WBC Special Preview: Barrios vs. Garcia

WBC STATISTICS
WBC Welterweight World Championship
February 21, 2026 / Las Vegas, Nevada / T-Mobile Arena

SELA, TGB PROMOTIONS & GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS PRESENT:

MARIO “El Azteca” BARRIOS (USA)
· WBC Welterweight World Champion, 2 Defenses
· Former WBC Interim Welterweight Champion
· Former WBC Continental Americas Champion
Age: 30 / Date of birth: May 18, 1995
Residence: San Antonio, Texas / Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin
Record: 29-2-2, 18 KOs / Total rounds: 210 / World championship fights: 2-1-2, 0 KOs
Height: 5’11” – 180cm / Reach: 71” – 180cm / Stance: Right-handed
Trainer: Joe Goossen

“King” RYAN GARCIA (USA)
· Ranked WBC No. 4 at Welterweight
· Former WBC Interim Lightweight Champion
· Former WBC Silver Lightweight Champion
· Former NABF Super Featherweight Champion
Age: 27 / Date of birth: August 8, 1998
Residence: Los Angeles, California / Birthplace: Los Alamitos, California
Record: 24-2, 1 NC, 20 KOs / Total rounds: 124 / World championship fights: 0-1
Height: 5’8.5” / Reach: 70” / Stance: Right-handed
Trainer: Henry Garcia

WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Luis Manuel Rodriguez (Cuba) 1963
2. Emile Griffith (Virgin Islands) 1963 – 1966
3. Curtis Cokes (USA) 1966 – 1969
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico) 1969 – 1970
5. Billy Backus (USA) 1970 – 1971
6. Jose Napoles (Mexico) * 1971 – 1975
7. John Stracey (Great Britain) 1975 – 1976
8. Carlos Palomino (Mexico) 1976 – 1979
9. Wilfredo Benitez (Puerto Rico) 1979
10. Ray Leonard (USA) 1979 – 1980
11. Roberto Duran (Panama) 1980
12. Ray Leonard (USA) * 1980 – 1983
13. Milton McCrory (USA) 1983 – 1985
14. Donald Curry (USA) 1985 – 1986
15. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) 1986 – 1987
16. Jorge Vaca (Mexico) 1987 – 1988
17. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) * 1988 – 1989
18. Marlon Starling (USA) 1989 – 1990
19. Maurice Blocker (USA) 1990 – 1991
20. Simon Brown (Jamaica) 1991
21. James McGirt (USA) 1991 – 1993
22. Pernell Whitaker (USA) 1993 – 1997
23. Oscar de la Hoya (USA) 1997 – 1999
24. Felix Trinidad (Puerto Rico) 1999
25. Oscar de la Hoya (USA) * 2000
26. Shane Mosley (USA) 2000 – 2002
27. Vernon Forrest (USA) 2002 – 2003
28. Ricardo Mayorga (Nicaragua) 2003
29. Cory Spinks (USA) 2003 – 2005
30. Zab Judah (USA) 2005 – 2006
31. Carlos Baldomir (Argentina) 2006
32. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (USA) 2006 – 2007
33. Shane Mosley (USA) Interim * 2007
34. Andre Berto (USA) 2008 – 2011
35. Victor Ortiz (USA) 2011
36. Robert Guerrero (USA) Interim 2012 – 2013
37. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (USA) * 2011 – 2015
38. Danny Garcia (USA) 2016 – 2017
39. Keith Thurman (USA) 2017 – 2018
40. Shawn Porter (USA) 2018 – 2019
41. Errol Spence Jr. (USA) 2019 – 2023
42. Terence Crawford (USA) 2023 – 2024
43. Mario Barrios (USA) 2024 –
* Regained

WBC TOP 10 WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Sugar Ray Leonard (USA)
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (USA)
3. Oscar de la Hoya (Mexico/USA)
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico/Cuba)
5. Roberto Duran (Panama)
6. Emile Griffith (Virgin Islands)
7. Pernell Whitaker (USA)
8. Shane Mosley (USA)
9. Carlos Palomino (Mexico)
10. John Stracey (Great Britain)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
37 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only six have regained the title: Jose Napoles (Cuba-Mex), Ray Leonard (US), Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica-GB), Oscar de la Hoya (US-Mex), Shane Mosley (US), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US).

