Ryan Garcia finally realized his potential with a dominant 12 round decision over Mario Barrios in Las Vegas to win the WBC welterweight title- his first world championship.
Ryan Garcia, in great shape and seemingly more focused than he has been in years, dropped champ Mario Barrios in the opening seconds of the fight and cruised to win the WBC welterweight title by dominating the entire fight in a near-shutout decision in the main event of "The Ring: High Stakes" DAZN PPV card on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Garcia finally realized the potential that once seemed like a distant dream, effortlessly claiming the WBC welterweight title in a career-defining performance. Judges scored the bout 120-107, 119-108, and 118-109. Garcia's victory came as a triumphant rebound after a turbulent 2024 and 2025 that saw him entangled in controversy both inside and outside the ring.
The past two years had been a nightmare for Garcia, as he had missed weight for a WBC junior welterweight title fight against Devin Haney in 2024 admitting that alcohol had derailed his training camp. Although he knocked Haney down three times with his powerful left hook and appeared to win, the result was later overturned to a "no-contest" after Garcia failed two drug tests for PEDs.
Next, after a one year suspension by the New York Athletic Commission he had a comeback fight last May and it ended in disappointment with a terrible offensive performance and lackluster decision loss to Rolando Romero for the vacant WBA "regular" welterweight title.
In the face of these setbacks, Garcia’s road to prominence seemed uncertain.
Despite the recent past, the WBC sanctioned his title shot against Barrios, and Garcia took full advantage of the opportunity. Saturday was the Ryan Garcia that boxing fans had long expected — focused, in peak condition, and hungry for a world title.
He wasted no time in asserting his dominance in the opening seconds, knocking Barrios down with a right hand to the top of the head and setting the tone for the rest of the fight. From that point forward, Garcia was in complete control, easily outboxing Barrios for the entire 12 rounds. The judges were unanimous in their praise, and the boxing community was once again reminded of Garcia’s immense talent.
“I feel great, man,” Garcia said after the fight, dedicating the victory to his father and trainer, Henry. “I wanted to show you my whole arsenal tonight. I believe it was like a masterclass, but I should have gotten the knockout to be honest. I have to grade myself on that.”
Garcia, however, put on a near-perfect performance, dominating from the first round. He went straight to the center of the ring, landing a huge right hand followed by another that floored Barrios. The referee started the count, but Barrios quickly recovered, though the early knockdown set the tone for the rest of the bout.
Barrios acknowledged Garcia’s superior strategy and execution, stating, "I was caught early with a punch I didn’t see... he boxed very smart, very explosive, very intelligent, and it was his night.”
Garcia now 25-2, 20 KOs, was known for his lethal left hook, but against Barrios, it was his right hand leads that caused the most damage. His speed, both with his hands and feet, was evident from the outset, as he repeatedly landed sharp, blistering right hands that left Barrios scrambling for answers. Barrios dropping, 29-3-2, 18 KOs), a veteran fighter and former titleholder, struggled to land any meaningful punches, despite some attempts to target Garcia’s body.
The fight remained competitive through the middle rounds, but Garcia continued to dominate. Garcia scored a strong right hand late in the fourth round rocked Barrios, and another blistering right hand in the fifth round had Barrios looking dazed. Garcia showed off his full arsenal of skills, including fluid combinations and crisp footwork, while Barrios was on the back foot, unable to keep up with the speed and precision of Garcia's attacks.
Despite some injury to his right hand around the sixth and seventh rounds, Garcia remained in control, and his output didn’t drop significantly. “I hurt him many times, but I hurt my right hand,” Garcia explained. “It wasn’t the left hook tonight; it was my right hand working.” It was clear that Garcia’s right hand had become a potent weapon, even though the left hook, his signature punch, was still a threat.
As the fight neared its end, Barrios was battered but managed to win the 11th on two scorecards and the 12th on one. However, there was no doubt about the winner on this Saturday night.
Garcia’s dominant performance was a clear signal that he was back on track. The statistics supported his superiority: Garcia landed 185 out of 539 punches (34%), compared to Barrios’ 106 out of 328 (32%). Garcia also connected with a career-high 82 jabs, further showing his command of the ring. Compared to his effort against Romero just nine months ago, where he landed only 18 power punches, Garcia had landed 103 against Barrios, showcasing his improved form.
In the end, Ryan Garcia silenced the doubters and proved he still had what it takes to be a world champion, not just in potential, but in reality.
Now, he becomes a real threat at welterweight with a possible rematch with Devin Haney on the horizon later in 2026.