takes care of business on July 16th, meaning Fortuna.
The 33-year-old from the Dominican Republic is a two-time featherweight champion, holding the WBA (regular) featherweight title from 2015 to 2016 and the interim WBA featherweight championship from 2012 to 2013. After Garcia withdrew from their bout last year, he went on to fight Joseph Diaz Jr. who beat him via unanimous decision for the interim WBC lightweight title. Fortuna won a stay-busy fight last February in his home country. Fortuna has a record of 37-3 with 26 knockouts.
Garcia is a Heavy Favorite Against Fortuna
Javier Fortuna (+450)
Ryan Garcia (-833)https://t.co/I4Rbf3yStl— ProBoxingOdds (@ProBoxingOdds) June 1, 2022
Despite Fortuna’s resume and his powerful left hand, the Dominican has opened as a heavy betting favorite against Garcia. According to the best boxing betting sites, Fortuna is a sizable +450 underdog and Garcia the heavy -833 betting favorite to win the July 16th bout at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena.
This marks only the fourth time in Fortuna’s career that he’s opened with the plus money sign written next to his name. He is winless in the first three instances, having lost via split decision to Robert Easter Jr. as the +450 underdog, figuring in a no-decision against Adrian Granados as the +165 bottom dog, and dropping a unanimous decision as a +240 betting underdog against Diaz the last time out.
Meanwhile, Garcia will be the betting favorite for the 23rd time in as many professional boxing bouts. But although he will have the minus money sign next to his name, King Ryan’s opening odds against Fortunata are the second-longest of his career, next only to the -170 he opened with against Luke Campbell.
