Juan Francisco Estrada is set to resume his storied career.

BoxingScene has confirmed that the former two-division champion will return to the ring on June 14 in his hometown of Hermosillo, Mexico. Estrada, 44-4 (28 KOs), will face countryman Karim Arce, 21-2-2 (8 KOs), to officially begin his bantamweight campaign.

ESPN Deportes’ Salvador ‘Chava’ Rodriguez was the first to report the development.

The fight will mark the first for Estrada, 35, since his seventh-round knockout loss to Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), last June 29 in Phoenix, Arizona. It marked the end of his lineal and WBC junior bantamweight championship reign, though “El Gallo” was able to drop the unbeaten pound-for-pound entrant.

Estrada was dropped twice himself and was counted out right at the end of the seventh round of their DAZN headliner.

The loss ended an eight-fight win streak spanning six years. Included among that run was an April 2019 points win over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai to begin his second championship reign, while he also avenged a defeat from their February 2018 thriller.

The highlights among Estrada’s reign were the second and third entries of his thrilling trilogy with fellow legend Roman ‘Chocolatito Gonzalez. Their first meeting came in November 2012, when Nicaragua’s Gonzalez outpointed Estrada in the final defense of his WBA junior flyweight title reign.

Estrada went on to win the WBA and IBF flyweight titles before both he and Gonzalez again moved up in weight. Their March 2021 rematch was among the year’s best, though many patrons took issue with the outcome. Estrada prevailed via disputed split decision to unify the lineal, WBC and WBA titles.

Their December 2022 rubber match saw Estrada edge Gonzalez via majority decision to retain his lineal crown and WBC title in Glendale, Arizona. He wound up sitting out all of 2023, in large part due to a failed bid to secure a unification bout with then WBA titlist Kazuto Ioka.

Arce will step up in class for the occasion, as he also returns from a lengthy ring absence.

The 27-year-old fringe contender from Los Mochis ended a two-year-hiatus following an August 2022 knockout loss with an eight-round decision win over Kevin Villanueva. Arce won by scores of 78-70, 78-70 and 77-71 in his rust shaker last July 6 in Guasave, Mexico.

Arce’s lone other career defeat came via ninth-round knockout to then-unbeaten David Cuellar in a June 2021 clash in his Los Mochis hometown.

Estrada last fought in his hometown in September 2022, when he edged countryman Argi Cortes in their spirited clash to defend his lineal junior bantamweight clash. He is 7-0 in Hermosillo, which hosted his August 2008 pro debut.

Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.

Juan Francisco Estrada Defeats Karim Arce LugoUnanimous Decision

Juan Francisco Estrada drops Karim Arce three times, wins in return

Juan Francisco Estrada and Karim Arce make weight for bantamweight clash

Juan Francisco Estrada Defeats Karim Arce Lugo
Unanimous Decision