Oscar Duarte made it clear that he has his sights set on any major title fight, including a second round with boxing’s newest belt holder.
Duarte, a streaking contender from Mexico, was cheated out of the opportunity to challenge for the IBF 140lbs title. He was due to challenge Richardson Hitchins, 20-0 (8 KOs), who fell ill on the morning of their eventually canceled fight last Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
As a result, Duarte was reduced to the role of spectator rather than co-feature participant alongside Ryan Garcia’s WBC 147lbs title-winning effort over Mario Barrios.
Still, the ringside view of Garcia’s coronation provided a new sense of purpose for Duarte, who has won four straight since their December 2023 meeting in Houston. Garcia won via eighth-round knockout, leaving Duarte eager for the opportunity to avenge the defeat.
“Right now, I am fit at 140 pounds. But … I want the world title,” Duarte emphasized to BoxingScene. “For me, it’s no problem for me to go to 147, because I want a fight with Ryan Garcia. I want that rematch.
“Congratulations, Ryan. It was a great fight last weekend. I’m ready for a second fight with Ryan. I don’t have a problem going to 147 for that fight.”
Garcia, 25-2 (20 KOs), claimed his first major title with the victory in what was arguably his best performance to date. A 26-year-old from Victorville, California, Garcia claimed to have ditched his partying habits well ahead of preparation for Barrios and has turned to his faith in Christ to keep him on the straight and narrow.
Even in passing, and more so from their brief interactions, Duarte most certainly sees a new and improved version of his former adversary.
“Ryan Garcia at this moment is a better fighter and a better person than he was previously,” insisted Duarte. “I saw him during fight week and I really felt his good spirit.
“I’m happy for him. He’s a world champion, he seems like he changed, and I am getting a better version of Ryan if we can fight.”
A significant part of Duarte’s current run comes from the teachings of multi-time Trainer of the Year and former IBF 130lbs titlist Robert Garcia.
Duarte made the sacrifice of being away from his family to train at Garcia’s facility in Riverside, California. The reward has come in the form of his in-ring results, with victories over former titlist Joseph “JoJo” Diaz and bubble contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jnr along the way.
To date, Duarte is the only fighter to hang a [technical] knockout defeat on Diaz, who was stopped on his feet in their April 2024 clash in Fresno, California. Duarte then turned away Akhmedov and Miguel Madueno three months apart before edging out Sims last summer on the road in Chicago.
Duarte’s improvements left him to feel like he could conquer the 140lbs division. He was mere hours away from the chance to prove it versus Hitchins, but that ship has sailed now that the unbeaten Brooklynite was ordered to next face Lindolfo Delgado, Duarte’s countryman and training stablemate.
Duarte’s hope now is to renew an old rivalry and settle the score with one of the sport’s biggest stars.
“The biggest difference for me is that I’m getting guidance from the best trainer in the world,” Duarte said of his relationship with Robert Garcia (no relation to Ryan). “For the first fight with Ryan, I trained in Mexico. I didn’t have as good of sparring as I do now. I feel great, I really feel like a world champion right now. I just need to get a champion in the ring.
“We know that Richardson Hitchins won’t fight me, so I hope Ryan Garcia will.”
