Javier Fortuna faces Antonio Lozada on November 21 PBC on Fox card

Lightweight contender Javier Fortuna will face Antonio Lozada on November 21, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced Thursday afternoon.

The 10-round bout will take place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California and will headline a ‘FOX PBC Fight Night’ telecast (7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT).

The clash between Fortuna and Lozada is a crossroads bout where the winner puts himself back into world title contention, according to promoter Tom Brown.

“Javier Fortuna and Antonio Lozada have both put on explosive performances at the highest levels and will look to ascend up the stacked lightweight division when they meet on November 21,” said Brown, who is the president of TGB Promotions.

Fortuna (35-2-1 1 ND, 24 knockouts), who is originally from the Dominican Republic and now resides in Braintree, Massachusetts, has not fought since November 2 of last year, stopping Jesus Cuellar in round 2. The fight came almost nine months after the 31-year-old defeated Sharif Bogere by unanimous decision.

Fortuna’s last defeat was a split-decision loss to then-IBF lightweight titleholder Robert Easter in January 2018.

The former junior lightweight titleholder, who is represented by Sampson Lewkowicz, is ranked No. 7 by The Ring at 135 pounds.

Lozada (40-4-1, 34 KOs) lost by split-decision to journeyman Marco Antonio Juarez in his last bout on September 20 of last year.

The 30-year-old Lozada is best known for scoring a knockout win over previously unbeaten Felix Verdejo in March 2018. He has struggled as of late, having gone winless in his last three bouts.

Another lightweight from the Dominican Republic who is represented by Lewkowicz will fight in the co-feature. Unbeaten prospect Starling Castillo (12-0, 9 KOs) make his United States debut against Austin Dulay (13-2, 10 KOs) of Nashville, Tennessee in a 10-round bout.

Middleweight Raymond Guajardo (5-1, 4 KOs) and lightweight Armani Almestica, who will be making his professional debut, will fight in separate four-round bouts.  

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also cover boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing  

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