Garcia's career hit a rough patch recently. He lost to Gervonta Davis in a high-profile match that drew one of the biggest gates in Las Vegas history. Davis stopped Garcia in the seventh round with a body shot. After that, Garcia bounced back with a win over Oscar Duarte at super-lightweight.
Then came the controversial fight with Devin Haney. Garcia initially won by majority decision, even dropping Haney three times. But he couldn't claim the belt because he missed weight. Things got worse when Garcia tested positive for a banned substance in two separate tests. The result was changed to a no contest, and Garcia got slapped with a ban.
Now, Garcia's looking to make a strong comeback. He's chosen Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz as his opponent. Cruz is known for his all-action, Mike Tyson-like style and is a fan favorite, especially in Mexico.
Garcia talked about his comeback plan:
"I'm bringing [an] explosive fight in my fight comeback. Pitbull has always been considered a tough opponent. Tougher match up than Haney [to be honest]."
Cruz has a solid record with 26 wins and 18 knockouts. He's one of only two fighters who've gone the distance with Gervonta 'Tank' Davis. But Cruz is coming off a loss to José Valenzuela last August, where he lost his super-lightweight world champion belt. He's set to fight Angel Fierro on February 1 in a bounce-back bout before facing Garcia.
The Garcia-Cruz fight will happen on the same card as Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez. There's talk that it might be at welterweight, which could be tough for the 5'4" Cruz.
Garcia and Haney have already agreed to a rematch, possibly at welterweight, after these interim fights. Their rivalry goes way back to their amateur days.
Looking back at the Davis fight, Garcia claimed that catchweight and rehydration clauses imposed by Davis's team led to his downfall. Now, he's ready to put that behind him and make a strong comeback against 'Pitbull' Cruz.