MARIO BARRIOS

Mario Barrios never backed down in his first fight of 2022.

Mario Barrios and Jesse Rodriguez are ready for their first fight of 2022.

San Antonio's Mario Barrios met face-to-face with Keith Thurman before their PPV fight on Saturday.

Mario Barrios faces Keith Thurman in less than two weeks in Sin City.

Mario Barrios will be moving up in weight next year as he faces another tough opponent.

After his first professional loss, San Antonio boxer Mario Barrios stopped by KSAT 12 for a sitdown interview with Larry Ramirez to discuss his fight with Gervonta Davis and hopes for the future.

Gervonta Davis stopped Mario Barrios in the 11th round Saturday night to claim the WBA super lightweight title, his third world championship.

Now that he has faced off with his opponent, Southwest alumnus Mario Barrios talks with KSAT 12 Sports' Larry Ramirez about his upcoming pay per view fight against Gervonta Davis on June 26.

San Antonio's world champ faces his next opponent for the first time since the Showtime PPV fight was announced.

Mario Barrios prepares in California for his Showtime PPV fight.

San Antonio's world champ Mario Barrios defends his title on PPV this coming June!

It was also the first successful defense for a world title by a San Antonio boxer in history. “El Profesor” took that belt away from Moloney in late June and was the talk of the boxing world through the summer. “By comparison, I think my trilogy was way tougher than my fight with Moloney,” said Franco to KSAT 12 Sports Thursday. Franco Moloney 2 will be the co-main event under the Terence Crawford vs. Kell Brook welterweight title bout. Daniel P. Villanueva has worked with KSAT 12 Sports for over 17 years and is an award-winning sports producer.

By the next round, Karl’s momentum and speed slowed down considerably. By the sixth round, Barrios stepped on the gas pedal. I was just being patient and I was ready for a 12 round fight. “I’d give myself a B (for the fight),” Barrios said. 37 of Barrios' 121 landed punches were body shots #BarriosKarl pic.twitter.com/FZZRftJSw6 — CompuBox (@CompuBox) November 1, 2020“Part of my style is attacking the body,” explained Barrios.

(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images), Contributor / Getty ImagesSan Antonio native and professional boxer Mario Barrios will be at El Pollo King, a restaurant southwest of downtown, Thursday night to meet fans, sign autographs and auction off some special items. The meet and greet will feature a raffling off of a pair of signed boxing gloves by the WBA super lightweight champion and takes place only days ahead of his 12-round bout Saturday night against Ryan Karl at the Alamodome. Their match is a co-main event on the Showtime pay-per-view card.

“Come Saturday night, it’s going to be an explosive night of boxing throughout this whole card. I couldn’t imagine a better co-main event.”Barrios received mixed reactions from the crowd when he won his title belt on September 28 of last year. Saturday night, I’m going to show everyone how I’ve improved.”Karl is three years older than Barrios and has never fought for a belt in his professional career. “I come to fight, I’m rough and ready and I’m coming to win any way possible," said Karl. Saturday’s fight night will be the first in the nation to have fans present since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.

SAN ANTONIO – Towards the end of 2019, no one could have predicted that the Alamodome could host two major boxing events this year. First, Mexico’s rising star Jaime Munguia crushed Gary O’Sullivan in January, which was the first big boxing event of 2020. Although he does enjoy his current surroundings, the undefeated fighter added, “I don’t picture myself living anywhere else other than San Antonio. The same rules will apply for fighters, personnel and media this week in downtown San Antonio. Thursday will be the main event press conference for Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz starting at noon.

SAN ANTONIO – It’s finally official: boxing is returning to the Alamodome and fans will be allowed to be in attendance. This will be the first boxing event in the United States to have fans present since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. “I’m very excited for my first title defense to be back home at the Alamodome,” Barrios said to KSAT 12 Sports Thursday. “Last fight I had (in San Antonio) was a sensational turnout and I know October 31st will be no different. According to the Alamodome events staff, 11,000 fans will be allowed inside for the fights.

– San Antonio’s world champ is coming home to defend his world title. Barrios has fought in San Antonio four times but never in the Alamodome and never as a defending world champion. “I’m very excited for my first title defense to be back home at the Alamodome,” Barrios said to KSAT 12 Sports Thursday. “Last fight I had (in San Antonio) was a sensational turnout and I know October 31st will be no different. Leo Santa Cruz has fought in San Antonio before in 2013.

