A dramatic reversal in course has come of an ordered title fight rematch.
Willibaldo Garcia and Rene Calixto will now have to wait out a Feb. 11 purse bid to determine promotional rights for their IBF junior bantamweight title fight. The ruling came less than a day after it was believed that the two sides would have another ten days to reach an agreement.
The Ring has confirmed that Kameda Promotions—representing Calixto (23-0-1, 9 KOs)—had a change of heart and instead contacted the IBF to send the matter to a purse bid hearing.
Per IBF rules, the two sides can still use the period to continue negotiations. A deal can be reached at any point up to 15 minutes prior to the scheduled hearing. Otherwise, the bout will be up for auction to all IBF-registered promoters.
Garcia (22-5-2, 13 KOs) is represented by BXSTRS Promotions.
Their fantastic first fight produced everything but a winner and new IBF 115-pound titlist last Dec. 20 at Twin Messe in Shizuoka, Japan. Garcia prevailed by 118-110 on judge Tetsuya Iida’s card. Judge Surat Soikrachang (116-112) scored the fight for Calixto, while judge Edward Ligas (114-114) awarded six rounds apiece to produce the stalemate.
Despite both boxers hailing from Mexico—Garcia from Copala, Calixto from Acapulco—their second fight is also expected to return to Japan. However, a fight on home soil is not yet off to the table—one of the several matters still being discussed between camps.
The belt was vacated by Argentina’s Fernando Martinez (17-0, 9 KOs), The Ring’s No. 1 junior bantamweight. A decision was made by Martinez—who still holds the WBA title–to proceed with a more lucrative rematch with Kazuto Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs), The Ring No. 2 contender, in lieu of a mandatory title defense against Garcia.
Jake Donovan is part of the U.S. team for The Ring. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.