Garcia's last fight was in April 2024 against his former amateur rival Devin Haney for the WBC Super-Lightweight World Title. Garcia came in three pounds over the weight limit, making him ineligible to win the belt. The fight ended in controversy when Garcia's initial majority decision win was changed to a no contest after he failed two drug tests. Despite this, Garcia had dropped Haney three times during the bout.
After serving his one-year suspension, Garcia met with Turki Alalshikh to plan his comeback. Initially, reports suggested Garcia would face Isaac Cruz, while Haney would take on Jose Ramirez. However, plans have changed.
Alalshikh recently announced The Ring Magazine's first-ever fight card, set for May 2025 in the USA. The event, named "Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves" in collaboration with the video game of the same name by SNK Games, will feature Garcia's return against Rolando Romero.
Romero, a former champion at 140 pounds, lost his title to 'Pitbull' Cruz. He's also been stopped by Gervonta Davis, who did the same to Garcia. Romero's last fight was a decision win over Manuel Jaimes in September. More details about Romero's fight history can be found on the Premier Boxing Champions website.
The card will also feature Devin Haney against Jose Carlos Ramirez. In the heavyweight division, Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba will square off in an IBF final eliminator for a mandatory shot at current champion Daniel Dubois.
The exact date and venue for the event will be announced later. If both Garcia and Haney win their May fights, they're expected to face each other in a rematch later in the year.
It's still unclear why the previously reported fight between Garcia and Cruz didn't materialize, especially since Garcia had recently confirmed it as an option.