LAS VEGAS — Ryan Garcia claimed his first world boxing title on Saturday night, dominating Mario Barrios en route to a unanimous decision victory that captured the WBC welterweight championship. The 27-year-old from Victorville, California, dropped the champion twice in the opening seconds and controlled the 12-round bout with a display of speed, power, and tactical variety that left Barrios reeling throughout the fight at T-Mobile Arena.
The judges' scorecards reflected Garcia's one-sided performance: 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109 in his favor. Garcia, now 25-2 with 20 knockouts, entered the ring as a heavy favorite but exceeded expectations by showcasing a full arsenal beyond his signature left hook. Instead, he relied on a barrage of right hands, jabs, and body shots to keep Barrios on the defensive from the opening bell.
Just seconds into the fight, Garcia stunned the crowd with two quick right hands that sent Barrios to the canvas for the first time in his career. Barrios, 29-3-2 with 18 knockouts, struggled to recover, unable to match Garcia's blistering hand speed or adapt to the constant pressure. "It was one of the fights where I wanted to show you my whole arsenal," Garcia said after the bout. "I believe it was like a master class, but I should have got the knockout, to be honest. It wasn't just a left hook. Y'all were saying watch out for my left hook the whole time, but you saw my right hand working tonight."
Garcia's strategy paid dividends as he mixed up his attacks, feinting with the left hook that opponents anticipated only to land overhand rights or hooks to the body. Barrios, who entered as the defending champion, spent much of the fight in a defensive shell, unable to unleash his typical high-volume punching. The San Antonio native had gone 0-0-2 in his previous two outings, drawing against Manny Pacquiao in 2021 and Abel Ramos in 2023, but those competitive bouts were a far cry from the lopsided affair against Garcia.
Adding intrigue to the matchup, Barrios had enlisted trainer Joe Goossen ahead of the fight. Goossen, who had previously worked with Garcia, was brought on to exploit any familiarity with the challenger's style. However, Garcia, who returned to training under his father Henry after cycling through several coaches in recent years, turned the tables. The move seemed to motivate Garcia, who dissected Barrios with precision despite sustaining an injury to his right hand during the bout.
The hand injury, which occurred midway through the fight, likely prevented Garcia from finishing Barrios earlier, as he eased off in the later rounds. Still, the performance marked one of the highlights of Garcia's decade-long professional career, fulfilling the high expectations set when he turned pro at age 17. "That's the performance I expected from him," Goossen said of Garcia. "What we needed to do more of was press a little bit more. But Mario tried his best, took his big shots early and a few in the mid rounds, but for the most part, he took everything Ryan gave him and kept on coming."
Garcia's path to this triumph has been anything but straightforward. Over the past two years, he posted a 1-2 record with one no-contest, including a loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023 and another to Rolly Romero earlier that year. His majority decision win over Devin Haney in April 2024 was overturned to a no-contest following a failed drug test, leading to a yearlong suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission and other bodies.
Off the ring, Garcia's career has been shadowed by controversies. In June 2024, he was arrested for allegedly causing $15,000 in damage to a room at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills hotel. A month later, the WBC expelled him after he repeatedly used racial slurs and made disparaging comments about Muslims during a social media livestream. Despite these setbacks, Garcia's marketability endured, and the WBC reinstated him earlier this year, paving the way for this title opportunity.
Barrios, who won the WBC welterweight belt in June 2024 with a ninth-round stoppage of Abel Ramos, had defended it successfully twice before facing Garcia. His draws against Pacquiao and Ramos highlighted his resilience, but against Garcia's superior speed and power, he couldn't mount a serious threat. Garcia landed 42% of his power punches, according to CompuBox statistics, while Barrios connected on just 28% of his total shots.
The fight drew a sold-out crowd of over 18,000 to T-Mobile Arena, with celebrities including Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson ringside. Promoters from Golden Boy and Top Rank hyped the bout as a clash of styles—Garcia's flash against Barrios' grit—but the outcome was never truly in doubt after the early knockdowns. Garcia's victory improves his standing in the welterweight division, now ranked No. 1 by the WBC.
Looking ahead, Garcia wasted no time calling out potential opponents. He expressed interest in a superfight with Shakur Stevenson, the WBO lightweight champion who was in attendance. "You know who I want? He's right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let's go," Garcia declared. "Hey, I want to be a great champion, and I'm not scared of s---. I fought Devin Haney. I'll fight Shakur Stevenson. I'll fight anybody."
Stevenson, undefeated at 22-0 with 10 knockouts, has been building his own legacy at 135 pounds, but a move to welterweight could create one of 2025's biggest attractions. Garcia's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, echoed the sentiment post-fight, noting the commercial appeal of such a matchup. Meanwhile, Barrios' team plans to regroup, with Goossen praising his fighter's durability despite the loss.
This win cements Garcia's resurgence after a turbulent period. Reinstated by the WBC in early 2025 following his suspension, he seized the chance to silence doubters. The bout, televised on DAZN, generated significant buzz, with viewership numbers expected to rival recent high-profile cards. As Garcia embarks on his first title reign, the boxing world watches to see if he can maintain the discipline that led to this masterclass performance.
For Barrios, the defeat ends a three-fight unbeaten streak and raises questions about his future at 147 pounds. At 30 years old, he remains a capable contender, but matching Garcia's athleticism proved elusive. Goossen, who guided Diego Corrales to classic wins in the 2000s, will likely refine Barrios' approach for a comeback bid.
In the broader context of boxing's welterweight landscape, Garcia's victory shakes up the division. With champions like Terence Crawford holding multiple belts and emerging talents like Jaron Ennis on the rise, Garcia's options abound for his mandatory defense. The WBC has yet to announce the next challenger, but Garcia's bold words suggest he's aiming for legacy-defining fights rather than tune-ups.
Saturday's event underscored Garcia's evolution from a social media sensation to a world champion. His post-fight interview, conducted ringside amid cheers, highlighted a fighter eager to prove his detractors wrong. As the confetti fell and the belt was draped over his shoulders, Ryan Garcia stood tall, ready to defend his hard-earned crown.