Ryan Garcia (23-1,19 KOs) faces Oscar Duarte (26-1-1, 21 KOs) on December 2nd live on DAZN at the 40,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
It’s a big venue that Golden Boy has booked for the Garcia-Duarte fight, which suggests that they’re counting on Ryan to pull in a large amount of fans. We’ll see if Ryan is able to do that because his opponent isn’t a household name, even in his native Mexico.
Boxing fans will be glad to know that Ryan Garcia’s fight with Duarte won’t be on DAZN PPV, as this is not the type of opponent to ask people to pay.
Ryan is a popular fighter, but he needs to be fighting recognizable opponents and not guys with an inflated resume like Duarte. However, you can’t rule out an upset because Ryan Garcia’s punch resistance is low when it comes to body shots, and his offense is one-dimensional, consisting of the left hook smash that he uses.
Ryan has a new trainer, Derrick James, but it’s questionable whether he’ll be able to make enough improvements in his game for him to be one of the top fighters at 140 in a true sense. Yeah, Ryan can be skillfully maneuvered into big-money fights, but he’s not going to win any of them unless he makes major improvements.
The 27-year-old Duarte will be moving up from the 135-lb division to be Ryan’s opponent in this showcase-level fight. It’s unclear why Golden Boy is matching Ryan against a lightweight rather than someone from the 140-lb division.
If Ryan is ever going to get acclimated to the light welterweight division, he’s got to get his feet wet there because he’s not going to be ready when he’s thrown in with one of the top dogs, which is what Golden Boy has planned for him next February.
Duarte’s last eight opponents:
D’Angelo Keyes
Alex Martin
Javier Franco – *(36-26-6,17 KOs)
Mark Bernaldez
Fernando Daniel Cancino
Iram Rodriguez Resendiz
Guillermo Avila Godinez
Andres Garcia
GBP CEO Oscar De Hoya confirmed the news to ESPN today about the 25-year-old Ryan’s next fight against Mexico’s
“Here you have a guy [Duarte] who’s coming off 11 KOs in a row,” De Le Hoya said. “There’s a guy who’s a power puncher who’s going to come forward and make Ryan fight. It’s the proper fight after a knockout loss to Gervonta.”
Yeah, Duarte has 11 straight wins, but fans would be hard-pressed to identify who these fighters are because they are largely unknowns.
His ten-year-old resume is littered with obscure guys, so it’s not impressive that Ryan is fighting him rather than at least a fringe-level contender from the 140-lb division.
Ryan made $30 million for his recent fight against Gervonta Davis, and to earn that massive payday, Kingryan’s best wins were against these fighters:
- Luke Campbell
- Javier Fortuna
- Emmanuel Tagoe
- Francisco Fonseca
- Romero Duno
Duarte has fought on a couple of Golden Boy’s cards on DAZN, beating Alex Martin & Mark Bernaldez, the only two notable fighters on his ten-year resume.
Ryan Garcia
“I’ve put my heart and soul into this fight. It’s been a while since I’ve been this focused. 2021 was a bit rough, but 2022 brought some significant changes. Now, in 2023, it’s like I’m seeing things clearly for the first time. I’m making a comeback, fully dialed in. That’s where my confidence is coming from right now.”
Oscar Duarte, another force in the super lightweight division:
” I’m super excited to be here and soaking up every moment. This was once just a dream for me, and now it’s my reality. This Saturday, you’re going to see me at my best. I have an amazing team backing me up, and I’m gunning for a win this Saturday.”
Oscar De La Hoya, the big boss of Golden Boy Promotions:
“We’ve got a lineup here that’s just brimming with talent. We’ve handpicked and groomed these guys to be the next world champions. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.”
Bernard Hopkins, partner at Golden Boy Promotions:
“As we wrap up 2023 and head into 2024, it’s the prime time for our fighters to step up and show they’re top of the line. This is their chance to shine and prove they’re ready for the main event.”
Undercard
The evening’s second main event stars London’s Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-2, 18 KOs), marking his big U.S. debut with Golden Boy against Venezuela’s own El Tigre, Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs). They’ll clash in a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship, brought to you in partnership with TGB Promotions.
Also on the DAZN card, WBA Lightweight International Champion and up-and-comer Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield (15-0, 11 KOs) from Austin, Texas, will put his title on the line against Ricardo “Explosivo” Torres (17-7-3, 12 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico, in a 10-round bout, courtesy of Davies Entertainment. Schofield, last seen in a gripping fight against the tough Haskell Rhodes on July 8, is all set to keep his fans on the edge of their seats.
Joining the action is NABO Middleweight Champion Shane Mosley Jr. (20-4, 11 KOs), ready to take on San Bernardino’s Joshua Conley (17-5-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round fight. Fresh off a knockout victory against D’Mitrius Ballard in June, Mosley Jr. is a fighter on fire.
Kicking off the DAZN card, Houston’s knockout sensation Darius Fulghum (8-0, 8 KOs) faces Pachino “Chino” Hill (8-4-1, 6 KOs) from Davenport, Iowa, in an eight-round light heavyweight fight. Fulghum, one of the most active prospects in boxing this year, is set to impress his hometown crowd.
And let’s not forget the Golden Boy Fight Night: Garcia vs. Duarte Prelims on Golden Boy’s YouTube Channel! In a four-round super bantamweight fight, Hawaii’s Asa “Ace” Stevens (5-0, 2 KOs) will go head-to-head with Dominque Griffin (5-5-2, 2 KOs) of Irving, Texas. Plus, Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (2-0, 1 KO), the former Mexican Olympian, is back in a four-round bantamweight fight against Alejandro Dominguez (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, Nevada. Sean Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) of Victorville, California, will also step into the ring for a four-round fight against an opponent yet to be announced.
Garcia vs. Duarte Fight Night
Q: Alright, when’s the big Garcia vs. Duarte scrap?
- A: Listen up! It’s going down on Saturday, December 2. Get ready for a proper rumble.
Q: What time we kickin’ off?
- A: The brawl starts at 2am CET, 1am UK, and 8pm ET. Perfect for a wild night, ain’t it?
Q: When are Garcia and Duarte steppin’ into the ring?
- A: These lads are expected to strut their stuff around 5am CET, 4am UK, and 11pm ET. But with the undercard, who knows? Stay sharp.
Q: Can we catch the fight on DAZN?
- A: Yeah, DAZN’s got it live in over 200 countries, minus Australia and New Zealand. If you’re in Argentina, Chile, or Colombia, grab the DAZN app and get signed up.
Q: What kit do I need to watch this showdown?
- A: DAZN’s all set on your phones, tablets, and those big screen TVs. And for the gamers, it’s on PlayStation and Xbox. If you’re old school, just hit up DAZN.com on your browser.
Q: Where’s the fight happening?
- A: The lads are throwing down at the Toyota Arena in Houston, Texas.
Q: What’s the rest of the fight card look like?
- A: It’s packed, mate:
- Garcia vs. Duarte – the headliner.
- Ohara Davies vs. Ismael Barroso – for the title-hungry.
- Floyd Schofield vs. Ricardo Torres – lightweights ready to brawl.
- Shane Mosley Jr. vs. Joshua Conley – middleweights at it.
- Darius Fulghum vs. Pachino Hill – light heavyweights bringing the noise.
- Asa Stevens vs. Dominque Griffin – junior featherweights in the mix.
- Gael Cabrera vs. Alejandro Dominguez – bantamweights stirring things up.
- Sean Garcia vs. a mystery opponent – lightweights with a surprise.