The dust had barely settled since the last-minute cancellation of Oscar Duarte’s fight against Richardson Hitchins when the Mexican fighter turned to what could be next.
He’d spent months in Riverside, California, training for the Hitchins co-main event on the Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia welterweight championship card in Las Vegas card, only to find out hours before he was due at the T-Mobile Arena that Hitchins had fallen ill, and their fight was canceled.
Days later, the IBF ordered Hitchins to defend his title against Lindolfo Delgado, scuppering the likelihood of an immediate rescheduling of his own fight with Richardson, and thus forcing the Golden Boy Promotions super lightweight to survey the boxing landscape and ponder what’s next.
Since an eighth-round knockout loss to Ryan Garcia, Duarte rebounded with wins over JoJo Diaz and Kenneth Sims, among others.
And a rematch against Garcia is high on 30-year-old’s list of priorities. “There’s been an evolution of me as a fighter and as a person since the first fight with Ryan Garcia and it doesn’t matter if he goes down to 140, or I go up to 147 to fight him,” the 30-year-old told Boxing Social recently.
“I’m willing to to do anything because I really do want that rematch.”
A Garcia fight, at super lightweight or welterweight, is not the only bout that interests Duarte, who has his eye on the championship picture, as well as an all-Mexican shootout against compatriot Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.
“I would like to fight Pitbull because everyone knows that styles make fights, and that fight would be a bloody war that the fans would really love,” Duarte told us.
“I recognize what Pitbull has done for this sport,” he said. “All the sacrifices that he’s gone through, to put him in that position as well. I know the fans would love that fight and I just hope he gives me that opportunity, so I can shine in the ring.”
He continued: “But I’m coming for that world title. I’m willing to fight with any champion, whether it’s Gary Antuanne Russell, whether it’s Shakur Stevenson, or whether it’s Dalton Smith — whoever. I’ve earned that world title opportunity, and I’m ready for anybody.”
The Robert Garcia trained fighter, who has a pro record of 30-2-1 (23 KOs), and is ranked No.3 in the division by the IBF.
Considering the eight-week camp he had at the Robert Garcia Academy, to be fighting fit for the planned Hitchins bout, he remains in peak physical condition and told us he’s “ready to fight whenever.”
He finished: “I’m taking it day by day, and ready for any opportunity that comes up.”
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