Joseph 'JoJo' Diaz Jr. is ready to step in and save the show.

The former junior lightweight titlist has expressed an interest in a summertime clash with Dominican Republic’s Javier Fortuna, replacing Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) who recently bailed from a planned WBC interim lightweight title defense due to personal issues. BoxingScene.com has learned that such a replacement bout is at least being explored, though in the very early stages and dependent upon a number of variables.

“Told Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, [Golden Boy matchmaker] Robert Diaz [and] MTK Global [t]hat I’ll step in and fight Fortuna,” Diaz announced Tuesday via social media. “Y’all wanna see it?”

The vow came as Diaz (31-1-1, 15KOs) offered online proof of his between-fight commitment, sporting a six-pack while awaiting his next fight date. The revelation is in stark contrast to the final days surrounding his most recent fight, where Diaz was forced to vacate his IBF junior lightweight title after badly missing weight for a mandatory title defense versus Tajikistan’s Shavkat Rakhimov. Their Feb. 13 fight proceeded, with the title remaining vacant as the two fought to an entertaining 12-round draw.

Rakhimov will now face Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa, leaving Diaz on the hunt for his next fight.

Fortuna (36-2-1, 25KOs) is now in the same dilemma, now that Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) is no longer available for their previously announced July 9 DAZN headliner. The series of events leading to this point results in Fortuna being left at the altar for at least the fourth time since a Nov. 2019 knockout win over Jesus Cuellar put him in lightweight title contention. The Dominican southpaw has been left with nothing to show for talks with WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney (25-0, 15KOs) and scheduled fights with England’s Luke Campbell (20-4, 16KOs), former three-division titlist Jorge Linares (47-5, 29KOs) and now Garcia.

Diaz is willing to fill that void as well as move up in weight in order to make it happen.

Garcia-Fortuna was previously to have determined the mandatory challenger for Haney, who next attempts his third title defense versus Linares on May 29 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox