Ryan Garcia Impresses In Dominant Victory

In a highly anticipated showdown at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, February 21, 2026, Ryan Garcia delivered a career-defining performance, capturing the WBC welterweight championship with a lopsided unanimous decision victory over defending champion Mario Barrios. The win marks Garcia’s first major world title, solidifying his status as one of boxing’s premier talents after years of highs, lows, controversies, and questions about his potential at the elite level.

From the opening bell, Garcia set the tone decisively. Less than 30 seconds into Round 1, he unleashed a powerful overhand right that dropped Barrios to the canvas, stunning the crowd and establishing immediate dominance. Barrios rose but never truly recovered his footing throughout the 12-round bout. Garcia’s superior speed, sharp jab, and precise power shots allowed him to control the pace, outlanding Barrios significantly while avoiding meaningful counters. The champion struggled to mount any sustained offense, appearing outclassed in every phase—footwork, combinations, and ring generalship.

The judges’ scorecards reflected the one-sided nature of the fight: 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109, all in favor of Garcia. Some observers, including unofficial tallies from media outlets, scored it even more decisively at 120-107 across multiple cards. Garcia improved his record to 25-2 (with 20 KOs), while Barrios fell to 29-3-2 (18 KOs). This marked Barrios’ most lopsided defeat since his 2021 stoppage loss to Gervonta Davis.

Post-fight, Garcia expressed elation at finally claiming undisputed gold, having previously held an interim lightweight title but never a full world championship. The victory comes after a turbulent period for the 27-year-old, including a unanimous decision loss to Rolando Romero in May 2025 and earlier challenges. Many viewed this as a redemption arc, proving his skills translate effectively to the welterweight division (147 pounds), where he moved up after lightweight campaigns.

Undercard Highlights

The card featured several competitive bouts, though a few delivered decisive outcomes and one notable stalemate:

• Gary Antuanne Russell def. Andy Hiraoka via unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, and another wide score) — Russell, a highly regarded prospect, controlled the 12-round super lightweight contest with superior technique and volume, marking a solid step forward in his career.

• Frank Martin vs. Nahir Albright ended in a unanimous draw (95-95 x3) — The 10-round lightweight clash saw both fighters trade moments, but neither could pull away, resulting in a rare even verdict across all cards.

• Bektemir Melikuziev def. Sena Agbeko via TKO (2:58 of Round 7) — Melikuziev scored a highlight-reel stoppage, dropping Agbeko with big shots and forcing the referee to intervene after a punishing straight left.

• Amari Jones def. Luis Arias via TKO (corner stoppage, 3:00 of Round 4) — Jones overwhelmed Arias early, prompting the corner to throw in the towel in this middleweight matchup.