In one fell swoop, Ryan Garcia became the “it” fighter at welterweight and erased all the doubts about him over the last three-plus years.
Garcia put on a clinic against Mario Barrios Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, dominating Barrios from the opening round and winning the WBC welterweight title.
Going into the bout, there were questions about which Garcia would show up: the fighter who won his first 23 bouts and an interim lightweight title in the process? Or the fighter who had gone 1-2-1 since then, had a victory changed to a no-contest after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and who looked completely listless in his most previous bout last May, suffering a second-round knockdown and a unanimous decision loss?
Saturday night, the best version of “King Ryan” returned. And it didn’t take long to see it, as Garcia’s first two punches knocked down Barrios, setting the tone for Garcia to win an easy unanimous decision by scores of 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109.
And with that, Garcia can now call the shots at 147 pounds.
Following the bout, Garcia made it clear who he wants next:
"You know who I want? He's right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let's go," Garcia said. "Hey, I want to be a great champion, and I'm not scared of s---. I fought Devin Haney. I'll fight Shakur Stevenson. I'll fight anybody."
While a bout between Garcia and Stevenson (who won a title in his fourth weight class on Jan. 31 with a near-shutout win over Teofimo Lopez Jr.) would be a huge draw, Garcia has other options. He can chase a rematch against Devin Haney, who holds the WBO welterweight title, or even go across the pond to battle British star Conor Benn.
Regardless, this much is clear:
Garcia is in the driver’s seat at 147 pounds.
Zuffa’s Latest Major Signing: Benn
Speaking of Conor Benn, it was announced Friday that he had become the latest big-name fighter to sing with Zuffa Boxing.
“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing,” Benn said in a press release. “I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”
Benn is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Chris Eubank Jr. in London last November, avenging a decision loss to Eubank the previous April. While both of those bouts took place at 160 pounds, Benn has said previously that he plans to return to welterweight.
“Conor Benn is an absolute beast and a superstar,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “He shows up every time and destroys people, and now some of the best fighters in the world are calling him out. He’s ready for a world title next and I can’t wait to see him compete in Zuffa Boxing. He’s going to be a huge addition to a growing stable of very talented boxers.”
Benn marks Zuffa’s latest major signing since adding Jai Opetaia, considered by many to be the best fighter at cruiserweight.
Jake Paul’s Lucky Jaw
Jake Paul may not realize it now, but the fact he has to have a second surgery on his broken jaw may be the best case scenario for him.
Paul recently announced on Instagram that he had a second surgical procedure on the broken jaw he suffered in his Dec. 19 knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, saying his plates were coming loose due to the fact he hadn’t been resting enough for the past two months.
After the first procedure on Dec. 20, Paul insisted he wouldn’t be out of action long. But with this latest procedure, he is sure to be out indefinitely.
And that’s a good thing.
First off, despite being dominated by Joshua, Paul earned respect for finally taking on a top-5 opponent and taking a beating for six rounds. The broken jaw he suffered only increased that respect. Ride the respect for a while. Don’t waste it by jumping back into the ring too quickly.
Second, there’s no need for Paul to rush into another fight right now. He should take some time off, let his body heal, and most importantly: let the boxing public forget about you for a while. Taking some extra time before coming back into the ring can sometimes be a good thing, especially when some of your bouts are considered spectacles. There’s nothing wrong with spectacles, but sometimes you need some time in-between before fans get excited for them again.
And finally:
Doesn’t Paul have a promotional company to run?
Nevin Barich is the Combat Sports Writer for The Sporting Tribune.