Eight months removed from his first loss as a professional boxer at the hands of Gervonta Davis (watch highlights), Ryan Garcia will step back into the ring in his first taste of action against Oscar Duarte later TONIGHT (Sat., Dec, 2, 2023) in Houston, Texas. What’s more, Garcia will be moving up the 140-pound weight class for the first time in his career.
The social media sensation is not only looking to get back in the win column, but he wants to flip some of the doubters who feel he is nothing more than an Internet start despite his success in the sport. Indeed, after losing a big challenge against “Tank,” Garcia now finds himself in a must-win situation against a hungry up-and-comer in Duarte, who is looking for his share of the spotlight.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte main event below, starting with the ‘Prelims’ undercard on DAZN at 8 p.m. ET (watch it here), with “Kingry” and Duarte making their ring walks around 11:15 p.m. ET.
Garcia vs. Duarte Quick Results:
Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte – Garcia via eighth-round KO
Floyd Schofield vs. Ricardo Lopez – Schefield via first-round TKO
Shane Mosley Jr. vs. Joshua Conley – Mosley via sixth-round TKO
Darius Fulghum vs. Pachino Hill – Fulghum via second-round TKO
Garcia Vs. Duarte Play-By-Play Results:
Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte
Round 1: They meet in the center of the cage. Garcia unloads three straight jabs. Duarte comes in and lands a straight right to the body. Three-punch combo to the body from Garcia and Duarte counters with a right hook that is blocked. Garcia with the distinct reach advantage and he is using it to his advantage to land the jab repeatedly. Left uppercut from Garcia and Duarte fires off two straight shots to the body. Liver shot from Garcia. Duarte trying to work the body but Garcia evading like a Matador. 10-9 Garcia
Round 2: Garcia didn’t take a seat in between rounds. Garcia opens up with a huge right hand, partially blocked. Duarte stalking, looking for an opening. They clinch in the corner and Duarte drives a couple of shots to the body before they separate. A lightning-quick left hook from Garcia lands flush. Duarte eats it and keeps pushing forward with two shots to the midsection. Left hand sends Garcia back briefly. Back to the center. Nice jab lands flush on Duarte’s nose. Right hand finds its mark for Ryan. Duarte is starting to throw heavy shots, but nothing is landing clean. 10-9 Garcia
Round 3: Duarte comes out aggressive and starts landing to the body. Duarte doing most of the stalking and Garcia unloads a clean two-punch combination and ends it with an uppercut. Lazy right hand from Duarte catches nothing but air. Garcia circling and he lands a huge overhand right. Duarte swings with a wild left hook and Garcia evades. Duarte is trying to corner Garcia, continues to work the body. Garcia is showing of his great footwork, evading Duarte’s big shots while landing his own on the way out. 10-9 Garcia
Round 4: Duarte with a nice two-punch combo that gets a reaction from the crowd. Duarte once again stalks and tries to push Garcia to the corner and gets a warning for a shot to the back of the head. Duarte eventually gets Garcia to the corner and starts punishing the ribs. Garcia finds his way out. Now there is a low blow from Duarte. Action resumes. A big body shot lands for Duarte while Garcia continues to utilize his jab. 10-9 Garcia
Round 5: Duarte once again takes the center of the ring quickly, Duarte is starting to let his hands go and connects an uppercut. Another big body shot from Duarte and Garcia returns favor with a clean left. Overhand right from Duarte, then goes back to the body. Garcia continues to turn his back when trying to avoid punches, and odd defensive tactic. Duarte lands an uppercut and then a left hand. Duarte with a left hook. Garcia gets a warning for a low blow. Duarte continues to work the body, his best round of the fight. 10-9 Duarte
Round 6: Garcia goes down to the body, but Duarte is still aggressive. Duarte whiffs on a lead hook. Counter left from Garcia lands, then a right comes behind it. Duarte misses on a lead right and Garcia makes him pay with an uppercut. Duarte with another shot to the body and Garcia once again almost turns his back entirely when trying to emulate the Floyd Mayweather shoulder roll. Garcia eats and overhand right. Duarte connects with double left hook before the round ends. 10-9 Duarte
Round 7: Duarte light on his feet, once again searching for body shots. Duarte measuring his punches before he unleashes an overhand right, then a left. Three-punch combo from Duarte is blocked. Garcia tags Duarte as he comes in, but he eats the massive right hand. Duarte has a chin on him. Duarte stalking and Garcia is circling the ring. Massive right hand lands for Garcia. A left hand gets Duarte off balance. Garcia is really moving a lot in this round. The boo-birds start raining down due to the lack of action in this round. 10-9 Garcia
Round 8: Looping left hook misses for Duarte. Garcia once again on his bike, but he isn’t sticking and moving, just moving. Duarte with the continuous pressure. Boo birds once again early in the round. Garcia lets go of a three-punch combo, nothing lands. Head, head body again from Garcia. Duarte with a low stance as he rushes in to the body. Two big body shots land for Duarte and Garcia clinches. Garcia once again with the odd shoulder roll and Duarte gets warned again for a shot to the back of the head. Nice left hand lands for Garcia and Duarte is hurt. He is on wobbly legs and Garcia pounces with another two-punch combination that drops Duarte. The referee is counting down and he fails to beat the count. Garcia gets the knockout win.
Final result: Garcia def. Duarte via eighth-round knockout
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