TLDR
- Ryan Garcia and Mario Barrios had a prolonged staredown at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins in Las Vegas
- Garcia weighed 146.5 pounds and Barrios 147 pounds for their WBC welterweight title fight
- Garcia promised a ‘ferocious’ performance and to ‘light lightning’ after his loss to Rolando Romero
- Barrios expressed confidence in his preparation and predicted the fight could end early
- The title bout headlines Saturday night’s card at T-Mobile Arena on DAZN pay-per-view
Sources: MMA Fighting | MMA Mania | Boxing Scene | ESPN Boxing
Ryan Garcia and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios engaged in a tense final staredown Friday night at ceremonial weigh-ins in Las Vegas. The prolonged face-off set the stage for their title fight Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
Both fighters made weight comfortably at Thursday’s official weigh-ins. Barrios tipped the scales at 147 pounds, while Garcia came in at 146.5 pounds.
Garcia Promises Ferocious Performance
Following the staredown, Garcia promised fans an explosive showing after his loss to Rolando Romero for the WBA welterweight title in May. “You’re going to see a ferocious Ryan Garcia in the ring,” Garcia said.
“We’re not here to play games. From that start of the bell, we’ll be ready to fight,” Garcia continued. “We’re going to be ferocious when it comes to that ring, and we’re getting right to it.”
The challenger pledged to deliver a performance unlike his previous title fight. “I’m coming to light lightning, baby. You don’t want to miss this one, I promise you,” Garcia said.
“This is going to be a Ryan Garcia classic. You don’t want to miss this one, I promise,” he added.
Barrios Confident in Early Finish
Barrios remained composed but confident during his final remarks. The champion acknowledged Garcia’s power while warning of his own arsenal.
“Both of his hands are dangerous,” Barrios said. “He definitely has an equalizer with that hook. But like I said, everything we worked on.”
“I also have a hook, I’ve got two hands, and I think that there’s a lot that he has to look out for,” the champion continued.
Barrios hinted at a potential early stoppage Saturday night. “I’m going in there with bad intentions. Going in there, like I said, with all the work we put in,” he said.
“I think this fight could definitely end early,” Barrios added.
Both fighters enter the bout during difficult stretches of their careers. Garcia is coming off his loss to Romero last year and looking to capture his first world title.
Barrios has retained his WBC welterweight title in back-to-back draws in his previous two fights. The champion seeks a decisive victory to solidify his reign.
The lead-up to Saturday’s fight has been mostly respectful between the two welterweights. That tone continued during Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins, though the extended staredown showed rising tension.
Both men appeared to be in excellent physical condition ahead of the fight. The bout headlines “The Ring: High Stakes” boxing event streaming live on DAZN pay-per-view.
The card features two other title fights. Richardson Hitchins faces Oscar Duarte, while Gary Antuanne Russell takes on Andy Hiraoka.
Frank Martin weighed 140.5 pounds against Nahir Albright at 142 pounds. Bektemir Melikuziev came in at 167.5 pounds to face Sena Agbeko at 168 pounds.
Preliminary fights begin at 6 p.m. ET Saturday. The main card featuring Garcia versus Barrios starts at 8 p.m. ET on DAZN.
