Ryan Garcia's Epic Comeback Victory
Ryan Garcia’s return to the ring Saturday night in Houston was not going as planned.
Indeed, the fans were booing. For in the second half of the fight, Garcia looked as if he might be on the road to victory merely by avoiding his opponent, Oscar Duarte, and firing the occasional shot. The 25 year old Garcia, however, turned the boos to cheers with a single left to Duarte’s head in the eighth round of their scheduled 12 round junior welterweight battle. Wobbled, Duarte tried to keep to his feet, but a Garcia combo sent the gutsy Mexican to the mat. He was subsequently counted out. Granted, Duarte may have gotten to his feet before the referee reached the count of ten, but it was hard to blame the ref for making what he felt was – and what probably was indeed – the right call.
A Tactical Battle: Ryan Garcia Defeats Oscar Duarte
Duarte's refusal to lead with his jab proved to be a problem throughout the bout, allowing Garcia to pick him apart. In the 6th round, Garcia rocked Duarte, who strangely turned his back multiple times to defend himself. When Duarte did manage to land punches, he frequently targeted Garcia's midsection, possibly leading Garcia to adopt a defensive strategy and move around the ring in the seventh and part of the eighth. Despite the crowd's disapproval, it was evident that Garcia knew what he was doing.
After the fight, Garcia expressed gratitude to God and urged people to turn to Jesus. He also mentioned his desire to face Rolly Romero and other prominent fighters in his weight class. Interestingly, Garcia refrained from speaking ill of Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins, with whom he has publicly feuded, during the post-fight interview. Following his defeat to Gervonta Davis in April, there were doubts about Garcia's performance in his return to the ring. Although his performance on Saturday night in Houston was not exceptional, it was undeniably effective.
