Henry Garcia Claims Ryan is 100 Percent for Barrios

Ryan Garcia’s father and trainer, Henry Garcia, believes his son is entering the most complete phase of his career as he prepares to challenge WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on February 21.

Garcia arrives at the fight following a difficult stretch that has raised questions about his long-term direction. He lost a decision to Rolando Romero on May 2, 2025, and has not officially recorded a win since late 2023. His April 2024 bout against Devin Haney was later ruled a no contest after Garcia tested positive for a banned substance, resulting in a one-year suspension.

That sequence has left little room for error as Garcia moves into his first world title opportunity at welterweight. A loss to Barrios would further stall his momentum and likely complicate any immediate plans for a rematch with Haney. It would also remove him from consideration for a lucrative bout with Conor Benn, who currently sits as the WBC’s top-ranked contender and mandatory challenger.

Henry Garcia insists his son is performing at a higher level than during previous camps.

“This is the Ryan that people are going to see,” Henry Garcia said to boxingscene. “What he’s doing right now is exactly what we wanted to see in the last camp. It’s amazing. Our focus is on Barrios.”

He added that the current version of Garcia would fare better than in recent outings, but emphasized that the team’s attention remains on the title fight rather than future matchups.

The welterweight division offers potential upside if Garcia is successful. Barrios, Haney, and Romero all hold versions of world titles, and the winner of Barrios-Garcia is expected to draw interest from multiple contenders.

Henry Garcia also referenced feedback he received while working previously as an assistant trainer, including comments from Joe Goossen, who now trains Barrios.

“He said when Ryan is 100 percent, no one can beat him,” Henry Garcia said. “He knows my son. He’s seen it.”

That belief gets its test against Barrios on February 21, and the result may say a lot about where Garcia stands now.