On Saturday night, Ryan Garcia finally became the fighter he was always supposed to be.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs), who owns three wins over Devin Haney in the amateurs and amassed an impressive 20-0 professional record by the time he was 21 years old, delivered on all of the potential many in boxing knew he had in dethroning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios with a one-sided unanimous decision (119-108, 120-107, 118-109) inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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With the win, Garcia — one of boxing’s biggest stars — not only adds to his drawing power but legitimizes a career that has had its fair share of ups and downs. When Garcia was allegedly drinking every day in camp and going on late-night Twitter rants in the lead-up to his 2024 fight with Haney, where he then failed a post-fight drug test for ostarine, a path to a world championship seemed to be a long way away.
Garcia served a one-year drug ban following the Haney fight and unsuccessfully challenged Rolando “Rolly” Romero for the WBA welterweight crown this past May. Garcia delivered a poor showing, one in which he failed to utilize his right hand due to an injury he suffered in camp in the bout’s lead-up.
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On Saturday night, however, Garcia’s right hand was blisteringly fast — and Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) felt the full force of the punch in the early stages. Garcia knocked Barrios down in the first 25 seconds of Round 1 with a right hand to the side of Barrios’ head. Barrios then ate even more heavy shots from Garcia after he rose from the canvas.
Garcia continued to punish Barrios with right hands, also adding body shots and fast combinations. Barrios struggled immensely with Garcia’s speed and failed to break down the distance and work on the inside, as his trainer Joe Goosen wanted him to do.
Although Barrios fought with a high guard, the shots that hit that guard were clearly still having an impact on the now-former champion. Garcia was also able to break through Barrios’ guard by switching the trajectory of his right hand, smashing it into different parts of Barrios’ face.
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Garcia hurt Barrios again to begin Round 5 as a right-hand equilibrium shot had a visible effect on Barrios’ legs. Barrios looked bewildered every time Garcia let his hands go, completely unable to see the punches coming.
The pace slowed in Round 8 as Garcia began to fight predominantly behind his jab, accompanied by occasional left-hand power shots and flurries. Henry Garcia, who served as the head trainer for his son for the first time in many years, informed the DAZN broadcast that this was because Garcia had hurt his right hand.
“You’ve got three rounds to knock him out,” Goosen told Barrios before Round 10.
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Barrios, not known as a puncher and totally outclassed in the fight until that point, attempted to walk Garcia down with more urgency, however, he just became an easier target for Garcia’s power shots.
In the end, it was a shutout, with Uncrowned awarding every round to Garcia.
Garcia called out four-division champion and Uncrowned’s No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer Shakur Stevenson immediately after his win.
“You know who I want,” Garcia said. “He’s right there — Shakur Stevenson, let’s go. Let’s run that s***. 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.
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“The thing is, you’ve got to have some type of punching power to get me off you, because it’ll be a different style and I’m not going to hit him [lightly]. … I want that fight. Shakur, let’s get it.”
Other viable options for Garcia include rematches with WBO and WBA welterweight champions Haney and Romero, as well as his WBC mandatory challenger Conor Benn.
Check out complete Garcia vs. Barrios results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the main card.
Main card
WBC welterweight title: Ryan Garcia def. Mario Barrios via unanimous decision (119-108, 120-107, 118-109)
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WBA super lightweight title: Gary Antuanne Russell def. Andy Hiraoka via unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, 116-111)
IBF super lightweight title: Richardson Hitchins vs. Oscar Duarte*
Super lightweight: Frank Martin & Nahir Albright fight to a unanimous draw (95-95, 95-95, 95-95).
Super middleweight: Bektemir Melikuziev def. Sena Agbeko via seventh-round TKO | Watch video
Middleweight: Amari Jones def. Luis Arias via fourth-round TKO (corner retirement)
Super featherweight: Mohammed Alakel def. David Calabro via second-round KO | Watch video
Heavyweight: Joshua Edwards def. Brandon Colantonio via unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)
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*Richardson Hitchins out due to illness, Oscar Duarte bout cancelled
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
Three minutes to go — and there is nothing Barrios can do to turn this around, so we are just three minutes (or less) away from Garcia winning the WBC welterweight title.
Jabs from Garcia are connecting. Barrios lands a right hand. He has two minutes to go for broke. Barrios began to unload as Garcia was backed up. Garcia turned his back and pushed Barrios onto the floor with his shoulder. Left hook from Garcia to seal the win.
10-9 Garcia, 120-107 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Garcia is just keeping Barrios off of him with the jab. Garcia was told in the corner not to risk anything and to just outbox him, which is what he’s doing. Left hook to right-hand two-piece in the final minute from Garcia. It’s been a slow round from Garcia, and Barrios hasn’t been able to capitalize on it.
