LAS VEGAS – Neither Mario Barrios nor Ryan Garcia want another loss on their professional record.
That’s what Saturday’s title defense comes down to.
Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) faces Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for Barrios’ WBC welterweight world championship belt. The 12-round main event will cost $69.99 as a DAZN pay-per-view event starting at 7 p.m. San Antonio time.
The defending world title holder talked to KSAT 12 Sports last week as Barrios fights for the sixth time in Las Vegas.
Switching trainers
The Southwest High School graduate trained with Bob Santos in Sin City for his last several fights.
The last two title defenses did not give Barrios the results he was hoping for. There were two draws: a 2024 draw against Abel Ramos and another against Manny Pacquiao, his lone fight of 2025.
The outcome of the last two fights could be the reason why Barrios, 30, searched for a new approach as he looks at the second half of his career.
He picked Ryan Garcia’s former trainer, Joe Goossen, to shake things up for 2026.
“He likes a lot more aggression, making it a rougher style of fight, which I’ve never been against,” Barrios told KSAT. “It takes me back to my early days when I turned pro. A much higher punch output. I’ve been liking it a lot. It’s showing its benefit, and I’m ready.”
Fight poster fuss
In January, DAZN released their fight poster for “El Azteca’s” title defense against Ryan Garcia. The Victorville, California, native made it known that he believed his name — not Barrios’ — should be the first name featured on the poster.
Barrios said he was surprised to see Garcia air his complaints on social media.
“I was like, ‘What do you expect? I’m the current champion,’” Barrios said. “I think he forgets that. So many people hype him up.”
Press conference drama
The drama from Garcia spilled over to their only press conference promoting the fight on Jan. 22 in Los Angeles.
At one point, Garcia called out his former trainer Joe Goossen for training his opponent, called the people in Barrios’ camp “traitors” and even claimed to be the “ring master” to the “circus” that the press conference morphed into.
Barrios responded by calling Garcia a “payaso,” which is Spanish for “clown.” Barrios said he typically doesn’t trash talk in such settings.
“Honestly, it was just in the moment,” Barrios said. “I was really just over it.”
Barrios also made it clear that the public fallout between Goossen and Garcia has not been a distraction as he enters his third title defense.
“It’s not something that bothered me. It has nothing to do with me; it was nothing to do with what I’m doing in the gym,” Barrios said. “Joe Goossen is definitely one of a kind, but he’s been around these big fights where there’s a lot of drama, so that’s something he’s very used to also. I’m glad that part is over.”
Turning political
Before the KSAT Sports interview ended, Barrios was asked what he thinks about Garcia previously voicing his support for President Donald Trump.
“It’s hard not to make things political. I’m very vocal with what side I’m with,” Garcia said. “I’ve always been with my people, standing for immigrants, standing for indigenous rights, standing for Black and brown injustices. I wish it wasn’t a thought going into this fight but, at the same time, I am fighting somebody that has openly supported somebody that has made it very difficult for immigrants and brown families to just live peacefully.”
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