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Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.
Every Friday We Bring You:
A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.
Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.
Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.
How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.
Fight Content From Around The 🌍
Don’t Call It A Comeback
Ryan Garcia starts the rebuild process on Saturday night as he takes on Oscar Duarte at super-lightweight, in what will be his first fight since his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis earlier in the year.
Garcia looks set at competing at 140 lbs, and beating Duarte convincingly will be his chance to assert himself in a division that could really heat up in 2024, with the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Rolly Romero, Regis Prograis and Subriel Matias all presenting themselves as options.
The fight’s buildup has seen a fair amount of trash talk, but strangely, it’s not between the the two fighters.
Garcia has been going back and forth with his own promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins in and around fight week, which could raise questions regarding the working relationship and Garcia’s promotional future.
Duarte won’t care.
Whilst he doesn’t have Ryan’s C.V, he’s very game and can definitely crack, as he hasn’t heard the final bell since his lone career loss back in 2019.
Crucially, he’s been extremely confident in himself throughout the lead up to the fight, convinced that he’s seen something that can be exploited in the 25 year old.
Seeing weakness and exploiting it are very different things, and Garcia will be equally as determined to get back in the win column and let his hands do the talking on Saturday night, where a knockout will set him up for some potentially huge match ups next year.
If 2024 is going to be the year Garcia becomes a world champion, a win tomorrow night is an absolute non negotiable. He hasn’t been given a total layup here, so make sure to tune in to see if “King” Ryan can close out 2023 with a win.
What to look for in the fight:
Aggression. Ryan’s demeanour throughout the build up could suggest that he’s looking to go on the offensive and get Duarte out of there early. Look for him to try and set up his lethal left hook early.
Bodywork. Duarte likes to get in close and rip to the body fairly early. If Ryan gives him the space and doesn’t establish a strong jab early, Duarte has the ability to slow him down the longer the fight goes on.
Don’t take our word for it.
Teddy gave his take on Duarte’s chances in a clip from this week’s podcast. Check out the clip below for a mini breakdown of the fight.
A Stacked UFC Fight Night
The UFC returns to Austin on Saturday night, with a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan serving as the main event of a really high quality card.
27 year old Tsarukyan feels like he’s been around forever, bursting onto the scene with a close decision loss to the current champion Islam Makhachev. Even in defeat, it was clear that the then 22 year was a serious talent, and he’s since developed into a dangerous contender in what is probably the UFC’s most talented division.
Beneil Dariush is coming off of a first round KO loss to Charles Oliveira, which ultimately scuppered his immediate chances of a title fight.
Before that, he'd racked up 8 consecutive victories, displaying an all round striking and grappling game that is a handful for any top lightweight.
As is standard with the UFC, contenders and champions alike don’t get “tune ups”, and he’s right back in here against another fighter who can beat him and take him even further away from a title fight.
Geography will be crucial here, as Tsarukyan will be looking to get in close and dominate on the mat. Dariush might have the edge on the feet, but he needs to stay vigilant as Arman’s striking has developed massively since his move to American Top Team.
It’s high stakes for both men, which is all the more reason to tune in.
The main event isn’t the only selling point, as the undercard is stacked with top matchups, many of which could easily be main event bouts in their own right.
Jalin Turner vs Bobby Green
Rob Font vs Deiveson Figueiredo
Sean Brady vs Kelvin Gastelum
Clay Guida vs Joaquim Silva
Fight ⏰ for this weekend
Boxing: Garcia vs Duarte (Saturday 2nd/Sunday 3rd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific | Main Event: 11pm Eastern/ 8pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 2am | Main Event: 4am
🇦🇺 Full Card: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western | Main event: 1pm Eastern/ 11am Western
Boxing: Conlan vs Gill (Saturday 2nd/Sunday 3rd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific | Main Event: 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 6pm | Main Event: 10pm
🇦🇺 Full Card: 4am Eastern/ 2am Western | Main event: 8am Eastern/ 6am Western
MMA: Dariush vs Tsarukyan (Saturday 2nd/Sunday 3rd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific | Main Event: 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 12am | Main Event: 2am
🇦🇺 Full Card: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western | Main event: 1pm Eastern/ 11am Western