10-9 Garcia, 110-98 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
“You’ve got three rounds to knock him out,” veteran trainer Joe Goosen told Mario Barrios in the corner in between rounds 9 and 10. Barrios isn’t known as a puncher, and he has lost every round of the fight so far, so it seems highly unlikely that he gets it.
Nice left hand from Garcia. Three-punch combination blasted by Garcia. Four-punch combination is hammered in by Garcia. Combination finds a home for Garcia. Body shot now. This is so one-sided. Barrios has some rare success as he lands a right hand, but it does nothing to Garcia.
10-9 Garcia, 100-89 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Henry Garcia, Ryan Garcia’s trainer, is being interviewed in Round 9 and said that Ryan told him that he hurt his right hand. That would explain why the pace has slowed a little in the last few minutes and why Garcia is fighting mostly with his left hand.
Four-punch combination from Garcia forces Barrios backward in the final 30 seconds. Another round for Garcia, although without many of the big moments we saw in the early rounds.
10-9 Garcia, 90-80 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Garcia is punishing Barrios with his sharp jab in the first minute of this session. Action is slowing a little in this round. Garcia is just happy to fight behind the left hand and perhaps take a round off. Garcia misses with a pair of one-twos. Barrios backs Garcia up now but he can’t land anything of note.
10-9 Garcia, 80-71 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Mario Barrios isn’t a puncher, and he is too many points behind now. Is it worth keeping Barrios in that ring? He has been totally outclassed tonight. Right hands continue to force themselves onto Barrios’ chin. Barrios cannot handle the speed. Every time Garcia lets his hands go, Barcia is bewildered. Body shot lands. And more power punches for him. Totally one-sided. Right-hand to left-hand two-piece to end another frame for Garcia.
10-9 Garcia, 70-62 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
We’re into Round 6, and Barrios is six points behind already. Garcia pushes Barrios down. One-two gets through. Barrios finds a home for a right hand but eats a combination in response. Right to the body from Garcia and then a left hook as Barrios tried to close the distance.
10-9 Garcia, 60-53 Garcia.
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Darshan Desai
Right-hand equilibrium shot, and Barrios’ legs did a dance there. He is badly hurt. Big start to Round 5 for Garcia. He has dominated every round and is now putting a beating on Barrios. One-two-one combinations knock Barrios onto the ring ropes. It’s been so one-sided. Clean left hook, followed by a right. Barrios connects with a right hand in the final 30 seconds. Garcia unleashes a combination.
10-9 Garcia, 50-44 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Garcia is walking Barrios into fast combinations to open Round 4. Barrios was told in the corner that Garcia is tiring. But Garcia is firing hard shots onto Barrios’ guard and moving him off balance every time. Left hook scores for Garcia, followed by a right body shot. Brilliant counter left. HARD right hand smashes into Barrios’ face. This is all Ryan Garcia through four rounds. More right hands knocking back Barrios.
10-9 Garcia, 40-35 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Garcia is opening up to begin Round 3. That hand speed is giving Barrios all sorts of problems. Barrios plods forward with a double jab and then stabs down to the body. Body shot connects for Barrios. Nice counter right-hand from Garcia; Barrios walked right into that one. Garcia breaks the guard with a power shot and now chops down with a clean right.
10-9 Garcia, 30-26 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Right-hand from Garcia on the side of Barrios’ head. Garcia’s speed advantage is giving Barrios plenty of issues early. Two more rights are chopped down. Now, a long right from Barrios. Garcia responds with a pair of hooks downstairs. Garcia leads with the left hook. Double jab goes the champion. Uppercut from Garcia, which is countered by a left hook from Barrios. Heavy left hook from Garcia, followed by a combination. Garcia looks sharp and strong — this could be his night.
10-9 Garcia, 20-17 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
Here we go! 12 rounds for the WBC welterweight championship. Can Ryan Garcia finally win a world title?
Nice right hand early from Garcia. Another right hand and DOWN GOES BARRIOS! Two big right hands catch Barrio flush, and Barrios is hurt early. Garcia continues to thud rights onto Barrios’ guard. Now, a right hand to the body from the challenger. Left hook to the body lands for Garcia. He’s having it all his own way in this, the opening round. Garcia breaks the guard again.
10-8 Garcia
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
Mario Barrios defends his WBC welterweight title against Ryan Garcia.
Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) won the WBC interim welterweight title in September 2023 with a unanimous decision victory over Yordenis Ugas. He was upgraded to full champion in 2024 and has made two successful defenses since, fighting to controversial draws against Abel Ramos and, most recently, Manny Pacquiao this past July.
Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs), one of boxing’s biggest stars, is a former WBC interim lightweight champion. Garcia was defeated by WBA welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero this past May. The fight was Garcia’s first since his no-contest with Devin Haney in April 2024.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 20: Mario Barrios (L) and Ryan Garcia (R) face off during the weigh in ahead of their WBC Welterweight Title Fight at T-Mobile Arena on February 20, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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