As a precautionary measure, renowned trainer Robert Garcia will not work the corner for Vergil Ortiz Jr. (15-0, 15 KOs) tonight in his bout against Samuel Vargas (31-5-2, 14 KOs) at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and live on DAZN. In his place, Vergil Ortiz Sr. will fulfill the role of chief second.

“In my initial exam at Fantasy Springs, I tested positive for COVID-19,” said Robert Garcia. “But in my second test in Tustin, Calif., the results were negative. But, as a precaution, Golden Boy and I were informed by the CSAC that I cannot attend the event due to their regulations and based off my first test results.”

“We prepared very well for this fight against Vargas,” Garcia continued. “Basically, we had two training camps to get ready, so I know that that Ortiz Jr. will look great tonight. We have to make sure that this event is as safe as possible, so that means decisions like this have to be made. Either way, RGBA will be getting another win tonight, and pretty soon we’ll have a new world champion.”

“I commend the decision made by CSAC,” said Eric Gomez, President of Golden Boy. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that this event is safe for every single person involved. Robert Garcia has had an enormous impact in developing Vergil, so we are confident that this young star will take everything he worked on his camp and apply it in the ring. Tonight will be a memorable night for the sport as we demonstrate that good, competitive fights can be made during these difficult times if they are just done right.”

Ortiz Jr. vs. Vargas is a 12-round fight for the WBA Gold Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy.