Mikey Garcia return set vs. Martin

Undercard includes two junior flyweight title bouts

Former four-division world titlist Mikey Garcia’s next fight is set, just not against the opponent that was teased.

Garcia will end a 19-month layoff and face the unknown Sandor Martin on Oct. 16 at the outdoor Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California, Matchroom Boxing and DAZN announced on Thursday.

Although it was not in the press announcement, the fight will be a 10-round welterweight bout at a contract weight of 145 pounds, a Matchroom Boxing spokesperson told Fight Freaks Unite.

Garcia has not boxed since a competitive unanimous decision over former two-division titlist Jessie Vargas in a welterweight fight on Feb. 29, 2020 at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.

There was plenty of excitement from boxing fans when it appeared as though Garcia would return for a high-profile fight against fellow former junior welterweight titlist Regis Prograis. The sides were negotiating and a deal was close but DAZN ultimately passed and instead green lit the less expensive but not nearly as notable Garcia fight against Martin, whose biggest fight was a unanimous decision loss to former world title challenger Anthony Yigit in 2017.

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring and give my fans another night to remember,” Garcia said by way of press release. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on Oct. 16 in Fresno. It’s going to be a great night of boxing.”

In his last fight, Martin (38-2, 13 KOs), 28, a southpaw from Spain, outpointed Kay Prospere to retain the European junior welterweight title in April. In his fight before that, Martin faced an 8-9-1 opponent in a nontitle bout.

Now, he will take by far the biggest step up in competition of his career against Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs), 33, of Ventura, California, who has won world titles from featherweight to junior welterweight. His only loss was a one-sided decision when he jumped up to weight classes to challenge welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. in March 2019.

“I’m so excited for this opportunity,” said Martin, who will be fighting outside of Spain for the third time and for the first time in the United States. “The sport of boxing brings me the chance to change my life. There will be a before and after for everyone in this fight.”

The card will also include two world title bouts in the junior flyweight division.

In one bout, WBO titlist Elwin Soto (19-1, 13 KOs), 24, of Mexico, will face mandatory challenger Jonathan Gonzalez (24-3-1, 14 KOs), 30, a southpaw from Puerto Rico.

Soto last fought in May on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders super middleweight unification fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where he stopped former titlist Katsunari Takayama in the ninth round.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and defend my title,” said Soto, who will be making his fourth defense. “Texas was a great night and I think this will be too. Gonzalez is a proud Puerto Rican contender, and we all know that when Mexico and Puerto Rico step through the ropes, there are fireworks, so the fans are going to love this fight.”

Gonzalez is getting his second title opportunity. In August 2019, he traveled to Japan and got stopped in the seventh round challenging Kosei Tanaka for the WBO flyweight title.

“I've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time,” Gonzalez said. “Soto's style fits me perfectly. It will be a war of Puerto Rico versus Mexico.”

Also, Esteban Bermudez (14-3-2 10 KOs), 25, of Mexico, will defend his secondary WBA belt against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. It will be Bermudez’s his first defense since winning the 108-pound belt by upset sixth-round knockout of Carlos Canizales in May.

“This is going to be a great fight,” Bermudez said. “Jesse is a really talented fighter and I am sure that he will be in great shape and ready to rock on Oct. 16, but I worked too hard to become world champion to let it go in my first defense, so this will be a war.”

Rodriguez (13-0 9 KOs), 21, of San Antonio, who is trained by Robert Garcia — Mikey Garcia’s older brother — is one of boxing’s top prospects and the younger brother of secondary junior bantamweight titlist Joshua Franco.

“This is the opportunity I've been waiting for my whole life,” Rodriguez said. “I also want to thank Bermudez for giving me the opportunity to fight for his title. I know it won't be an easy fight, but I plan on walking out of the ring Oct. 16 as the new world champion and bring the title home to San Antonio. It will be an honor for me and my brother Joshua to be world champions at the same time. I am training very hard and promise I won't disappoint anybody.”

Although not officially announced, the undercard is also slated to include three of manager Keith Connolly’s prospects: Fresno featherweight Marc Castro (3-0, 3 KOs), 22; middleweight Nikita Ababiy (10-0, 6 KOs), 22, of Brooklyn, New York; and light heavyweight Khalil Coe (1-0, 1 KO), 25, of Flemington, New Jersey, who is co-managed by David McWater.

Initially, Oct. 16 was supposed to be headlined by the third fight between junior bantamweight world champion Juan Francisco Estrada and former champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, but it was postponed because Gonzalez recently came down with Covid-19.

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