SAN ANTONIO By the time Mario Barrios enters the ring as the world champ, it would have been almost 365 days since he won that title. On September 28, 2019, Mario Barrios defeated Batyr Akhmedov by unanimous decision to win the WBA World Super Lightweight championship belt. The Barrios vs. Karl fight will be one of four title fights on the Showtime/Premier Boxing Champions PPV card. Barrios told KSAT 12 Sports last year that he was more than willing to give Akhmedov the chance to fight him again. Karl is currently on a three-fight knockout streak after losing his second professional fight by technical knockout in 2018.

SAN ANTONIO Fight night is quickly approaching for Hector Tanajara Jr.El Finito is putting his undefeated record on the line against veteran lightweight Mercito Gesta. Tanajara Jr. (19-0, 5 KOs) will be defending his WBC USNBC Lightweight title in his 20th career bout. Im looking forward to it, Tanajara said to KSAT 12 Sports last week via Zoom. I just have to keep working hard, everything weve been doing are the right steps to becoming a world champion, said Tanajara. When it comes time to fight, both Tanajara Jr. and Franco fly out to Riverside where they have a house and work with the legendary trainer Robert Garcia.

SAN ANTONIO - Mario Barrios has been enjoying the spotlight since becoming the Alamo City's newest world champ. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and members of San Antonio's City Council honored the WBA World Super Lightweight champion at City Hall. "It's awesome, just the amount of support and love I've received from my city as a whole," Barrios told KSAT 12. Members of San Antonio's City Council also shared their personal praise for the undefeated boxer as he was lauded at City Hall. A potential Barrios fight in San Antonio would be the biggest bout the city has seen in years.

SAN ANTONIO Mario Barrios has been enjoying the spotlight since becoming the Alamo City's newest world champ. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and members of San Antonio's City Council honored the WBA World Super Lightweight champion at City Hall. "It's awesome, just the amount of support and love I've received from my city as a whole," Barrios told KSAT 12. Members of San Antonio's City Council also shared their personal praise for the undefeated boxer as he was lauded at City Hall. A potential Barrios fight in San Antonio would be the biggest bout the city has seen in years.

Barrios faced Batyr Akhmedov at the Staples Center for the WBA World Super Lightweight title. "I was preparing for the hardest 12 rounds of my life and that's exactly what he brought," Barrios told KSAT 12 Sports this week. I took his best shots for 12 rounds, and he couldn't even drop me. Barrios won the first half of the fight but the bout quickly turned around. Over the weekend, news got out that the WBA had in fact ordered a rematch between Barrios and Akhmedov for Mario's new world title.

Two weeks after claiming the WBA Super Lightweight championship via unanimous decision over Batyr Akhmedov, Southwest High School graduate Mario Barrios stopped by KSAT12 to discuss what it meant to... Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

Two weeks after claiming the WBA Super Lightweight championship via unanimous decision over Batyr Akhmedov, Southwest High School graduate Mario Barrios stopped by KSAT12 to discuss what it meant to bring a title belt back to San Antonio. To hear more from Barrios, be sure to tune in to this weekend's edition of Instant Replay! Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

Two weeks after claiming the WBA Super Lightweight championship via unanimous decision over Batyr Akhmedov, Southwest High School graduate Mario Barrios stopped by KSAT12 to discuss what it meant to... Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

SAN ANTONIO - Mario Barrios hasn't owned his new world boxing title for one week and his latest opponent already wants a rematch. Akhmedov's team claims they will appeal with the World Boxing Association and demand an immediate rematch for the WBA World Super Lightweight title. Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs ) won by unanimous decision at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday night, winning San Antonio's first world title belt in 25 years. " The victory Saturday gives Barrios his second title belt as a professional boxer, which isn't bad for a man who just turned 24 this year. There's also no doubt that Barrios is the world champ, as he has the belt to prove it.

