Javier Fortuna & Joseph Diaz Will Compete For Interim WBC Lightweight Title

Javier Fortuna vs. Joseph Diaz is now a title fight.

Fortuna is scheduled to take on Diaz with Ryan Garcia out of action due to mental health issues. Fortuna was already the mandatory title challenger and he was set to challenge Garcia for the interim gold. As it turns out, he’ll instead be fighting for that title against Joseph Diaz on July 9.

The WBC made the announcement and you can read the statement below.

“Recently, WBC Interim Lightweight Champion Ryan Garcia notified the WBC that he was taking a leave from boxing to address ongoing health issues. The WBC fully and unconditionally supports Champion Garcia. The WBC will stay close to him during his process, and the WBC Board of Governors will assess his situation once he is ready to return to the ring.

The WBC has received a request to sanction the bout between the #2-rated Lightweight Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (36-2-1, 25 KOs) against the #5-rated Super Featherweight contender Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Diaz (31-1-1, 15 KOs) for the WBC Interim World Lightweight Championship. The Fortuna v. Diaz bout is scheduled to take place on July 9, 2021, in Los Angeles, California.”

Diaz was stripped of the IBF Bantamweight Title when he failed to make weight for his title defense against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov. That bout ended in a majority draw and Diaz has decided to move up in weight.