Ryan Garcia stops Oscar Duarte to bounce back from Gervonta Davis defeat

Garcia came under criticism after his stoppage loss to Davis in April, but the 25-year-old was on the right side of a TKO on Saturday

Ryan Garcia got back to winning ways on Saturday, beating Oscar Duarte via eighth-round TKO to bounce back from his first career loss.

Garcia, 25, came under criticism after his loss to Gervonta Davis in April, when the latter stopped “King Ryan” with a body shot in Round 7.

But Garcia got back in the winning column last weekend, producing a mixed performance against Duarte but finishing the fight with an impressive sequence.

The American dropped his Mexican opponent to a knee after a series of heavy hooks, and Duarte, 27, was slightly too late to beat the referee’s count.

“I fought hard to find myself again and I did a lot of soul-searching,” Garcia said after his win. “I’m committing to becoming a world champion.”

Garcia, a former interim champion at lightweight, fought the unbeaten Davis at a catchweight in April, before moving up to super-lightweight for Saturday’s clash with Duarte.

Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.