Coaches rarely enter a title fight with first-hand knowledge of how their opponent is built, and Goossen’s comments made it clear that much of Garcia’s approach remains recognizable to him.
“You kind of know how Ryan is going to fight,” Goosen said The Ring. “There aren’t a lot of secrets, and he doesn’t necessarily do a lot of new things. But what he does do, he’s very good at. He’s mastered a style for himself that normally works, and he’s comfortable with it.”
That familiarity changes the tactical balance. Fighters typically depend on uncertainty to create hesitation in their opponents, forcing them to adjust in real time. Goossen’s comments suggest Barrios won’t be forced into that position because his corner has already studied Garcia’s habits in detail through years of direct involvement.
Garcia’s offensive success has always been tied to speed, timing and the ability to force his pace early, especially with his left hook. Goossen acknowledged those strengths, while also pointing to the variables that come with Garcia’s move to welterweight, where opponents are naturally bigger and harder to stop.
“Everybody knows Ryan has a lot of power, but it was 135 pounds,” Goossen said. “It’s 147 now. You don’t always take that strength with you when you move up in weight. Ryan’s a big guy, but Mario’s bigger.”
That size dynamic removes one of Garcia’s traditional advantages. At lightweight and junior welterweight, Garcia’s physical strength often exceeded or surpassed his opponents. At welterweight, he faces fighters naturally built for the division, including Barrios, who will enter the fight with both physical durability and a trainer already familiar with Garcia’s offensive structure.
Goossen made it clear that he does not underestimate Garcia’s motivation and expects him to arrive prepared. The personal tension created by Goossen joining the opposing corner adds another dimension, but it doesn’t change the technical familiarity he brings to the fight.
“I already know that Ryan is very motivated right now,” Goossen said. “I’d be foolish to expect anything less than 100 percent. I’m shooting for 120 percent with Mario, because sometimes 100 percent isn’t good enough.”
Garcia still has the speed and timing to quickly change any fight, but familiarity reduces the advantage of surprise that fighters often rely on at this level. Facing a coach who already understands his habits forces Garcia to rely on execution rather than unpredictability, and it’s a tougher road than most title challengers face.