Last night in Los Angeles, his world title fight with Batyr Akhmedov met those expectations and then some. Barrios faced Akhmedov at the Staples Center for the vacant WBA World Super Lightweight title, which is a secondary title in that division. Entering the 10th round, Virgil Hunter told Barrios, "you need these three rounds." Barrios left the ring at the Staples Center with his new world title belt and second belt since winning the WBA Inter-Continental welterweight title last year. Barrios brings home a world title to San Antonio for the first time since "Jesse" James Leija did the same 25 years ago.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Another title belt is coming back to San Antonio. Barrios controlled the tempo for the first four rounds and scored a knockdown in the fourth, but Ahkmedov seized momentum in the fifth. When the dust settled, Barrios' hand was raised as the new champion and the title belt was placed on his shoulder. It is Barrios' second professional belt. Mario Barrios opens Round 4 with a flurry of punches until Akhmedov's gloves touch the mat!

Barrios (24-0, 16 KOs) and Akhmedov (7-0, 6 KOs) will battle for the vacant World Boxing Association World Super Lightweight title, which is a 140-pound secondary title for super lightweights in the WBA. "He's a well accomplished amateur and they're trying to put him on the fast track for a world title," Barrios told KSAT 12 Sports on Wednesday. Next Saturday's fight is scheduled to go 12 rounds, the second such fight for Barrios. The only time "El Azteca" fought 12 rounds was in 2016, when he won by unanimous decision against Italian boxer Devis Boschiero. "There's no worries, I've gone 12 rounds before," said Barrios.

Here's the latest boxing news coming out of San Antonio this weekend. Barrios won with a first round knockout thanks to a crush left hook to the ribs of Gallegos. "It was beautiful to see the fans of San Antonio come out and support our boxing event last night. The energy in the crowd last night was unbelievable and I want to thank all the fans in San Antonio for their support," said Arredondo, who is now 6-0 with 3 knockouts. He's been in his hometown of San Antonio recently, training with his sister before her latest bout.

Here's the latest boxing news coming out of San Antonio this weekend. Barrios won with a first round knockout thanks to a crush left hook to the ribs of Gallegos. "It was beautiful to see the fans of San Antonio come out and support our boxing event last night. The energy in the crowd last night was unbelievable and I want to thank all the fans in San Antonio for their support," said Arredondo, who is now 6-0 with 3 knockouts. He's been in his hometown of San Antonio recently, training with his sister before her latest bout.

Barrios will be the main event feature at the Alzafar Shrine Center on Saturday evening. Barrios weighed in at 139.6 pounds while Gallegos weighed in at 140.0 pounds. "It's really exciting, especially the way my opponent is talking about me," Barrios said to KSAT 12 Sports on Friday. "This is what we do every day, the only thing we know," Barrios said about his sister. I know she's ready, she's going to go out there tomorrow night and take care of business."

We'll recap the fightsand have news about local boxers Mario Barrios, Selina Barrios and Henry Arredondo tonight on Instant Replay on KSAT 12. #KSATsports #boxing #boxeo @FightAction #Sunday pic.twitter.com/NejFbW6HHD KSAT 12 Sports (@InstantReplaySA) July 28, 2019Heavyweights Tyrrell Anthony Herndon fought Corey Barlow out of Austin early on in the card. Selina Barrios will be the main feature in a fight night at the Alzafar Shrine Center this coming Saturday. BARRIOS VS. AKHMEDOVUndefeated welterweight Mario Barrios has a date set for his next bout. Daniel P. Villanueva has worked with KSAT 12 Sports for over 16 years and is an award-winning sports producer.

Barrios, who is ranked the number one contender in the WBA Super Lightweight division, will face undefeated Mexican boxer Richard Zamora in a 10-round super lightweight bout live on Showtime this Saturday. Barrios enters Saturday's fight with a six knockout streak and a record of 22-0 with 14 knockouts. Barrios, a graduate from Southwest High School, won the WBA Inter-Continental Welterweight title back in late July. Some fighters may be hesitant about the tight turnaround for a big fight but that kind of pressure doesn't phase Barrios. You will see my greatness from me on fight night.Saturday's broadcast starts at 9 p.m. CST and can be seen on Showtime, Showtime Sports YouTube Channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page.

SAN ANTONIO It's not easy to fill the shoes of the legendary "Jesse" James Leija but one local fighter continues to make waves as he travels down that path. Undefeated boxer Mario Barrios is ready to showcase his talents live Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. "A win Saturday is another win for San Antonio," said Barrios Wednesday afternoon. "That means I'll be able to bring a regional title back to San Antonio with a world title in the horizon." Being on this undercard is a huge opportunity to showcase my talents," Barrios said.