After months of rumors and talk between fighters, Mikey Garcia will officially move up two weight classes to challenge fellow unbeaten Errol Spence Jr. for his IBF welterweight title. The fight, which takes place March 16 on Fox PPV at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, was announced Tuesday as the centerpiece of a Premier Boxing Champions on Fox upfront presentation in Los Angeles which announced the opening dates of the network's 2019 boxing coverage. 

"The objective was to get the biggest fights available and make the biggest splash," Garcia said. "What better way to do it than on Fox PPV. I want the biggest challenges, and there is no one else out there right now that I can face on that level. Spence is the guy, and that's who I want to face."

PBC, upon the completion of deals it signed with multiple networks after its 2015 launch, announced a four-year deal with Fox in September just days after it re-signed with premium cable home Showtime for three years. 

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Although Spence-Garcia -- PBC's first PPV with Fox -- is a strong fight from a critical standpoint, there are questions regarding its commercial appeal. The same can be said for the first three cards announced for network television on Fox which feature big names on the A-side against an inferior level of opponent they would typically face on Showtime. 

Here's a look at the additional fights that were announced for the PBC on Fox 2019 slate: 

  • Jan. 13 on FS1: Jose Uzcategui vs. Caleb Plant -- super middleweights
  • Jan. 26 on Fox: Keith Thurman vs. Josesito Lopez -- welterweights; Adam Kownacki vs. Gerald Washington -- heavyweights
  • Feb. 16 on Fox: Leo Santa Cruz vs. Miguel Flores -- featherweights; John Molina Jr. vs. Omar Figueroa -- welterweights
  • Feb. 23 on FS1: Anthony Dirrell vs. Avni Yildrim -- super middleweights
  • March 9 on Fox: Shawn Porter vs. Yordenis Ugas -- welterweights
  • March 24 on FS1: Lamont Peterson vs. Sergey Lipinets -- welterweights
  • April 13 on FS1: Peter Quillin vs. Caleb Truax -- super middleweights
  • April 20 on Fox: Danny Garcia vs. Adrian Granados -- welterweights

Fox previously announced its debut PBC card will be a Dec. 22 doubleheader in Brooklyn, New York, featuring twin brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo against Willie Monroe Jr. and Tony Harrison, respectively. The network's four-year deal calls for 10 PBC fight night cards per year, along with 12 additional on FS1. 

Spence (24-0, 21 KOs), the 28-year-old native of Desoto, Texas, fought his last three bouts on Showtime. The pound-for-pound rated fighter will seek his third defense of the belt he won by stopping Kell Brook in 2017. Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) relinquished titles at lightweight and junior welterweight over the last year to set up his bold move up to 147 pounds, where he will debut against Spence. 

"This is a dream come true and it's going to be a big fight," Spence said. "Hopefully all the fans come out to support it."

The 30-year-old Garcia will enter as the clear underdog due to the assumed size and power disadvantage he will face. But the native of Oxnard, California, won't lack for skill. Since his return from a self-imposed absence of more than two years during a dispute with former promoter Top Rank, Garcia is 5-0 with victories over the likes of Dejan Zlaticanin, Adrien Broner and Robert Easter Jr., including the unifying of two world titles at 135 pounds. 

Fox announced Kenny Albert, Kate Abdo, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and Lennox Lewis as its English broadcast team. Jaime Motta and Erik Morales were among the names announced for the Spanish language team on Fox Deportes.