WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) and Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) are close to an agreement for a fight in early 2026.
Mike Coppinger reports on X that contracts between Ryan’s promoters at Golden Boy and Barrios’ handlers at PBC are exchanged for the fight.
Barrios is coming off a 12-round majority draw against 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao on July 19, 2025, in Las Vegas. The 30-year-old Barrios is the perfect champion for Ryan Garcia to win a world title against.
Fans question the event
Ryan, 27, is getting his second straight title at 147, and fans on social media are questioning why it’s happening. He lost to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero by a 12-round unanimous decision in a fight for the vacant WBA welterweight title on May 2, 2025 at Times Square in New York.
If Kingry fights the way he fights Rolly, he’s not going to dethrone Barrios because he’s a fighter and he has respectable power. He’s not going to roll over Ryan. We saw this in Marrios’ performances against Pacquiao and Yordenis Ugas.
Popularity over merit?
Garcia hasn’t fought since, and now he’s getting another world title shot. It helps that Ryan has 12 million Instagram followers and is arguably the most popular fighter in the 147-lb division. Given Ryan’s popularity, it’s understandable why he would be given another quick title shot after his loss to Romero.
Golden Boy’s strategic move
Earlier on Saturday, Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya ruled out Ryan being used as the replacement opponent to face Jake Paul on November 14 in an exhibition match in Miami, Florida. Fans were excited last night about the possibility of Garcia being used as Jake’s opponent this month. It would have been an enormous payday for Ryan.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV, De La Hoya said Garcia is under contract with them and DAZN. Jake fights on Netflix. So, it wouldn’t work. It would have been an enormous payday for Ryan.
 and Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) are close to a deal for a fight in early 2026.){kind=link}