Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia have agreed a deal in principle to fight for the WBC interim Lightweight title in November.
Purse bids were set to go ahead on Tuesday in a historic first ever virtual Zoom hearing, after the 30-day period for both teams to agree a deal concluded.
However, Campbell’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Golden Boy President Eric Gomez, who represents Garcia confirmed on the call to World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman on Tuesday that a deal had been reached.
The WBC have agreed to a seven day extension for both parties to finalise contracts, although a venue is still to be determined between the UK and USA, dependent on whether a crowd will be permitted, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve been working very hard to get this fight over the line,” said Eddie Hearn.
“The issues that we are faced with of course is getting fans returning to the arenas, we have a proposed date of the end of November for this fight.
I watched your fights luke you aren’t fooling anyone!! I’ll let you see for yourself in the ring! https://t.co/Nms1uQDLnK
— Ryan Garcia (@KingRyanG) July 17, 2020
“We have an agreement in principle to stage the fight either in the UK or the US, subject to the global pandemic situation.”
“We have numbers approved with Eric for both cases.”
Former two-time World title challenger, Campbell, (20-3, 16 KOs) ranked two with the WBC has been awaiting an opportunity following his unanimous decision defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko last August.
— Luke Campbell MBE (@luke11campbell) July 17, 2020
Unbeaten Californian, Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) is ranked four by the governing body and the victor of the bout will likely face full titlist Devin Haney, with franchise champion, Lomachenko set to battle IBF holder Teofimo Lopez in an undisputed fight.
The WBC Diamond belt was set to be contested by Javier Fortuna and Jorge Linares, however the latter has tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout has been postponed.
