Flyweight prospect Ivan Garcia believes he is ready for a significant push in his young career. Facing and defeating a former world title challenger can do just that.

Garcia will face Saul Juarez Friday night at the Auditorio Blackberry in Mexico City, Producciones Deportivas officially announced Tuesday afternoon. The 10-round bout will headline this month’s installment of the “Boxeo Estrella TV” series (Estrella TV in the U.S. (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT).

The Garcia-Juarez clash is a crossroads bout between the two Mexico City residents. Despite recent setbacks in the ring, Juarez is a significant step up in opposition for Garcia.

In his most recent bout on October 22, Garcia (8-1-1, 5 knockouts) defeated gatekeeper Mario Andrade by split decision. The fight was a rematch of their clash on February 13 of last year, which ended in a technical draw.

The 23-year-old has won his last three bouts since losing by stoppage to unbeaten Edwin Cano Hernandez on March 26.

Juarez (25-15-2, 13 KOs) lost by unanimous decision in his most recent bout, on August 13, to Anthony Olascuaga. The 31-year-old has lost his last six fights but two of them have come against current titleholders in Jonathan Gonzalez, in February 2020, and to Jesse Rodrgiuez almost 10 months later.

Juarez also lost to then-WBC junior flyweight titleholder Kenshiro Teraji, in December 2018, and to then-WBC strawweight titleholder Chayaphon Moonsri in August 2016.

In the co-feature, strawweight Jesus Haro (8-1) of Reno, Nevada, will square off against Mexico City’s Oscar Bermudez Salas (5-7, 2 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

Ricardo Maldonado Jr., who has promoted fight cards throughout Mexico for over 30 years and has worked with Marco Antonio Barrera, Acelino Freitas and The Ring Magazine super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, is focusing on the smaller weight classes for Friday’s card.

“Mexico is notorious for some of the best fighters in the lighter weight divisions and, on this card, we are featuring some of the best newcomers and veterans who keep this sport interesting,” said Maldonado, who runs Producciones Deportivas.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @FSalazarBoxing.

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