Ryan Garcia On Fighting Duarte- “I Can’t Take Easy Fights”

On Wednesday the comeback efforts off his first loss for former top lightweight and junior welterweight contender Ryan Garcia kicked off with a press conference at the site of his upcoming December return. This, as Garcia met with the media to help promote his Golden Boy Boxing main event with talented veteran Oscar Duarte on December 2nd in Houston, TX.

And, “King Ryan” made it clear that he understands the risks of taking on a tough opponent in his first fight, since losing on PPV by KO to Gervonta “Tank” Davis back in April.

From the Golden Boy release, Ryan told the media in in part,

“You know, Oscar is a tough opponent, a knockout artist, so I have to be prepared, you know, refresh after my last fight. I’ve been training with Derek and have been learning a lot and building. At this new weight I feel more confident, just stronger and just more aware.”

“If I expect to become a champion, I can’t take easy fights and think that’s going get me there. So, I knew that Oscar was a challenge. He’s fast. He’s strong. He’s got good timing. So it just made sense for me, you know, this fight, to show what I could do to prepare me for the bigger fights.”

New Leadership

The “Derek” is championship trainer Derek James, who is training Garcia for the first time out of his gym in Texas and he said on Wednesday,

“I’m happy to be in Texas and back in Houston. I love Houston. I think that it’s going to be a spectacular night of boxing Ryan and I are getting along pretty good in training camp and everything is meshing. This is a day by day process. We keep getting better and better and better. So I’m looking for a great night of fights.”

Hear hall of famer and Garcia promoter Oscar De La Hoya update their relationship and talk more about the future in his one on one conversation with Dan Rafael by clicking play below,

Garcia, 23-1, 19 KOs, parted with hall of fame trainer Joe Goossen after the loss to Davis and after just two fights with him. Garcia has also previously been with famed Mexian trainer Eddy Reynoso, as well.

Duarte brings solid resume’

As for Duarte, he’s on an 11 fight win streak since suffering his first and only defeat in February of 2019. And, while the popular, prominent Garcia is favored, it’s still a great opportunity for him,

“I’m happy and very excited to be here. I am thankful for this opportunity. I’m ready. I’m living in my best moment. I’m thankful for my team, my family and come December 2, I’m going to shine. It’s going to be a great fight and I’m going to make Chihuahua and Mexico proud,” Duarte said in Houston Wednesday.

Garcia-Duarte is an exclusive worldwide, as part of the monthly DAZN streaming service with undercard bouts still to be announced soon.