LAS VEGAS – There was the story we thought this would be, and the alternate-ending that materialized on Saturday night when Ryan Garcia was elevated to WBC welterweight champion.
“To finally become a world champion, I’ve been dreaming of it since I was seven,” Garcia said at his post-fight press conference after defeating Mario Barrios by unanimous decision and scores of 119-108, 120-107, 118-109 at T-Mobile Arena. “Oscar held that belt. Floyd held that belt. Now, Ryan Garcia holds that belt.”
Oscar De La Hoya fittingly introduced the new champion he promotes late on Saturday, telling reporters: “Winning a first world title is probably the most special experience he’ll ever have in that ring. He’s on top of the world, and he deserves all of it. It’s everything he worked hard for.”
It brought Garcia, 25-2 (20KOs), to think back to his first amateur title, in a tournament where Garcia had introduced him to the referee at the time, Thomas Taylor, saying: “My name is Ryan Garcia, and you better watch me fight.”
In keeping with the mystic turn of the night, California’s Taylor refereed Saturday’s bout, too.
Garcia, after three failed title tries versus Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Rolando “Rolly” Romero, wasted virtually no time seizing control of this fourth – and maybe final – chance by belting Barrios on the head with a knockdown punch 27 seconds into the fight.
“Man, am I really going to get him out of here this easy?” Garcia asked himself.
Barrios showed his durability by making it through the 12 rounds, and admitted he hadn’t effectively prepared for the quality of Garcia’s punches, which routinely hurt or calmed Barrios.
It made time for Garcia to savor guidance in his corner over the full 12 rounds with his lead trainer and former amateur and early professional coach, his father Henry Garcia.
“That was the ending of the whole journey,” Ryan Garcia said. “My dad never left my side. Fame came really quick to me. I got judged. Made a lot of mistakes. But I made a 360 turn to be the best champion I can be, and I finally feel like I’m here now.”
The popular star who has more than 12 million Instagram followers has been saddled by the mostly self-induced criticism that he might be more preoccupied with that than the rigors of prizefighting.
Staying on the canvas after Davis’ body shot in 2023. Falling into the scourge of alcohol and drug abuse before the Haney fight; blowing a three-knockdown victory by testing positive for PEDs.
Garcia returned from a year-long suspension only to be upset by Romero in the main event of the Times Square card in May 2025 in New York, then deeply connected with religion.
“It was like David in the Bible saying, ‘I’ve walked through the valley of death,’” he said. “I treated my body horrible. It was very hard to adjust to everything I had so quick. God disciplines the ones he loves. So I feel I can handle all this stuff now. I’m so grounded and humble.”
During that camp for the Times Square card, Garcia rode a horse through the streets of Los Angeles, and was glazed-eyed after the session, declining interviews after stumbling through questions.
“This was my most mature performance,” Garcia said of Saturday. “My speed was on point. My jab was on point. When I’m in shape and on fire, I’m really quick.”
That brought Garcia to claim he wants to fight the new WBO junior-welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson, whom he fought when they were coming of age as amateurs before the 2016 Olympics Trials in Los Angeles.
When they met backstage Saturday, Stevenson confessed he was surprised how Garcia is smaller than welterweights.
“Size doesn’t win fights,” Garcia said of Stevenson, who most recently fought January 31. “I just want the fight. There’s always a way to win. You’ve just got to figure it out.”
That’s precisely what Garcia did Saturday, when focusing on his right hand instead of reverting to the left hook that so impressed on the Times Square card.
Former two-division champion Teofimo Lopez wanted to go visit Alcatraz and perhaps impress new potential promoters including Zuffa Boxing, who Lopez visited last week.
Who presents the best offer? Who’s supporting this cause?
The sides at DAZN and Paramount+ are seemingly positioning to be your “new homes” for boxing.
The bidding just increased because of the dollars backing both national news and sports.
And now that the remarkably popular Garcia is a champion – and perhaps a promotional free agent – the value of most everything connected to boxing has gone up.
