Ryan Garcia can finally call himself a world champion. Already one of the most popular names in boxing, the 28-year-old Garcia secured his position among the welterweight division’s best Saturday with a dominant, one-sided decision win over Mario Barrios to claim the WBC world title in Las Vegas.
Garcia knocked down Barrios in the opening round with a blistering punch to set the tone, then cruised to an easy win over one of the sport’s most-maligned titleholders. Garcia ultimately out-landed Barrios 185-106 in total punches and 103-43 in power punches en route to earning his first official win since 2023. Afterward, Garcia called out WBO super lightweight champion and pound-for-pound staple Shakur Stevenson, who swiftly accepted the challenge on Saturday’s DAZN pay-per-view broadcast.
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Considering his infamy within the sport and recent history — “King Ry” served a one-year suspension after his 2024 win over Devin Haney was overturned into a no-contest due to a positive drug test for ostarine, then lost his lackluster return bout against Roland “Rolly” Romero this past May — it’s no surprise that Garcia’s crowning performance drew plenty of attention from his fellow fighters.
Check out reaction to the win below, including commentary from Stevenson, Haney, Conor Benn and more.
For full coverage of Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrio, check out Uncrowned’s Saturday event hub.
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