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Steve KimESPN
The WBC has ordered a fight between Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia for the organization’s interim lightweight title.
This opportunity became available after the WBC’s top-rated lightweight, Javier Fortuna, opted to face Jorge Linares on Aug. 28. Campbell and Garcia are ranked second and third by the WBC, respectively.
“I’m finally getting to fight a southpaw my favorite fighters to fight! Bring it on luke Campbell,” Garcia wrote on Twitter.
I’m finally getting to fight a southpaw my favorite fighters to fight! Bring it on luke Campbell
— Ryan Garcia (@KingRyanG) July 1, 2020
The entire WBC lightweight title scenario is a bit of a quagmire. The WBC “franchise” champion is Vasiliy Lomachenko, the organization’s regular champion is Devin Haney, and Fortuna-Linares will be contested for the WBC’s “Diamond” title. It’s not clear just how this will ultimately be cleared up, or if the winner of Campbell-Garcia will face any of the other champions in the foreseeable future.
While it’s an enticing matchup on paper, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this bout is destined to happen. Both sides must come to an agreement, and recently Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) and his promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions, have been at odds. The popular young prizefighter was scheduled to kick off Golden Boy’s return to action on July 4, but was unable to come to terms.
It has become a very public spat between the two parties, who are meeting later this week, according to Eric Gomez, the president of Golden Boy Promotions.
“We just got the letter today [from the WBC], so we’re in the process of talking to Ryan,” Gomez said. “We’re going to talk to his team, we’re going to see what he wants to do.
“That’s one of the guys he’s said repeatedly that he wants to fight,” Gomez said regarding Campbell.
First and foremost, it seems as though the relationship between Garcia and Golden Boy has to be mended.
“We’re meeting with team Ryan later this week, most likely Friday,” Gomez said.