In a chaotic turn of events, former lightweight contender Petr Petrov (40-6-2, 21 KOs) is back on Friday’s card at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California. Over the weekend, Petrov, 36, was close to finalizing a deal as a last-minute replacement for Ryan “Kingry” Garcia last Saturday, but the agreement never materialized and the popular Garcia didn’t fight on the DAZN-streamed Mexican Independence Day card he was to be co-featured in.
“Things like this happen,” said Petrov, who will face journeyman Dedrick Bell (23-30-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder on Friday night. “I’ve switched my focus back onto Bell and making sure I’m ready for whatever he brings.”
Petrov, who lives in Madrid, Spain, but conducts most of his training camp in sparring-rich Los Angeles, scored knockout wins in March and May following consecutive losses to then-WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan and Ivan Baranchyk.
This kid Garcia is popular for all the wrong reasons ducking real opponents.
Ryan Garcia looked a right b**** ducking both Duno and Petrov. Petrov it’s a tough veteran it really brings it, and he was upset minded that night. Garcia pretty much ran on Mexican Independence day. Not a good look for a Mexican American, but then they are softer then their original counterparts.