Henry Garcia has absorbed all of the best lessons from the decorated trainers who have served as head trainer to his son: Hall of Fame cornerman Joe Goossen, Canelo Alvarez trainer Eddy Reynoso and former trainer of the year Derrick James.

More than that, he’s been Ryan Garcia’s dad since day one and trained him from the age of nine through the first 13 pro fights of his career as Ryan produced 12 knockouts.

“I feel I’m the same person I was back then, but now I’ve learned a bit more. I really appreciate all the trainers because of their dedication and their commitment and sacrifice. Let me put it this way: Nobody knows my son better than I do, and that’s the bottom line.”    

And now, with California’s Garcia, 24-2 (20 KOs), working toward his best shot at being a world champion after three prior attempts, it’s his father serving as head trainer, confident this long-pursued opportunity will be realized side by side.

Henry Garcia will fittingly lead his 27-year-old son to a ring in Las Vegas February 21 to fight for the WBC welterweight belt worn by champion Mario Barrios, 29-2-2 (18 KOs), who is cornered by Goossen.

“I’m more excited about Ryan’s health and his ability to get in the ring the way we want him to be. I respect Joe. He’s an awesome trainer. But there’s one thing I’ve learned from all the trainers: You can’t teach someone to take a punch like the one you’ll take from Ryan Garcia,” Henry Garcia said.

“You can say, ‘Watch out for his hook, look out for that and this,’ but once Ryan is 100 percent and he hits you, there’s no turning back. You’re going to feel the pain. So who’s behind the other fighter doesn’t bother me at all.”

Goossen accompanied the Garcias to Ryan’s first title shot, the impressively attended and viewed seventh-round knockout loss to unbeaten WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis.

Derrick James replaced Goossen for the infamous 2024 140lbs title fight versus Devin Haney, when Garcia lost his shot at the title by closing an erratic training camp by missing weight by more than three pounds.

Garcia then hammered Haney with left hooks, knocking him down three times and emerging with a majority decision victory that was later negated as a no-contrest because of three positive Garcia test results for the banned PED Ostarine.

That generated a year-long suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission that preceded Garcia’s WBA welterweight title shot at Rolly Romero at Times Square in May.

“With Rolly, [Ryan] wasn’t ready for that fight mentally. He wasn’t there in mind, body and soul, and only I know this personally, because nobody knows my son like my wife and I do,” Henry Garcia said.

“We went through it all. I know his capabilities. I know what he felt. Going into the Rolly fight, there was no way he was up for it. His hand was messed up. The cortisone shots weren’t working anymore. He was in pain. Being suspended for a year. Going through depression. He wasn’t ready, wasn’t there. And in boxing, you have to be at 100 percent. That’s the only way you can step into that ring.”

Romero emerged with a unanimous-decision victory, and Garcia promoter Oscar De La Hoya said afterward that Garcia would take the remainder of the year off.

During that time Ryan and Henry concluded the best way to move forward was with each other.

Fathers have trained sons throughout boxing history, marked this generation by world-title pairings including Floyd Mayweather Jnr and father, Sugar Shane Mosley and father Jack, Leo Santa Cruz and father Jose, and Gary Russell Jnr and brothers and their late father. 

“I can say certain words to [Ryan] briefly and he understands me immediately, completely,” Henry Garcia said. “Whereas the trainer has to keep [instructing] on and on, and not be sure if he’s really being understood.

“I know we’re going to be victorious. I know that for a fact.”

Part of that confidence is rooted in the full-circle feel of this title shot, after the elder Garcia has taken so much knowledge from the former head trainers and after the adversity of Ryan’s past three years.

“When Golden Boy signed [13-0] Ryan, they said, ‘This is great, you know, but we would like you to work with someone new, a different trainer,’ and my son and I spoke about working with Eddy Reynoso,” Henry Garcia said. “I stepped back. I humbled myself and said, ‘OK, if I can learn from them, I can apply it to my knowledge.’ What I feel now is that I’m complete in the experience through Goossen, Derrick James, Reynoso.

“Now it’s been like a complete turnaround, something we’ve dreamed about since he turned pro at 18. We just kept hoping and hoping… it’s weird, because this has gone around in a cycle.

“Around and around. You don’t know when it’s your time. The way it feels now, I have to say this and you can quote me on this: It’s God’s time.

“I’m going to believe in that. How else would it have been? Ryan and I went through a lot. We went through trainers. We’ve been through issues.”

Since he’s had such a front-row view to his son’s career, Henry Garcia is beyond delighted by what he’s seeing in the gym from his son.

He references Ryan’s first-round knockout of Francisco Fonseca in 2020, his sixth-round decking of Javier Fortuna in 2022 and his 2023 eighth-round knockout of Oscar Duarte as comparisons.

San Antonio’s Barrios is coming off consecutive draws, getting knocked down by Abel Ramos and then keeping his belt by a disputed even card with Manny Pacquiao, 47, in July. 

“This is the Ryan that people are going to see. It’s perfect,” Henry Garcia said. “What he’s doing is exactly what we wanted to see in the last camp. It’s amazing. He would beat Rolly right now, but our eyes are set on Barrios.

“This is our time, and we’re enjoying every moment of it based on what we’re seeing. For this fight, people will see the best Ryan.”

Considering that Haney and Romero wear welterweight belts and that England’s popular Conor Benn wants the Barrios-Garcia winner, Ryan Garcia could be on the brink of a strong run of lucrative title fights by defeating Barrios.

“Yes, it’s going to be very positive. If Ryan stays the way he is right now –  and I don’t see why he would want to change – I guarantee it’s going to be very positive,” said Henry Garcia.

The father draws some deep motivation from one of those lessons he gained while serving in the assistant trainer’s position.

“I need to say this: All the trainers have told me things about my son, and there’s certain things I’ll keep private. One thing I will say is about Joe Goossen: He said that when Ryan is 100 percent, no one can beat him,” Henry Garcia said.

“And this is the trainer of Mario Barrios. It’s true. He knows my son. He’s witnessed it. We know that’s true, and what’s amazing is that Ryan is 100 percent right now. The results are showing in sparring, if you can read between the lines of what I’m saying.”