- Date & Location: Saturday, July 16, 2022 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: DAZN
The long-anticipated bout between Ryan Garcia and Javier Fortuna will finally take place on Saturday, July 16th at Crypto.com Arena a year later than initially scheduled. The two fighters were supposed to battle it out in the ring last July, but Garcia ultimately bowed out due to mental health problems. He finally returned to the ring in April after a 15-month layoff (he also dealt with a wrist injury) and beat Emmanuel Tagoe via unanimous decision. As for Fortuna, he ended up rescheduling a fight in July of 2021 where he lost to Jo Jo Diaz via unanimous decision as well. The ex-two division world champ did bounce back in February though, knocking out Rafael Hernandez in the first round in impressive fashion. This should be a very entertaining fight. Keep reading for the Garcia vs Fortuna picks.
Before we get into the odds and predictions for this lightweight fight, check out the best boxing betting sites and where you can find the best online sportsbooks.
Ryan Garcia vs Javier Fortuna Odds
| Fighters |  |
|---|---|
| Ryan Garcia | -1250 |
| Javier Fortuna | +700 |
Ryan Garcia vs Javier Fortuna Prediction
As you can see, Garcia is a heavy favorite to win this match, and for good reason. The 23-year-old might have taken some time away from boxing, but he's still one of the best around. Garcia is ranked No. 6 overall by the WBA and second by the WBC in the lightweight division. The California-born Garcia will be fighting in front of his hometown fans on Saturday as well, which should definitely play in his favor. He's currently undefeated as a pro with a 22-0 record and an impressive 18 knockouts. Garcia has been fighting professionally since 2016 and has been utterly dominant ever since. There is a firm belief that if Garcia does beat Fortuna, one of the most experienced fighters he'll face yet, a super matchup with Gervonta "Tank" Davis will surely be next in December, a bout that everyone in the boxing world would absolutely love to see.
Fortuna is eight years older than Garcia but he's been around for a hot minute and has patiently awaited this fight to finally take place. The 32-year-old owns a 37-3 record with one draw and two no contests. Fortuna has also collected 26 KOs in his career. The Dominican did impress against Hernandez, really wearing him down with his sheer quickness and power. Fortuna eventually knocked him out late in the first round. He is ranked No. 9 in the lightweight division by The Ring and Fortuna has been extremely vocal about his desire to pull off the upset in this bout against Garcia, who is essentially already looking past the veteran to a Davis fight.
This will not be an easy victory for Ryan Garcia. But, he is well-rested and has tons of power. Fortuna might be ranked within the top-10. However, Garcia is the better boxer here and will move on to his next fight against one of the best in the game, Tank Davis. It's certainly a steep moneyline at -1250, therefore Garcia winning by decision is a good bet here. Fortuna has only been knocked out once in his career. Plus, the youngster has the home crowd behind him. That will certainly help, too.
Garcia vs Fortuna picks: Ryan Garcia to beat Javier Fortuna by decision.
Over/Under Value
The over/under is set at 7.5 here at most sportsbooks, which makes sense. These are two very good fighters and most expect Fortuna to give Garcia a serious run for his money. Garcia's last bout went the full 12 rounds, but his five fights before that went under 7.5. As previously mentioned, however, this is arguably the most important fight of the 23-year-old's career yet because it is a stepping stone to one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
As for Fortuna, only three of his last six have gone over 7.5 rounds. There is a very small chance he's able to knock out Garcia, who simply doesn't lose. If the Dominican Republic native is going to pull off the unthinkable here, it would be by wearing his opponent down and going close to the distance.
But, I honestly don't see that happening. The 23-year-old will finish this fight before the seventh round approaches. Cash in on the under here.
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