Ryan Garcia secured a unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, capturing the WBC welterweight championship. The 27-year-old dropped Barrios in the first round and controlled the fight throughout, earning scores of 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109 from the judges.
Garcia, who previously held an interim lightweight title, became a full world champion for the first time. Despite hurting his right hand during the bout, he showcased his full arsenal, though he expressed disappointment at not securing a knockout. “I hurt him multiple times, but he’s a tough son of a bitch,” Garcia said after the fight.
The American dedicated the victory to his father and head coach, handing him the championship belt in the ring. Garcia also called out Shakur Stevenson as his next opponent, stating, “Let’s go, let’s run that. I’m not scared of anything.”
Barrios, the former champion, struggled to find his rhythm as Garcia’s speed and movement kept him at bay. The challenger landed several clean shots in the later rounds but could not overcome the early deficit. The final bell signalled Garcia’s coronation as a welterweight world champion.
