Mikey Garcia to return on July 30 against Elio Rojas

A pair of former titleholders will be ending long absences from the ring on July 30 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, as Mikey Garcia will face Elio Rojas in the Santa Cruz-Frampton co-feature on Showtime Championship Boxing, it was reported today.

Garcia (34-0, 28 KO) hasn’t fought since January 25, 2014, when he won a wide decision over Juan Carlos Burgos. He’s been tied up in a dispute with his now-former promoters at Top Rank since then, and has signed with Al Haymon to become part of the PBC brand. When he last fought, he had won belts at featherweight and super featherweight, and was emerging as a potential pound-for-pound contender.

Garcia has given up two years of his prime, but at 28 is still in that prime and has plenty of career to go.

Rojas (24-2, 14 KO) hasn’t fought since August 13, 2014, and that’s his only fight since 2012. In 2009, he beat Takahiro Ao by decision in Japan to win the WBC featherweight title. He made one defense before giving up the belt, and challenged for it again in 2012, losing to Jhonny Gonzalez.