For sure, a knockout changes everything. Just a day or days before, things weren’t so pleasant at the Ryan Garcia camp. The open, all-out airing of the difference between Garcia and the promoters and the catchweight move weighed heavily over the bout with Oscar Duarte. However, come Saturday night, through the ‘Philly Roll,’ the bout ended on a high five for the young Californian. A flurry of combinations floored his Mexican opponent, who couldn’t get on the referee’s count.
The emphatic victory has, for sure, put his career back on track. The voice of a buoyant Ryan Garcia crackled with confidence as he spoke about his future moves during the post-fight press conference. So much so that he has now even made a peculiar announcement related to his ring moniker. The young boxer is widely known across the boxing world as ‘KingRy.’ Early today, he let the world know yet another nickname he would be flattered to be called.
Winner in the battle of sobriquets
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Taking to his X/Twitter handle, the former interim lightweight title holder said, “I believe I’m now changing my alias in the ring to RYAN “SUPER RY” GARCIA.” As far as the current nickname is concerned, it was the combination of Garcia’s charm and absolute dominance in the ring that led to him earning the nickname ‘KingRy.’ Whether or not the new alias gains the same popularity as the previous one is something only time will tell.
I believe I’m now changing my alias in the ring to RYAN “SUPER RY” GARCIA👊⚡️
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) December 3, 2023
Ryan Garcia had loudly criticized Shakur Stevenson for his lackluster performance against Edwin De Los Santos. Perhaps he backed his words by taking the wind out of Oscar Duarte in the eighth round. To most fans, it may count among his best knockouts. But it appears to have helped him take a turn for the better after his first career loss to Gervonta Davis in April.
Additionally, it’s the first successful run with Derrick James. He had switched over to the Texas-based award-winning trainer after the ‘Tank’ fight.
Opportunities galore for Ryan Garcia
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Despite many questions raised after his first defeat, Ryan Garcia remained upbeat about his return. Understandably, he thanked the Almighty for his resounding victory. During the post-fight ring interview, he said, “It was a great performance, but I just want to give honor to God and give him the glory. You know, I fought hard to find myself again. I did a lot of soul searching, and I just wanted to thank him.”
Later, during the official press conference, he spoke about a tentative return by March or April of the new year. He also called out his archrival, Shakur Stevenson, for a fight. He sounded fine for a square-up against the winner between Regis Prograis and Devin Haney. However, he picked in particular Rolando Romero while specifying his goal of becoming a world champion.
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Who would you pick for Ryan Garcia’s next fight? Please share your views with us in the comments below.
Watch This Story: Ryan Garcia’s Intense Training Routine for Oscar Duarte Comeback Fight