Ryan Garcia set to return against Oscar Duarte on Dec. 2

Junior welterweight star looks to rebound from first defeat

Dan Rafael

Oct 03, 2023

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Ryan Garcia’s ring return was made official on Tuesday.

The junior welterweight star will face Oscar Duarte in the 12-round main event of a Golden Boy card on DAZN on Dec. 2, Golden Boy announced.

The site is not yet set, but it likely will take place in Texas or California, according to Golden Boy.

“Let’s go! I am so excited to announce that I will be fighting Oscar Duarte on Dec. 2,” Garcia said. “I’m back and feeling better and stronger than before. I wanted Duarte for me and for the fans. He’s tough and I’m ready to give people another show at my best weight again. Say whatever you want about Ryan Garcia, but I’m always going to give the fans what they want. Love you. See you Dec. 2 on DAZN.”

The fight will be the first for Garcia (23-1,19 KOs), 25, of Victorville, California, since suffering his first loss, a seventh-round knockout to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in a blockbuster Showtime PPV event in a much-anticipated 136-pound catchweight bout on April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight with Duarte is at 140 pounds, so Garcia won’t have to drain to 136 pounds, which he did as an accommodation to the smaller Davis in addition to having to participate in a weight check on the morning of the fight.

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The bout will also be Garcia’s first with new trainer Derrick James. He parted ways with Hall of Famer Joe Goossen soon after the loss to Davis, a fight that generated about 1.2 million pay-per-view buys in the United States, more than $100 million in domestic PPV revenue, and a live gate of $22.8 million, which was the fifth-biggest in Nevada history.

“This is one of the reasons fight fans love Ryan — instead of taking baby steps back after a hard fought fight, he is returning against a guy with lethal power who doesn’t take a step backwards,” Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya said. “Whoever emerges victorious is immediately in line for a shot against any of the current world champions.”

Duarte (26-1-1, 21 KOs), 27, of Mexico, has won 11 fights in a row since a 10-round split decision loss to Adrian Estrella in February 2019.

“I feel very happy and full of enthusiasm now that this fight against Ryan Garcia has been finalized. This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Duarte said. “I want to thank Golden Boy for giving me this great opportunity. I am very grateful for the support of my entire team. Everyone can expect the very best version of Oscar Duarte. I am ready to win this fight. I will lift the name of Mexico up on high.”

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The fight with Garcia will be Duarte’s third of the year. In May, he stopped D’Angelo Keyes in the seventh round and in March he knocked out Alex Martin in the eighth round.

Duarte got the fight over Pedro Campa (34-3-1, 23 KOs), 31, of Mexico, who was also strongly considered.

Garcia and Golden Boy are moving forward on the event together even though Golden Boy sued Garcia and his adviser/attorney, Guadalupe Valencia, in U.S. District Court of Nevada in June seeking to have its “valid and enforceable promotional agreement” upheld, and Garcia sought to have the case dismissed in late August.

They are schedule for mediation beginning on Oct. 18, but regardless of what happens in the mediation, they plan to go forward with the Dec. 2 event.

Give the new episode a listen as we break down the Canelo-Charlo PPV card, the seemingly impending demise of Showtime Boxing and much more.

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