Ryan Garcia has been out of the ring since his stoppage loss to Gervonta Davis back in April, though makes his comeback on a Golden Boy and DAZN show on December 2.
In the opposite corner will be the 25-1 Oscar Duarte, and one former world champion believes selecting Duarte could prove to be a fatal error from Garcia’s handlers.
Appearing on the DAZN Boxing Show, Sergio Mora described Duarte as “very dangerous” before adding that “he does everything that works against Garcia’s style.”
“It’s dangerous – very dangerous! You don’t match up a fighter and a popular fighter in Ryan Garcia, who just got knocked out on the biggest stage, in the biggest fashion by a monster puncher in Gervonta Davis.”
“You bring him back slowly! Get some knockouts under him, get his confidence back and build the crowd back. You don’t bring him back against a Mexican power puncher who’s non stop coming, who hides behind wide shoulders and who knows how to fight small.”
“He’s going to be a Mexican version of ‘Tank’ Davis, without the speed and being a southpaw, of course. He does everything that works against Ryan Garcia’s style.”
Though he still has a huge profile, a second consecutive defeat would be catastrophic for Garcia, especially given many accused him of quitting against Davis earlier this year.
‘King Ryan’ has had a huge falling out with promoter Oscar De La Hoya, with the Golden Boy boss actually taking up a law suit against his most high profile client. Any legal proceedings haven’t stopped the fight being made under De La Hoya’s banner.
A bout between Garcia and Teofimo Lopez has been tipped for next year, provided he emerges past Duarte in December.