Ryan Garcia’s 20th professional knockout slams Oscar Duarte in Round 8

On December 2, Garcia and Duarte fought at the Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas. It was a tremendous opportunity for Duarte to pull off the biggest triumph of his professional career. Garcia saw it as an opportunity to avenge his lone professional loss against Gervonta Davis.

Ryan Garcia reminded boxing fans of his explosiveness on Saturday, as the junior welterweight sensation successfully recovered from his first defeat of his career. Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs), after a tumultuous fight week that included a spat with his own promoters, dispatched Mexican slugger Oscar Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) in the eighth round by TKO.

Garcia reversed the tide in a second with a left hook to the temple that had Duarte on wobbly legs, just as the pressure-fighting Duarte appeared to be gathering momentum. Garcia buried Duarte with blows, including a right hook and uppercut, leading him to drop to one knee.

After the count of nine, Duarte rose from the ground, but the referee halted the bout immediately, awarding Garcia (24-1) his 20th professional knockout.

“It was a great performance but I just want to give honor to God and give him the glory,” Garcia said. “I fought hard to find myself again. I did a lot of soul searching and I just wanted to thank him. Duarte was a strong fighter. He took a good punch. He’s a Mexican fighter like me and he’s tough. I hit him with some hard shots but he just kept coming. I started using my legs, just as Derrick told me to between rounds, and it opened up the shots.”

Garcia fought twice in 2022 at 140 pounds before his 136-pound catchweight superfight with Davis, which featured a same-day rehydration clause that prohibited him from weighing more over 146 pounds. The bout with Duarte took place at 143 pounds. Duarte, 27, came in with an 11-fight knockout run and defeated Garcia 62-55. But it was Garcia who landed the larger blows and had the faster hands.

Garcia manoeuvred around the ring without throwing many punches in Rounds 7 and 8 until connecting with the single blow he needed. Despite his protests, Duarte was unable to beat the count.

Garcia challenged 140-pound titleholder Rolly Romero, who also has a stoppage defeat to Davis, after his comeback triumph.