Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte: Preview & Prediction

It’s “KingRy” time, as Ryan Garcia will be making his return to the ring to meet Oscar Duarte. Boxing fans have been waiting to see how Garcia will bounce back after suffering the first loss of his pro boxing career when he was knocked out by a stinging body shot courtesy of Gervonta “Tank” Davis back in April.

While Garcia is looking to bounce back in a new weight class, Duarte hopes to pull off an upset in the biggest bout of his pro boxing career. Some are wondering if an upset could be brewing here, given how Garcia’s last fight ended and the heavy hands of Duarte.

Garcia enters this fight with a pro boxing record of (23-1). Duarte also only has one loss on his resume, which was back in 2019. His record is (26-1-1), with 21 of those bouts ending via KO or TKO.

Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte preview

I won’t pretend that Garcia’s chin shouldn’t be questioned. A knockdown against Luke Campbell and the knockdown he suffered in the second round against Davis show that “KingRy” can certainly hit the canvas, and I think Duarte is capable of putting Garcia on his butt. With that said, I do not question Ryan’s toughness, given his ability to come back against Campbell and the grit he showed against Davis before he ultimately succumbed to the body shot.

My issue with Duarte here would be speed. He doesn’t have the speed that “Tank” had to catch “KingRy,” and perhaps he doesn’t need it. If Garcia gets lazy with his hands down like he did against Campbell, I think Duarte will stop him. Knowing how crucial this fight is to his career, I believe Garcia will minimize the risks and pick his shots carefully. If he comes out as aggressive as he was in the Davis fight, that may be a problem, as one punch from Duarte can cause serious issues.

Ultimately, I will take Garcia here to flash that signature left hook and to be quick enough to avoid Duarte’s punching power. Duarte will have his moments, and he will throw heavy leather. It’s not a gimme fight by any means, but I’m taking Ryan Garcia for the bounce-back win to end 2023.

Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte Prediction

Ryan Garcia via unanimous decision

Fernando Quiles Jr.

Fernando has been covering combat sports and pro wrestling for over a decade. He currently writes for BJPenn.com and has also contributed for Sports Illustrated’s MMA Knockout. Fernando is excited to be a part of FightsATW to provide you with the latest news content in the world of pro wrestling.

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