Former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia is a big favorite in his junior welterweight bout with Oscar Duarte for the scheduled 12-round fight for Dec. 2 in Houston. Garcia gets back in the ring for the first time since being KO’d by Gervonta Davis in April in what was his first professional defeat in 24 fights. Garcia won the interim title with a seventh-round TKO of Luke Campbell on the second day of the year 2021. The belt slipped off rather easily though since Garcia was stripped of the title just a few months after winning it for backing out of a scheduled bout with Javier Fortuna. Garcia hit the board as a -335 favorite.
With one loss and a draw in 28 career fights, Duarte has an equally glossy record. However, the list of opponents isn’t as substantial as that of Garcia. Since his lone setback in 2019, Duarte has rattled off 11 consecutive victories all by stoppage. Don’t let the odds fool you, Duarte is a skilled and motivated fighter looking to join the upper echelon of the weight class. Most recently Duarte TKO’d D’Angelo Keyes in May and is positioned as a +251 underdog on the boxing line.
Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte Betting Odds
Ryan Garcia -335
Oscar Duarte +251
The 12-round junior welterweight bout between favorite Ryan Garcia ( 23-1, 19 KOs) and Oscar Duarte ( 26-1-1, 21 KOs) will take place at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, December 2, 2023 and will be televised on DAZN.
Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte Fight Preview
Following his loss to Davis when he was knocked down twice and failed to get to his feet the second time, Garcia was heavily criticized with some boxing pundits claiming he quit. Of course Garcia disputes those allegations and really, who would continue after getting floored twice by the heavy hands of ‘Tank’ Davis? His career is still ascending despite the setback to Davis when Garcia was a considerable underdog.
Taking steps to repair his image after some questioned him following his last bout Garcia has a new trainer in well-respected Derrick James. And he moved up to the 140-pound division after his fight with Davis was at 136-pound catchweight. Garcia hit the radar when Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions signed him early in his career helping Garcia to steadily climb the ranks. He won the vacant WBC-NABF junior super featherweight title in just his 11th fight. In what was his toughest fight to date, Garcia survived the first knockdown of his career and stopped Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell with a flurry of seventh round body shots sporting a 77-51 advantage in power punches to earn the WBC interim lightweight title.
A win in his next fight would’ve set Garcia up as the mandatory challenger for the lightweight crown. However, citing a desire to manage his health and well being, Garcia withdrew. He also missed a scheduled fight with Joseph Diaz due to a hand injury. Following a 15-month hiatus, Garcia was back in the ring dominating former IBO lightweight champ Emmanuel Tagoe in a unanimous decision. Most boxing experts felt Garcia looked even better against Javier Fortuna with his third knockdown putting an end to the match in the sixth round.
This is definitely a step up in competition for Duarte and he’s also making a significant jump in weight class. Competing at 135 pounds Duarte is a beast winning his last 11 fights by KO. I guess that loss to Adrian Estrella in 2019 just pissed him off. Though his list of victims isn’t overly impressive, how Duarte won his fights sure is with 21 of his 26 wins by KO.
Bet Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte
There was no shame in losing to Davis with Garcia putting on a decent show. If anything he learned from that loss which will only make him better down the road. His promotion team is already hyping a championship fight and Garcia has shown he’s got the goods. As long as he doesn’t allow the outside noise to interfere there’s no reason why he shouldn’t win this fight. And Garcia took steps by changing his training staff. And he needs to stay focused against a fighter with plenty of power and not much to lose.
Boxing Odds Pick: Ryan Garcia -335 / (TKO)
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