Oscar Duarte plans Sept. 21 showcase to affirm title-fight readiness

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Oscar Duarte has strong opinions about the 140-pound division and his place in it.

Duarte’s path to reaching his intended title shot will continue Sept. 21 in the greater Phoenix area on the DAZN-streamed undercard of a super-middleweight main event planned to feature recent title challenger Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) of Mexico versus Canada’s Erik Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs).

Golden Boy President Eric Gomez told BoxingScene last week that the Munguia fight remains in negotiations, and Mexico’s Duarte (27-2-1, 22 KOs) said he is awaiting word on who he’ll fight on the card.

He’s reported to trainer Robert Garcia’s boxing academy to prepare, however, working alongside unbeaten junior-middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jr. and the Aug. 3 WBA 140-pound title challenger, Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela.

While Valenzuela will deal with new WBA champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in the co-main of the coming card in Los Angeles, Duarte said he is inspired by the direction of his career.

Following an eighth-round knockout loss to Ryan Garcia in December, Duarte returned April 27 in Fresno to knock out former super-featherweight champion Joseph Diaz Jr. in the ninth round.

“I’m happy for this opportunity, the way I came back from Ryan Garcia – I feel good. I feel strong,” Duarte told BoxingScene Tuesday. “I’m ready for this next fight, ready for the best guys in my division – Teofimo Lopez, Arnold Barboza, any of the top guys.

“I want to show I’m ready for the world champions, and I want everyone to know (on Sept. 21) that I’m the top guy at 140 pounds.”

Duarte said he most wants to fight WBO champion Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs), who is coming off a lackluster victory by decision over Steve Claggett June 29 in Miami.

“I saw his last fight and I know I can beat (Lopez),” Duarte said.

Duarte also feels confident he could defeat Devin Haney, who is likely headed to welterweight after vacating his WBC 140-pound belt to let mandatory contender Sandor Martin fight new champion Alberto Puello.

“I think that (Ryan Garcia) fight changed (Haney) forever. He’s never going to have the same kind of confidence he did and I feel he’ll never be able to take a punch anymore,” Duarte said. “He took a beating in that fight.”