Garcia was supposed to fight Javier Fortuna in July.
Rising lightweight boxing star Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) was supposed to fight Javier Fortuna in the summer, but that fight is no longer happening.
‘KingRy’ announced on his Instagram page that he has pulled out of his July 9th bout against the Dominican contender, citing a need to focus on his health.
“I know this news may be disappointing to some of my fans but I am announcing today that I am withdrawing from my July 9th fight,” Garcia wrote. “At this time it is important to manage my health and wellbeing. I have decided to take some time off to focus on becoming a stronger version of myself. I hope to be back soon and am looking forward to stepping back into the ring when I am my healthiest self. I want to thank god, my family, my doctors and my supporters.”
There’s no word on what the future holds for Fortuna (who has had more high-profile fights cancelled than just about anyone in the sport in recent years) or that Golden Boy card, which was slated to stream live on DAZN.
Garcia became the WBC interim lightweight champion with a thrilling KO win over Luke Campbell, overcoming the first knockdown of his career to stop the 2012 Olympic gold medalist with a punishing body shot. The 22-year-old sensation has been billed as a budding superstar under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, and the Fortuna bout figured to be another difficult test for him.
While he never went into great detail in his latest statement, it must be noted that Garcia has been open about his mental health and previously revealed his ongoing battle with anxiety. He’s been a tremendous talent in the ring but it’s only fair and sensible to wish him well as he steps away from the sport for a bit.