World Champion Boxer Tests Positive For Coronavirus: Indio

INDIO, CA — A boxing card planned for Aug. 28 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio has been postponed because world champion Jorge Linares has tested positive for the coronavirus, Golden Boy Promotions announced.

Golden Boy is "actively working with all parties involved to reschedule the event as soon as possible," according to the promotion firm headed by International Boxing Hall of Fame member Oscar De La Hoya.

The card was to be held without spectators present, just like the July 24 card at Fantasy Springs, California's first boxing card since the coronavirus outbreak.

Linares, who turned 35 on Saturday, was to defend his World Boxing Council diamond lightweight championship against Javier Fortuna in the scheduled 12-round main event. The Venezuelan (47-5, 29 knockouts) won the title in 2016 with a 12-round unanimous decision over Anthony Crolla.

Linares has also held versions of the featherweight and super featherweight world titles.
Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs) lost a bid in 2018 for Robert Easter Jr.'s International Boxing Federation lightweight title on a split decision.

The native of the Dominican Republic who now lives in Braintree, Massachusetts won the vacant regional WBC Continental Americas lightweight title with a second-round technical knockout of Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar in his most recent fight, Nov. 2.

—City News Service