The news had been circulating for some time, and now the official confirmation has arrived. Mario Barrios will defend his WBC welterweight world title against Ryan Garcia on February 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The undercard of the event, which will be broadcast on DAZN via pay-per-view, has not yet been announced.
Both fighters have expressed great confidence in their chances of victory. These were their immediate reactions:
Mario Barrios: “This is my division. This is my moment. I’m ready to show the world why the WBC title is staying right here.”
Ryan Garcia: “I’m going to become world champion.”
Barrios’ most recent title defense took place last summer, when the Texas fighter fought to a draw against Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao, who was returning to the ring after a four-year layoff. Although many Pac-Man fans complained about the verdict, several experts felt the decision was somewhat generous toward Manny, as Barrios, despite a less flashy style, worked with greater consistency over the twelve rounds.
Ryan Garcia, on the other hand, is coming off one of the worst performances of his career. On May 2, 2025, Ring Ry stepped into the ring set up in Times Square as a heavy favorite, but suffered a clear points loss to Rolando Romero, also being knocked down in the second round. It was a truly disappointing fight for Garcia, who looked tentative, disoriented, and ineffective.
Now the Californian boxer will have a chance at redemption, but in order to win his first world title he will need a performance far better than the one he showed last time out.