127 WBC welterweight world championship bouts have been held in WBC history.

MEMORABLE WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
July 19, 2025 Mario Barrios D12 Manny Pacquiao – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 15, 2024 Mario Barrios D12 Abel Ramos – Arlington, Texas
July 29, 2023 Terence Crawford TKO9 Errol Spence Jr. – Las Vegas, Nevada
Apr. 26, 2022 Errol Spence Jr. TKO10 Yordenis Ugas – Arlington, Texas
Dec. 5, 2020 Errol Spence Jr. W12 Danny Garcia – Arlington, Texas
Sep. 28, 2019 Errol Spence Jr. W12 Shawn Porter – Los Angeles, California
Sep. 8, 2018 Shawn Porter W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York
Mar. 4, 2017 Keith Thurman W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York
Jan. 23, 2016 Danny Garcia W12 Robert Guerrero – Los Angeles, California
May 2, 2015 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Manny Pacquiao – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 3, 2014 Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Marcos Maidana – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 26, 2002 Vernon Forrest W12 Shane Mosley – New York, New York
June 17, 2000 Shane Mosley W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Los Angeles, California
Feb. 13, 1999 Oscar de la Hoya W12 Ike Quartey – Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct. 1, 1994 Pernell Whitaker W12 James McGirt – Norfolk, Virginia
Sep. 10, 1993 Pernell Whitaker D12 Julio Cesar Chavez – San Antonio, Texas
Sep. 18, 1989 Felix Trinidad W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb. 4, 1989 Marlon Starling TKO9 Lloyd Honeyghan – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 27, 1986 Lloyd Honeyghan TKO6 Donald Curry – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Dec. 6, 1985 Donald Curry KO2 Milton McCrory – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 16, 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard TKO14 Thomas Hearns – Las Vegas, Nevada
June 20, 1980 Roberto Duran W15 Sugar Ray Leonard – Montréal, Quebec
June 22, 1976 Carlos Palomino TKO12 John Stracey – London, England
Dec. 6, 1976 John Stracey TKO6 José Napoles – Mexico City, Distrito Federal
Apr. 18, 1969 José Napoles TKO13 Curtis Cokes – Inglewood, California
Nov. 28, 1966 Curtis Cokes W15 Jean Josselin – Dallas, Texas
Dec. 8, 1962 Emile Griffith TKO9 Jorge José Fernandez – Las Vegas, Nevada

Ryan`s Orion and Azteca`s Sun

By James Blears

Mario ‘’Azteca’’ Barrios defends his WBC welterweight title against the mercurial Ryan ‘’King Ry’’ Garcia on Saturday February 21^st at the T Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, topping the bill, which is dubbed: ‘’The Ring High Stakes.’’

Some may think it`s placid/calm Vs volatile/fizz, but there are more complex factors in the mix, which will determine the destiny and the outcome of what`s going to be a thriller. Mario is a battle- hardened Aztec warrior who is quietly but iron willed determined, to underline his champion`s status. In a taciturn way he verbally concedes: ‘’I`ve never been a talker. I just work!  Ryan is definitely quite a character, but he`s still a dangerous fighter. He`s saying he`s one hundred percent ready and that`s exactly what I want.’’

In their pre-fight encounters, Mario has been content to let Ryan build up to build a full head of steam, but he`s not going to be obscured by smoke and mirrors.  Punches and their smart plus smarting application, are the determining factors, which can take either out and shunt one of them into the sidings. Whoever loses has a long, arduous climb back.

There`s a tinge of piquant even pungent immediacy and urgency within Ryan, who is flamboyant and loquacious, and in the unkind words of some bragadacious. A whiff escapes as he says: ‘’I`ve got to grab this title. I`m hungry, I`m excited and ready to put on a show.’’ To borrow from the verbally able Winston Churchill: ‘’A riddle wrapped up in an enigma.’’  Which version of Ryan is going to turn up and turn out a performance?

Ryan would do well to follow the advice he himself gave, notably: ‘’In anything you do, if you don`t let your emotion take you over, you can make better decisions.’’ From the footage of his training camp, Ryan has been buckling down, directing, dedicating and dictating himself to hard work and focusing with clear vision.  Yet it isn`t guilt free. In a zoom to his daughter, she asks him where he is and what he`s doing and he becomes taciturn, defending himself by saying I`m working hard.

Three years ago, Joe Goossen was training Ryan, but now he`s Mario`s coach. Ryan who is being trained by his father Henry, brushes this off, but has printed the words traitor on a T shirt. He`s irked, but in reality, it`s what he himself does, which will really matter come fight night. It takes weeks to train your body, yet a lifetime to understand, hone and control the mind. This also involves overcoming the hard times.

