LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Ryan Garcia speaks to media after a press conference at AVALON Hollywood on January 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesWil EscoThu, February 19, 2026 at 3:17 AM UTC·2 min readRyan Garcia is set to take on WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios this weekend in his first bid to become a world champion, and he talks to Fight Hub TV about the matchup, the recent changes in his life, and why he’s been calling out Shakur Stevenson as of late. Here’s some excerpts of what Garcia had to say below.
Garcia on how he sees himself beating Barrios
“I just want to be sharp. I just want to show people how sharp I am…I’m just here, you’re going to see me fight the best I can fight.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn how he’s feeling in this training camp
“I really rededicated myself to being as on point as I can from diet to discipline, from everything that I needed to sacrifice that I made every step of the way. So you’re going to see the sharpest I’ve ever been.”
On what he thinks Barrios will be unprepared for
“I just don’t think he’s going to be able to expect these punches coming from everywhere, to be real. I just don’t think he’ll be able to handle my speed. But, you know, when you’re in there, we’ll see. Bu he’s just not going to be able to keep up with me, point blank period.”
On if Barrios presents any challenge he hasn’t faced yet
“Absolutely not.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn his interest in facing Shakur Stevenson
“I just think that I’m one of those guys that I will just beat him. And I just think that everybody thinks he’s some savant in the ring, and I’m just here to take that away. That’s pretty much what it is. They thought Devin Haney was the same way, ‘he’s unbeatable’…Same thing with Shakur, people saying he’s pound for pound, this and that — but I don’t see it. He going to have to prove it. I beat him in the amateurs, I’ll beat him again, and I will hurt him. I will humble him in a way he’s never been humbled before.”
AdvertisementAdvertisement
