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Andreas Hale
Multiple Authors
LAS VEGAS — Ryan Garcia has finally obtained what had been missing from his professional journey: a world championship.
His initial two punches in Saturday night’s bout sent Mario Barrios to the canvas, as Garcia coasted to a unanimous decision, clinching the WBC welterweight title. Garcia delivered one of the most comprehensive performances of his career, with judges scoring the match 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) emphasized his right hand over his renowned left hook to dominate Barrios throughout the match. From the opening bell, he surprised Barrios with powerful right hands that dropped him.
Following that, Barrios struggled with the relentless pressure as Garcia unleashed a mix of punches to both the head and body. Whenever Barrios anticipated a left hook, Garcia countered with an overhand right, jab, or body shot. Garcia’s diverse attacks and impressive speed forced Barrios into a defensive shell for much of the match, limiting his usual high punch output.
“I wanted to display my entire arsenal in this fight,” Garcia stated. “It felt like a master class, although I really should have knocked him out. It wasn’t just about the left hook. Everyone kept mentioning it, but tonight you all saw my right hand working well.”
During his standout performance, Garcia sustained an injury to his right hand, which likely prevented a stoppage. Still, it marked one of the pinnacle moments in his professional journey, allowing him to meet the high expectations set for him upon turning pro a decade ago.
In recent years, Garcia, 27, had a mixed record of 1-2 with a no-contest. He faced losses to Gervonta Davis and Rolly Romero, and suffered a significant setback when his majority decision win over Devin Haney in 2024 was annulled due to a failed drug test, which led to a yearlong suspension.
although maintaining his star status, Garcia’s methodologies both inside and outside the ring have been surrounded by controversy. He faced arrest in June 2024 for allegedly causing significant damage to a Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills hotel room, estimated at $15,000. afterward, he was expelled from the WBC a month later after using racial slurs and making disparaging comments about Muslims during a social media livestream.
still, after being reinstated by the WBC, Garcia took full advantage of his opportunity, skillfully outboxing Barrios. though Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) held a title coming into the fight, he had gone 0-0-2 in his last two matchups, drawing against Manny Pacquiao and Abel Ramos.
While those previous bouts were competitive, the one against Garcia was not. Barrios simply couldn’t keep up with Garcia’s speed and failed to compile his typical high volume of punches.
For Saturday’s match, Barrios enlisted trainer Joe Goossen, who had previously worked with Garcia. That decision sparked a competitive fire in Garcia, who returned to training under his father after a few years with different trainers. This return produced one of his most well-rounded performances, demonstrating that Barrios’ experience with a familiar trainer couldn’t match the exceptional talent of the fighter from Victorville, California.
“That’s the kind of performance I expected from him,” Goosen remarked regarding Garcia. “We needed to apply a bit more pressure, but Mario did his best, weathering some heavy shots early and in the mid rounds while mostly absorbing everything Ryan threw at him.”
though Garcia eased up in the final rounds, victory was never in jeopardy. Post-fight, he expressed a desire to face WBO 140-pound champion Shakur Stevenson, a matchup that promises to be one of the year’s biggest.
“You know who I want? He’s right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let’s do this,” Garcia declared. “I aim to be a great champion, and I’m not afraid of anything. I fought Devin Haney. I’ll face Shakur Stevenson. I’m ready to take on anyone.”
The horizon looks bright for Garcia, offering numerous possibilities for his first title defense.
