Ryan Garcia shuts down critics with a victory over Mario Barrios to win his first title

After years of hype, heartbreak and controversy, Ryan Garcia finally secured the one prize that had eluded him throughout his professional career: a world championship.

On Saturday night, Garcia delivered arguably the most complete performance of his life, knocking down Mario Barrios with his first two punches and cruising to a unanimous decision victory to capture the WBC welterweight championship. The judges scored the bout 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109, reflecting Garcia’s dominance from the opening bell to the final round.

Garcia wasted no time setting the tone. Within seconds, he floored Barrios with a pair of right hands — a stunning development for a fighter so often defined by his lethal left hook. From there, Garcia applied relentless pressure, mixing his offense with precision and creativity. When Barrios braced for the trademark left hook, Garcia countered with sharp overhand rights, stiff jabs and thudding hooks to the body. The variety in his attack, combined with blistering hand speed, forced Barrios into a defensive shell. Known for his high punch output, Barrios never found his rhythm and struggled to mount sustained offense.

“It was one of the fights where I wanted to show you my whole arsenal,” Garcia said afterward. “I believe it was like a master class, but I should have got the knockout, to be honest. It wasn’t just a left hook. Y’all were saying watch out for my left hook the whole time, but you saw my right hand working tonight.”

Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) relied heavily on his right hand throughout the fight, repeatedly bludgeoning Barrios around the ring. The early knockdowns reshaped the fight’s trajectory and forced Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) into cautious survival mode.

Barrios entered the bout coming off consecutive draws against Manny Pacquiao and Abel Ramos, competitive fights that suggested he remained a dangerous contender. But against Garcia’s speed and punch selection, he simply could not keep up. Adding intrigue to the matchup, Barrios hired veteran trainer Joe Goossen, who previously worked with Garcia. The move seemed designed to gain insider insight into Garcia’s tendencies. Instead, it appeared to motivate Garcia further

Though Garcia eased off in the later rounds, the outcome was never in doubt. The victory not only delivered his first world championship but also restored momentum to a career that once seemed to be drifting.After the fight, Garcia immediately called out WBO 140-pound champion Shakur Stevenson, signaling his ambition to pursue another marquee showdown.

“You know who I want? He’s right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let’s go,” Garcia said. “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.”

With his star power intact and a world title finally around his waist, Garcia now stands at a pivotal crossroads. For years, he was seen as a social media sensation with lightning speed and untapped potential. On Saturday night, he looked every bit the elite champion many predicted he would become.