Javier Fortuna has established he knows what it takes to win a championship. Now he’s determined to prove he’s learned how to successfully defend it.
Javier Fortuna celebrates after defeating Bryan Vasquez in their 130-pound title fight in Brooklyn, New York, on May 29.
Javier Fortuna will put his unbeaten record and 130-pound world title on the line September 29 when he takes on Carlos Velasquez (19-1, 12 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
Fortuna (28-0-1, 20 KOs) will be making his first defense of the title he won on May 29 in Brooklyn, New York, where the southpaw earned a 12-round unanimous decision over Bryan Vasquez.
The Dominican Republic native previously captured an interim 126-pound championship in December 2012, when he defeated Patrick Hyland. But Fortuna failed to make weight prior to his next fight against Miguel Zamudio, thus vacating his title despite going on to score a first-round knockout.
“I am so excited to be headlining this great event and I look forward to defending my title in Las Vegas,” Fortuna said. “Velasquez is a very tough fighter, but I am going to prove that I am a great world champion. This will be an entertaining fight and I won’t stop going until I get the knockout.”
In Velasquez, the 26-year-old Fortuna figures to face one of the stiffest tests of his career. A native of Puerto Rico who fights out of Miami, Velasquez will carry a four-fight winning streak into this contest. Most recently, the 2004 Olympian took apart Juan Ruiz on May 9 in Hidalgo, Texas, wining all six rounds on all three judges’ scorecards.
The only blemish on Velasquez’s record is a 10th-round knockout loss to Rico Ramos in September 2013.
“It’s been a childhood dream of mine to become a world champion, and now that time has come to show the world that I’m worthy,” Velasquez said. “I’m going to leave everything in the ring against Fortuna. He’s one of the best fighters in the division, and a win against him will open up many doors for my career.”
For complete coverage of Fortuna vs Velasquez, visit our fight page.
