LAS VEGAS — “Crossroads fight” is one of the most overused terms in boxing. However, in the case of Ryan Garcia, it was more than appropriate for his fight against Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on Saturday.
A win would allow Garcia to realize his massive potential and capture his first major world title after a tumultuous past couple of years that had many questioning if his desire would ever match his immense potential and exceptional talent. A loss would have been devastating for one of the most popular fighters in all of boxing, relegating him to one of the biggest “What if?” stories in recent memory.
Fortunately for Garcia, the former scenario took place as he dominated Barrios with a blistering combination of speed and power while pitching a near shutout at T-Mobile Arena to snare his first world championship. The victory opened a plethora of lucrative opportunities for his first title defense as he will have his pick from an incredibly deep pool of opponents calling out for the opportunity to step inside the ring with him.
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And, truthfully, boxing is in a better place when Garcia is at the top of his game.
“I feel so grounded and peaceful,” Garcia mentioned at the postfight news conference, drawing a contrast with a turbulent two years in which he dealt with adversity in and out of the ring. “I don’t even think I’ve come close to hitting my ceiling of potential yet. I think this is going to go even crazier and I’m going to be even better than what I showed today.”
Garcia was brilliant in dismantling Barrios, who couldn’t keep up with Garcia’s exceptional speed and pinpoint punching that left him like a deer in headlights for most of the fight. Garcia is a special talent with a devastating left hook. However, he showcased a complete skill set that began with a pair of overhand rights in the first round that put Barrios on the canvas and set the tone for the rest of the fight. Simply put, when Garcia is at his best, few can match his unique skills.
Garcia has always been willing to test himself against the best in boxing, but his previous attempts might have been premature, as losses to Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Rolando “Rolly” Romero — along with his no-contest against Devin Haney due to a failed test for a banned substance — stymied his progress. His performance Saturday suggests that he’s ready to fully step into his potential and take on all challengers.
“You know who I want? He’s right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let’s go,” Garcia mentioned in the ring following his win. “Hey, 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.”
Ryan Garcia, right, dropped Mario Barrios in the first round and dominated the rest of the fight for a one-sided unanimous decision win. Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty ImagesGarcia lost to Stevenson in the amateurs in 2013 and has been waiting ever since to get his revenge. With Stevenson’s recent domination of Teofimo Lopez Jr. to become the WBO junior welterweight champion, it appears likely that a fight can be made between the two.
“I still got that chip on my shoulder,” Garcia mentioned. “I’ve been wanting that rematch for a minute. Hopefully we get it.”
With Garcia already solidified as a star and Stevenson on the rise with his recent performance, a fight between the two could be one of the biggest in boxing. And Stevenson sees nothing in the way of making that fight happen next.
“He wants to fight me, and I want to fight him, so it should be easy to get done,” Stevenson mentioned during the DAZN postfight show. “I’m going to make easy work out of him.”
Between the trash talk and the styles clash, Garcia-Stevenson would be a massive fight, even if weren’t for a world title. However, another possibility for Garcia is a rematch with WBO welterweight champion Haney, which would be a massive title unification bout with an enticing storyline attached.
Garcia and Haney have unfinished business with significantly higher stakes now that they are both world champions. Garcia-Haney 2 should be the fight to make next.
“Devin doesn’t want that,” Garcia mentioned dismissively. “He’s terrified.”
Aside from Stevenson and Haney, fighters such as Conor Benn and Romero all want a piece of “KingRy.”
“Congratulations champ. See you later this year. Make sure you keep my belt warm,” Benn, who recently left Matchroom Boxing to sign with Zuffa Boxing, posted on X after the fight.
As for Stevenson, a showdown with Benn in the U.K. for his welterweight debut would be the perfect way to set him up to face the winner of Garcia-Haney.
Years ago, Garcia was one of boxing’s new four kings but was a king without a crown coming into his fight Saturday. Now that he has been crowned and taken his place as one of the rulers of the welterweight division, everything feels bigger and more significant. He already had the money and fame. Now he has the respect of his peers.
The stakes are higher than ever for Garcia, and things are a lot more interesting when he’s performing at a high level.
