The WBC reports that Ryan Garcia will return to action on December 2nd in San Antonio, Texas. He will fight as a junior welterweight against Mexico's Oscar Duarte, who is 26-1-1 and the winner of eleven straight bouts dating to 2019. The news indicates that Garcia and Golden Boy Promotions will be working together, at least in the short term, despite an ongoing federal lawsuit between them (see below). DAZN will reportedly broadcast Garcia-Duarte, which wil mark Garcia's return to the ring following a stoppage loss to Gervonta "Tank" Davis in April. “I am very excited about this fight. I’m back and I feel better and stronger than before. I wanted Duarte for myself and for the fans. “He is tough and I am ready to give people another show,” García commented on his social media. Duarte briefly noted: “We are back my people! See you on December 2nd. We will win”.
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
SEPT. 26, 2023: Golden Boy Promotions and lightweight contender Ryan Garcia (pictured) have agreed to put their lawsuit on hold and will attempt to work out their differences with a mediator. Garcia’s attorney, Guadalupe Valencia, also a defendant in the lawsuit filed by Golden Boy, will also participate on the mediation (as a party, not as an attorney). Garcia last fought in April, a loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis is a lucrative pay-per-view fight. In the wake o0f the loss, the relationship between promoter and boxer quickly deteriorated. Golden Boy filed the lawsuit in federal court in Nevada on June 16th. Garcia and Valencia each filed separate motions to dismiss on August 21st, but Golden Boy filed an amended complaint on September 1st. Shortly afterwards, the two sides’ positions seemed to soften as Golden Boy offered mediation, and Garcia tweeted, “fighting at the end of this year... Ooooowweeeeeeee! One more for 2023! Let’s see who!" There has still been no fight announcement, but Garcia and Valencia agreed to stay the lawsuit and go to mediation last week. The court agreed to this request, writing, “Case is stayed until further order of this court.” If the mediation fails, Golden Boy will have to respond to at least one, and probably two motions to dismiss.
SEPT. 13, 2023: In a federal lawsuit filed in Nevada, Golden Boy Promotions is seeking to protect its promotional rights to the career of Ryan Garcia. The defendants are Garcia himself plus his attorney Lupe Valencia. Despite the lawsuit, it looks like Garcia will still be working with Golden Boy, because earlier this week, the lightweight / junior welterweight contender tweeted, "Fighting at the end of this year... Ooooowweeeeeeee! One more for 2023! Let’s see who!"
In the lawsuit, Golden Boy alleges that it has a valid, ongoing and enforceable promotional agreement with Garcia that gives it the exclusive right to promote Garcia’s boxing matches, including to find opponents, negotiate deals, and arrange his bouts. The Agreement forbids Garcia and his agents, including Valencia, from negotiating and contracting for any fights other than those promoted by Golden Boy. The Agreement also provides that Garcia shall not withhold his approval for certain opponents and bouts proposed by Golden Boy. According to the amended complaint Golden Boy filed earlier this month, Golden Boy has fulfilled all of its contractual obligations and helped to build Garcia into one of the most recognizable and sought-after boxers in the world. “In short,” the lawsuit says, “Garcia’s career has flourished under Golden Boy’s direction.”
The lawsuit goes on to allege that Garcia’s advisors have convinced him he does not need Golden Boy anymore. "Valencia, has for the last year or more, has directly interfered with Golden Boy’s ability to communicate with Garcia and to negotiate the best deals and fights for Garcia. In fact, Valencia, in direct violation of the Agreement, has engaged in negotiations with other promoters and boxers for Garcia’s fights. Valencia has done so despite explicitly knowing of the Agreement and its terms and has orchestrated an effort to drive a wedge between Garcia and Golden Boy by inducing his breach of the Agreement."
Since the lawsuit was filed in June, Golden Boy says, “Garcia now takes the position that he does not dispute the Agreement’s present validity and enforceability and that, pursuant to that Agreement, Golden Boy should have first mediated their dispute before coming to the Court [… But] Garcia continues this bad faith conduct to this day as Golden Boy is attempting to arrange a bout for November 2023. Golden Boy was thus forced to commence this lawsuit to enforce and protect its rights under the Agreement… Now that Garcia appears to take the position that the agreement may be enforceable for some period of time, GBP has initiated a mediation with Garcia. Golden Boy is awaiting Garcia’s response regarding that mediation.”
JUNE 2, 2023: Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Ryan Garcia, issued a rant against Garcia on Twitter on Thursday... "Wtf, Ryan Garcia. It’s been almost two months [since you got stopped by Gervonta "Tank" Davis] and youre still crying about the post-fight presser? The blame for your loss is on YOU and your advisor Lupe [Valencia]. He is the only one who pushed you to accept that insane rehydration [post-weigh-in weight] clause and that is the reason you lost. Man up. Own that....Also, you keep saying Tank's team offered more support for you, blah blah blah. Bro they set you up to lose with that rehydration clause and most importantly… [Davis' de facto promoter] Al Haymon didn't even show up the entire week. Actually, he never shows up. How’s that for “support” ???
Garcia's response: "Weren’t you just promoting the fake Pac [Manny Pacquiao vs. Ryan Garcia] fight that I already told you I’m not accepting? You really think ima fall for that bull twice?"
De La Hoya: "Not going to argue over social media. When you have time to sit down, man to man, we can get you another huge payday."
APRIL 23, 2023: Gervonta “Tank” Davis, the five-time, three-division world champion, earned the biggest victory of his career tonight in front of 20,842 fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, handing Ryan Garcia his first defeat by way of emphatic seventh-round knockout. Davis improved to 29-0 (27 KOs), while Ryan’s record suffered its first blemish, dipping to 23-1 (19 KOs).
In what turned out to be a tactical boxing match, both Davis and Garcia stayed poised looking to land their signature power punches. Ryan captured the first round as the more active fighter, moving forward and sticking with his jab. Davis was content to stay on the backfoot waiting for the right time to strike. That moment came in round two when Davis countered a wide right hook that missed from Garcia with his own left hook clean on the chin. Garcia once again found himself on the canvas in round two, similar to when he fought Luke Campbell in January 2021. Unlike in the Campbell fight, Ryan never regained control of the contest. Davis consistently targeted the body with his straight left, which ultimately proved to be the right strategy.
Garcia found some success in round six, landing a few stinging right hands, but they did little to deter a motivated Davis. In the seventh, while to two were tangled in a clinch, Davis landed a sneaky left hook to Garcia’s ribcage. In a delayed reaction, Garcia felt the shot then retreated into a neutral corner and took a knee for a full count. The knockout came at the 1:44 mark of the frame.
