Ryan Garcia returned to the ring Saturday night for the first time since April, as he looked to bounce back after an April KO loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis and knock off Oscar Duarte.
The pair met in front of a sold-out Toyota Center in Houston, Tex., competing in a 12-round bout at welterweight.
In a lackluster fight, Ryan Garcia caught Duarte napping in Round 8, returning to the winning track with a signature highlight.
Official Result: Ryan Garcia def. Oscar Duarte via KO (2:51, Round 8) – Won WBA Gold title.
Ryan Garcia gets the stoppage win 🥊 #GarciaDuarte #Boxing
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) December 3, 2023
Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) came out firing against the equally talented Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs), using angles and feints to stifle the attacks of the previously knockout-crazed Mexican, winning Round 1 easily.
However, it wasn’t without an early attack from Duarte, who gave Garcia his best shots.
Round 2 saw Duarte try to clinch Ryan Garcia before keeping the fight in the center of the ring. A left hook, followed by a right hand, caught Garcia lurking with just under a minute left in the round. Both men traded pinches to close it out, which brought the fight to Round 3.
In the third, Duarte returned to the potent right hand before returning to the body of Garcia. A right hand from Garcia was followed by two body shots before a low blow from Duarte briefly restarted the fight.
Duarte ate a two-punch combination before Garcia stifled him going backward. Both men finished the round, circling the ring before the bell sounded.
After a difficult fight to score through three, though Garcia arguably won each of them, both men returned to work in the fourth. Body shots soon followed from Duarte before nearly costing himself a point with an illegal blow to the back of Garcia’s head.
Duarte returned to the body against the ropes as the crowd jeered with each low shot. The round ended with Garcia on his back foot.
Round 5 saw Garcia and Duarte trade in the clinch before separating for more. Duarte continued to target the body before Garcia nearly had a point taken away of his own for a low body shot. The round ended with both men visibly exhausted.
Garcia’s opening uppercut in Round 6 had Duarte going backward before Duarte brought in combinations of his own. Garcia found a home for his right hook, but Duarte hung in the pocket.
Round 7 saw Duarte defend the left hook before Duarte landed a two-punch combo of his own. Duarte backed Garcia up against the ropes before methodically transitioning to the center. Both men remained stagnant to end the round, as Garcia did just enough to edge it out.
In Round 8, both men circled and looked for openings to the disdain of the Toyota Center crowd. Duarte got caught with a left hook from Garcia in bizarre fashion, losing by KO.
“I’m committing to becoming a world champion,” Ryan Garcia said in his post-fight interview.
What were your thoughts on Ryan Garcia’s performance tonight? Let us know, Penn Nation!
