Ryan Garcia withdraws from fight with Javier Fortuna

UPDATE (4:05 pm ET): Dan Rafael at The Ring spoke with Sampson Lewkowicz, Fortuna’s promoter, who says he’s been told by Golden Boy that Garcia is dealing with mental health issues. We again wish Garcia well.

Ryan Garcia will not be fighting Javier Fortuna on July 9, announcing via social media that he is withdrawing from the fight to “manage his health and wellbeing.”

“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 on Instagram. “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.”

Garcia (21-0, 18 KO) last fought on Jan. 2, stopping Luke Campbell in the seventh round in Dallas. It was expected he would then face WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney — the win over Campbell gave Garcia the interim title — but he instead turned his attention to a fight with Gervonta Davis that was never going to materialize, and then to trying to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, which also didn’t happen.

The WBC ordered the fight with Fortuna instead of just stripping Garcia of the interim title, which frankly would have been the logical thing to do given he passed on an order to fight Haney. Haney has accused Garcia of ducking him, and it’s a little hard to argue against that.

Now, Garcia also won’t be fighting Fortuna. We don’t know any more details than what Garcia is saying here, which is fairly vague, but we do wish him well, whatever he’s dealing with. He’s a bright young star in boxing and we want to see him fight.