Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte: Fight Odds, Live Stream, Predictions
Ryan Garcia will enter uncharted territory when he steps into the ring against Oscar Duarte on Saturday night.
For the first time in his professional career, he'll be coming off of a loss.
The talented 25-year-old had his undefeated record spoiled by Gervonta Davis in a seventh-round knockout loss in April. Now, Garcia will look to rebuild some of his appeal with a win over Oscar Duarte in a fight that will take place in Houston.
For Garcia, it's an opportunity to make adjustments after getting knocked out by Davis and keep his skills sharp. Given his social media presence and exciting style, he should be right back in the mix for bigger fights with a strong performance.
Of course, Duarte isn't just going to hand him a win. He has a solid record in his own right and stands to gain quite a bit of popularity in his own right with a win.
Here's a look at all the info you need to catch the fight as well as a preview and prediction for the bout.
When: Saturday, December 2 at 8 p.m. ET (main card starts at 8 p.m. ET, main event ringwalks estimated to be 11 p.m.)
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Live stream: DAZN
Odds: Garcia -425 (wager $425to win $100), Garcia +310 ($100 bet wins $310)
Is Ryan Garcia Focused?
Garcia doesn't fit the mold of a boxing superstar. While many talk about dominating the game for as long as they can, Garcia has been pretty adamant early in his career that he is planning on an early retirement from boxing.
He's previously mentioned being done with the Sweet Science when he turns 26.
When you're undefeated, those kinds of statements tend to go in one ear and out the other. But in light of his first loss, they've seemingly bubbled back to the surface.
Garcia and co-promoter Bernard Hopkins have gone back-and-forth over Hopkins hinting that a loss for Garcia could lead to him suggesting that Garcia walk away from the sport.
However, Garcia insists that a championship is still his goal. Bouncing back from a first loss is a mental hurdle that most boxers have to overcome, if Garcia has any doubts, they'll show up in this fight.
Have Garcia's Adjustments Made a Difference?
To Garcia's credit, the 25-year-old has made some adjustments. He parted ways with former trainer Joe Goossen and sought out Derrick James, a former Trainer of the Year winner.
James has made a difference for Errol Spence Jr., Jermell Charlo and Anthony Joshua. The trainer switch also necessitated a move from Los Angles to Texas which could aid in the re-focusing that needs to take place for Garica to reach his potential.
He believes the sacrifices are going to pay off for a championship reward.
"I want to become a champion," Garcia told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. "Sometimes you need to lose and sometimes you need to hit rock bottom to realize the changes you need to make, and I think that's what's going to make me great and show people who I am is just how I bounce back. It's not easy to lose, but great champions come back."
Garcia can show that he's still serious about chasing those title with a dominant performance over Duarte on Saturday night.
Garcia is a fairly large favorite here, but he isn't a prohibitive one. Most of the time, champion-level fighters are huge favorites in these type of matchups, but Garcia isn't getting that kind of respect.
Part of that is because Garica just doesn't have that kind of track record and he's coming off a brutal loss. Garcia got caught with a body shot that ended the fight in his loss to Davis but he was also down big on the scorecards.
Duarte is not Tank Davis. However, the Mexican is a puncher with decent pop and Garcia is not an elite defensive fighter. His speed and physical gifts make him an exciting potential champion, but his aggressive style leaves him open to big shots.
That leaves some intrigue to this bout, but not enough to go with the upset here.
Garcia's speed should be the difference here. As long as he leads the dance and utilizes some movement to get out of the way of Duarte's counter-attacks, he should build a lead on the scorecards.
Prediction: Garcia via decision
