It’s Official: Garcia To Face Barrios In February

By: Sean Crose

Now it’s official. Per Golden Boy Promotions: “Ryan Garcia steps into the welterweight spotlight in a 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 showdown with WBC champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on February 21.” Garcia weighed in on social media stating: “I predict the fight will be bloody for some reason.” This will be the first time Garcia’s entered the ring since his surprise loss to Rolly Romero last spring in Times Square. It will also be the first time Garcia is fighting for a world title. The match with Barrios has been spoken about for quite a while. Now, though, it’s official. The bout is also a big deal in the sports world, for, like him or not, Garcia is one of the more interesting personalities in boxing.

Although he’s never won a title, Garcia’s ‘s exciting style, hard-punching and brash personality can frankly make for good watching. While there are times that the man’s behavior is worrisome, there is no denying that he knows how to step into – and stay in – the spotlight. Whether or not he can beat Barrios of course is another question. He certainly didn’t look good against Romero last year. Then again, that was last year.

As for Barrios he didn’t look that good himself last year when he faced the great Manny Pacquiao who was coming out of retirement. Sure, Barrios walked away with a draw decision and his title still in his possession but Pacquiao is now ancient as far as boxing standards go. There are also people that feel Pacquiao deserved the judge’s decision that night. Should he beat Garcia it would do his reputation and perhaps his earning power a world of good.

The truth is that this is a very important bout for both fighters, perhaps more so for Garcia than for Barrios. Another loss on Garcia’s resume may mean he ceases to be a major draw, as he’s been for several years now. As for Barrios a loss to Garcia pretty much takes him off the map. He didn’t really impress with the Pacquiao fight, so he’s going to want to be impressive this time around. While this may not be the most exciting fight of 2026… at least on paper… it will be interesting to see how each man does in this scenario. Again, this is a very important match for each fighter. And it may actually prove to be worth the hype. Here’s hoping.