As Ryan says: ‘’I`m learning along the way and there`s going to be some little bumps and bruises. But as long as I can keep rolling with the punches, I will keep moving up.  Against Rolly Romero in Times Square Ryan was dropped in the second round, by a double left hook and lost a UD.  He looked under-trained, lethargic and appeared to be lacking motivation.

Prior to that the dramatic fight with WBC super-lightweight champion Devin Haney. Ryan came in 3.2 pounds overweight, had to pay Devin six hundred thousand dollars due to a poundage wager. But fireworks, as he knocked down Devin in the seventh, tenth and eleventh. Then…VADA announced that Ryan had tested positive for performance enhancing Ostarine and he was banned for a year plus fined 1.1 million dollars.

The late great actor, genius and humanitarian Robin Williams frequently urged: ‘’Everyone you meet, is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so always be kind.’’ Ryan took time out of his career to address psychological issues and his supportive family issued a statement saying: ‘’Ryan has been open about his ongoing struggles with mental health over the years. And as a family, we are committed to ensuring and encouraging that he receives the necessary help, to navigate this very challenging time and addresses his immediate and long term well- being.’’

It`s taken immense willpower and admirable self-control for Ryan to reach this momentous juncture of his life and his professional career. He turned pro in 2016, and he`s been a WBC Silver as well as interim Champion, but up to now, that`s not yet translated into an Absolute Green and Gold Belt. So far, it`s eluded him.

In contrast, Mario has been a WBA Regular Super-lightweight champion, WBC Interim Welterweight Champion and was elevated to Absolute, after Terence Crawford became Champion in Recess, after having moved up to super- welterweight, defeating Israel Madrimov for the WBO Interim title.

Mario`s defence against hard-hitting Abel Ramos transformed into a slugfest marathon. Mario staggered Abel in round one, then dropped him in the second. Undeterred for long, Abel returned the favour in sixth. As the fray progressed, frayed Mario steadied himself and exploited his ability, ably using his six feet stature and his seventy one inch reach to box and found his way back, so much so that he hurt Abel in the final round, in spite of suffering a broken nose and a badly swelled left eye. It was a split draw, following a war plus marathon.

Both Mario and Ryan have been stopped by the phenomenal Gervonta ‘’Tank Davis.’’ Mario was TKO`s in the eleventh, while Ryan was knocked down in the second and the seventh, when he was unable to beat the count. It was Ryan`s first loss and some say he quit. So easy to say and pontificate from the safe armchair easy side of the ropes. Prior to his Tank encounter, Mario was outpointed By Keith Thurman.

Mario`s most prominent bout was against then forty-six years old eight division superstar Manny Pacquiao, who was returning from a four years hiatus. Mario used his height and reach, while Manny cast aside the years and pressed the action. Manny wanted to fight and Mario was determined to box. He wasn`t drawn into a brawl, so a majority draw. Mario will need to exert himself appreciably more in this fight against Ryan. It can`t be won, relying on distance. While Ryan will have to be more versatile and not solely rely on his vaunted left hook.  There`s a film of him and Sugar Ray Leonard snapping out the left hook, comparing notes. It`s one helluva punch if thrown correctly.  Sugar Ray Robinson used it to perfection in KO`ing Carl ‘’Bobo’’ Olson, to regain the World Middleweight title.

But here and now, Ryan can`t lean on it as a be all and end all prop. He`s got to mix it up and utilize variation, to avoid being predictable. Mario has obviously prepared against this and he also has the edge in experience. He turned pro three years earlier than Ryan. While Ryan has fought one hundred and twenty- four rounds, Mario has clocked up two hundred and ten.

Most assuredly Ryan has speed, agility and willow-like flexibility. Mario has the will and pride of a two- time champion and the variation of punches. Mario is three inches taller, but Mario`s reach is but one inch more than Ryan`s.  Ryan is twenty- seven, while Mario is three years older.

Ryan`s record is 24-2, 20 KO`s. That`s an 83.33 stoppage rate. Mario is 29-2-2, 18 KO`s, which is a 62.07 ratio. To win King Ry must be sly, subtle, focused and persistent. Champion, Mario has to be patient, exploit opportunities and test the willpower of the younger man to its outer limits.

This is something of a wild card opportunity for Ryan and he knows it. Chances like this don`t come around every day. Mario has to prove his mettle and credentials with a statement victory, which will underline his heritage and legacy.  It`s going to be eventful and most likely a bumpy night. Fascinating, riveting, irresistible and unforgettable.