Ryan Garcia claims he has signed a contract to challenge the WBC welterweight titlist Mario Barrios on February 21.
The popular 27 year old had responded to Conor Benn’s victory at middleweight over Chris Eubank Jnr by calling out the Englishman, but he insists that his next fight will instead be for a version of the 147lbs world title.
Garcia hasn’t won a fight since December 2023, when he stopped Oscar Duarte Jurado, on account of the decision he earned over Devin Haney becoming a no contest when he twice tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, and then him returning in May and unexpectedly losing to Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
It had regardless been reported that he was on the verge of being rewarded for his defeat by challenging the 30-year-old Barrios, who in July drew with Manny Pacquiao in the Filipino’s first fight in four years and at the age of 46 years old.
“Yo – signed,” Garcia said in a video posted on social media. “I’m going to be fighting for the real WBC championship belt, against Mario Barrios, February 21st.
“Get ready, ‘cause I’m coming. Let’s go.”
