Ryan Garcia will have the opportunity to bounce back from defeat in the most significant way.
The 27-year-old was last out in May, losing via unanimous decision to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero after suffering a knockdown in the second round.
That marked Garcia’s debut in the welterweight division, having previously struggled to make both the 135lbs and 140lbs limits of lightweight and super lightweight. ‘Rolly’ took the WBA Regular title with the win and has since been elevated to full champion. Garcia has decided on a different route from the rematch, but the stakes are just as high.
He announced today that previously reported negotiations with WBC Champion, Mario Barrios, have now been finalised. Garcia — despite calling out Conor Benn this week — posted a video confirming the news on Instagram, putting pen to paper on a contract beside the famous green and gold belt.
“Signed. I am going to be fighting for the real WBC Championship belt against Mario Barrios, February 21st. Get ready, I’m coming.”
Official word from either promotion — PBC for Barrios and Golden Boy for Garcia — is yet to come.
Many fans will argue he did not warrant such a shot as an unranked contender in the division. The situation becomes stranger still given that Mario Barrios’ last defence was against the returning Manny Pacquiao, a man also unranked at the time but awarded the title fight due to his status in the sport. Top contenders for the WBC, those who have fought and earned their rankings, have criticised the wait for a mandatory defence.
Barrios picked up the title in June 2024 when he was elevated from interim to full champion after Terence Crawford moved up in weight. He has held on to it with two draws — first against Abel Ramos and more recently against Pacquiao.
