Garcia Folds Duarte, Puts 140 On Notice!

After much speculation has to whether or not he would be able to swim in the waters of the super lightweight division, Ryan Garcia has triumphantly returned to the ring. Oscar Duarte was a great opponent for a comeback fight, the 135-lb contender sat comfortably with a 26-1 record before being knocked out by Garcia. It's important to remember that this fight was contested at 143 lbs, meaning Duarte had to move up in order to fight Garcia. Regardless of his migration to super lightweight, Duarte proved to be a fighter worthy of the big stage. He chased Garcia around the ring and applied pressure that many people were pleased with. Forcing Garcia into the corners of the ring, cutting off space, and making him uncomfortable were all things that professionals of the sport predicted Duarte would do. What prevented Duarte from landing a knockout blow of his own was Ryan Garcia's improved defensive tactics. Although Duarte tried his best to deliver a punishing overhand right on Garcia, his footwork and intriguing use of the Philly Shell kept him away from any real danger. There were several boos from the crowd in round 4 while Garcia remained light on his toes, using lateral movement to control Duarte's assault. The money shot came four rounds later when he realized Duarte's attacks came at a certain rhythm. Duarte often would charge forward before throwing a shot, leaving himself vulnerable for just a short moment. With 30 seconds left in the 8th, Garcia blasted Duarte with a left hook that left him chicken-dancing around the northwestern corner of the ring. Garcia finished his stumbling opponent with a swift right hook that landed on the ear, just above the gap created by the glove and the head.

With such a solid win under his belt, it's not far-fetched to say that Ryan Garcia is ready for world championship fights. Garcia lost to WBA Lightweight Champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis earlier in the year, suffering a knockout loss that sent waves through the combat sports community. For what seemed like months, Garcia taking a knee against Tank was a meme. Coming back with a knockout of his own silenced the crowd and opens up the conversation for more world title gold. At the 140-lb division, the smartest route for Garcia to take would be against Rolly Romero. While he is technically out of action due to an injury suffered after his win against Ismael Barroso, he is still the most sensible option due to his activity, style, and buildup potential. The trash talk between Romero and Garcia would keep the fans entertained, and there is no doubt that the contest would end in some sort of controversy. Another option for Garcia would be Teofimo Lopez, who is still the lineal champion at 140 lbs. Teofimo retired this past summer, vacating his The Ring and WBO Super Lightweight World titles after defeating Josh Taylor in a fight that marked a return of his own. Teofimo already rejected a fight between himself and Ryan Garcia after he received an offer that only gave him 1.3 million dollars. Naturally, Teofimo was furious with Garcia, letting the world know through interviews conducted by FightHype and FightHubTV. After knocking out Duarte, Garcia may still be a worthwhile opponent for Lopez. If Garcia and his team are able to restructure a contract and get it back to Lopez in a few months, there could easily be a fight made for the WBO Super Lightweight Championship that Lopez originally left vacant. With or without the Teofimo Lopez fight, world championship fights should be the only goal for Ryan Garcia and his team. If keeping Ryan Garcia in the superstar conversation is a real aspiration for the people around him, then chasing world titles and saying no to stay-busy fights is the right move to make. The super lightweight division is heating up very quickly, and missing out on opportunities like others such as Andy Ruiz at heavyweight would be a sad turnout for someone with such a large fanbase. Ryan Garcia's fans have shown historically that they will follow him regardless of his performance, and retaining world championship influence will do nothing but grow his fanbase. With the right decisions, Ryan Garcia can be the future of the 140-lb division.