Former super lightweight and welterweight world champion Danny Garcia could be back in action in only a couple months in an event that could also feature a world title fight.
Boxingscene.com is reporting that February 17 looks to be date for a big doubleheader that will be headlined by Garcia's return to the ring against former world champion Brandon Rios. The card figures to take place in Las Vegas with the co-main event being the WBC super middleweight title rematch between champion David Benavidez and Ronald Gavril.
Due to the fighters reportedly involved, the card will likely be a Premier Boxing Champions card with Showtime being a likely candidate to televise the doubleheader.
Garcia had been negotiating a fight with Rios for some time. After Garcia lost the WBC welterweight title to Keith Thurman, Garcia had been ordered to fight Shawn Porter in a title eliminator but Garcia chose to not go through with the fight. Rios came back from retirement in June when he knocked out Aaron Herrera in seven rounds.
Benavidez became one of boxing's youngest world champions when he beat Gavril for the then-vacant super middleweight title. The fight was a highly-competitive bout with Benavidez getting the split decision win over Gavril. The scores were considered controversial and the governing body has ordered the two boxers to engage in a rematch. Despite the controversy, Benavidez is the youngest 168-pound world champion in the history of the sport at 20 years old.
According to the Boxingscene.com report, both the MGM Grand and the Mandalay Bay are being under consideration as potential venues to host the card.
