The silver lining to a months-long inactive stretch in the sport due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is an unexpected surge in quality content both to end 202 and kick off the New Year.

Featured in the latter is one of the sport’s rising stars in Ryan Garcia, who next embraces arguably his toughest test to date. The 22-year old unbeaten lightweight contender will face England’s Luke Campbell (20-3, 16KOs) atop a Jan. 2 show, presented live on DAZN in front of a socially-distanced crowd at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

It comes six months after Garcia (20-0, 17KOs) previously planned to fight, with an eyed fight this past July shut down due to the global health crisis. The wildly popular lightweight from Victorville, California instead settles for occupying the first weekend of 2021, a rare opportunity in the U.S. boxing scene.

“Part of it, a lot of fighters are sitting around for a whole year almost,” Bernard Hopkins, Garcia's promoter and partner in Golden Boy Promotions told BoxingScene.com. “Ryan is one of those guys. He wants to get in the ring. He wanted to fight this year. January 2 was where it was moved to. He will be showcased and it’s a better time. He mentioned a few times how the delay may be a blessing in disguise.

“This new year is going to be a lot different than the year we’re coming out of, on a lot of fronts. Not just boxing, a lot of people are still going to be home, deciding whether to take the shot or unsure if things are back to normal. It’s not gonna be a [flick of the] switch, that’s not gonna happen. So they’re gonna be able to see Campbell and Ryan Garcia.”

With the fight comes the WBC interim lightweight title at stake, leaving the winner in prime position to make some noise in arguably the hottest division in boxing today. Garcia is among four undefeated, A-list lightweights all 26-and-under. The oldest of the bunch is knockout sensation Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (24-0, 23KOs), who still reigns as a 130-pound titlist but is eyeing opportunities in both weight divisions.

Ruling the roost is 23-year old Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12KOs), the reigning World lightweight king and unified WBA/IBF/WBO titlist. Also hovering near the top is Las Vegas’ Devin Haney (25-0, 15KOs), the 22-year old WBC lightweight titlist from Las Vegas whom Garcia will have the option of next challenging if he so chooses.

“This is his chance to show that he’s ready for Tank Davis or anybody else in that division,” notes Hopkins, the Hall of Fame former two-division world champion who remains instrumental in developing Garcia's career. “Luke ain’t nobody you gonna walk in there and think this is gonna be a walk in the park. This ain’t his first rodeo. He has a lot on the line and wants to prove he’s still relevant in the division.

“[The lightweight] division is one of the hottest, if not the hottest division in boxing right now. Multiple fights can be made there. Lots of individuals have a chance to stand out, including (the winner of Garcia vs. Campbell) as the front runner to land these big fights, world championship fights.”

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