Ryan Garcia has finally achieved a career-long ambition, capturing his first major world title by securing the WBC welterweight championship. In a dominant performance on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Garcia defeated Mario Barrios by unanimous decision, with judges scoring the bout 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109.

Garcia wasted no time asserting his dominance, dropping Barrios in Round 1 with an overhand right, which was notably a departure from his vaunted left hook. He continued to bludgeon Barrios throughout the fight, relying heavily on his right hand and showcasing a complete arsenal of punches to the head and body. Garcia's variety and blistering speed forced Barrios into a defensive shell for most of the fight, preventing him from accumulating his usual high volume of punches. Garcia himself described his performance as a "master class," though he admitted he believed he "should have got the knockout." He even sustained an injury to his right hand during the fight, which he speculated might have saved Barrios from being stopped.

This victory marks a significant turning point for the 27-year-old Garcia, who has faced a tumultuous period in his professional career. While he previously claimed the WBC interim lightweight title in 2021 by stopping Luke Campbell, his trajectory had been marred by setbacks. In April 2024, his apparent biggest career win against Devin Haney by majority decision was overturned to a no-contest after he failed to make weight and subsequently tested positive for a banned substance, leading to a yearlong suspension. He also suffered losses to Gervonta Davis and Rolando "Rolly" Romero. Beyond the ring, Garcia’s public image has been mired in controversy, including an arrest in June 2024 for alleged property damage and expulsion from the WBC a month later for racial slurs and disparaging remarks on social media, though he was later reinstated.

Mario Barrios, entering the fight as the champion, was making his fourth defense of the belt. He had won the WBC interim title against Yordenis Ugas in 2023, defended it against Fabian Maidana in May 2024, and was elevated to full champion when Terence Crawford was named champion in recess. Barrios had also fought to consecutive draws in his most recent title defenses against Abel Ramos in November 2024 and Manny Pacquiao in July of the same year. For this bout, Barrios notably hired Joe Goossen, who had previously trained Garcia. This move, however, did not prove advantageous for Barrios, as Garcia's return to the tutelage of his father yielded one of his most complete and dominant performances, demonstrating that familiarity with Garcia's past training was not enough to counter his supreme talent.

Despite Garcia easing up in the final rounds, the outcome of the fight was never in doubt. Following his momentous win, Garcia immediately set his sights on future challenges, expressing a strong desire to face WBO 140-pound champion Shakur Stevenson. "You know who I want? He's right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let's go," Garcia declared, adding, "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." This victory not only provides Garcia with his first major world title but also positions him with numerous options for his first title defense, signaling a potentially bright future ahead for the Victorville native.