BARRIOS- GARCIA TOP DAZN PPV SATURDAY
Las Vegas, NV– Champion Mario Barrios and challenger Ryan Garcia have “wrapped up” training for their WBC welterweight (147 lb.) clash Saturday night on the DAZN PPV platform and emanating from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
WHERE IS RYAN COMING FROM?
How do you separate Ryan’s online theatrics, his recent spewing of what some thought to be “racially offensive” jargon from reality? I mean, is Ryan Mentally Unbalanced? On Drugs? OR is he just playing both you and me “like a fiddle”?
GARCIA & DADDY “KNOW EVERYTHING”
Across the ring in Barrios’ corner will be veteran North Hollywood, CA based trainer Joe Goossen who was working with Ryan when he got “drilled” in 7 fistic frames by Gervonta Davis in 2023.
“BRUTALLY HONEST” JOE GOOSSEN
Afterwards, Goossen told me on the phone. “It was a circus, Pedro. If I wanted to implement something in training, I had to get the approval of both Ryan and his father (Henry Garcia).”
CHAMPION COMING OFF TWO DRAWS!
In his last fight on July 19, 2025, San Antonio’s Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 whacks) fought like he was “handcuffed” versus 95 year old Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao.
DID NOT “STEP IT UP” VS PACMAN
The end result was a 12 round Majority Decision DRAW with 2 Judges having it even at 114-114, while the 3rd jurist had Barrios up 115-113. Barrios simply “couldn’t or wouldn’t” pull the trigger.
PRIOR FIGHT 12 ROUND “DE JA VU”
A 12 round Split Decision Draw with the “pedestrian” Abel Ramos (28-6-3, 22 KOs) in November 2024 preceded the Pacman fight. Which prompted me to ask Cutman/Historian Jacob “Stitch” Duran Thursday in the T Mobile Arena Media Center, “Stitch, when was the last time you saw a champ roll two straight Draws?” He said “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that before.”
BOTH GUYS “DRILLED BY TANK DAVIS”
The foe that stands out for both Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia is the recently arrested (again) Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Barrios was halted in round 11 after enduring a one-sided June 2021 drubbing. In 2023, Ryan got drilled in 7 rounds by Tank.
RYAN PUT HIMSELF IN “DO OR DIE” SPOT?
Ryan’s father Henry is NOW calling “all the shots” for this “Do or Die” fight vs. Mario Barrios. Seeing how Ryan hasn’t won a fight since late 2023 & was suspended a year for PED use, should the 27 year old from Victorville, CA lose again, King Ry might be royal toast!
“EXPERTS DIFFER” ON BARRIOS-RYAN
An email sent to some of boxing’s most astute wise guys a fortnight ago asked “who wins”? Of the 25 polled, 14 picked 3-1 betting favorite Ryan Garcia to win with 12 seeing King Ry ending the DAZN PPV main event with a knockout!
BARRIOS PEEPS SEE A “DISTANCE FIGHT”
Of the 11 picking Barrios to prevail, 9 see it going the full 36 minutes!
NUTS, ON DRUGS OR JUST PLAYING US?
Most of the people in and around this fight think that Ryan Garcia is a master puppeteer who while appearing to be “unpredictable and unstable” is in total control! We shall see Saturday night on DAZN PPV.
PEDRO’S VEGAS NOTES: There was a line with about 100 people in it Thursday morning when the T Mobile Arena box office opened for Barrios-Garcia fight tickets…HANGING OUT @ THE MGM SPORTSBOOK…2016 Olympic Silver medalist Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan has the easiest fight per the Oddsmakers with his being a 16-1 betting favorite over Sena Agbeki…Ryan Garcia opened at -$175. With about 36 hours until the first bell, King Ryan is a solid -$350 favorite…WILL Team Barrio drop a heavy chunk of cash on their guy? BECAUSE MY MGM SOURCE SAYS NOBODY be betting Mario!!! HOW MANY Gary Russell’s are there in boxing? Answer: Six and they are ALL brothers! Gary Antuanne Russell was in the DAZN PPV press center on Thursday “talking it up” with me as he meets Japan’s unbeaten (24-0, 19 KOs) Andy Hiraoka under Barrios-Garcia. Gary Antuanne Russell is a -$350 favorite…DAZN PPV CARD “WORTH $69 FIRST FIGHTS ON DAZN PRE-SHOW FREE @ 2:45 PM PT or 5:45 ET…THE DAZN MAIN PPV CARD STARTS @ 4:55 PM PT / 7:55 PM ET…BOXING INSIDERS NEED DOWNLOAD THE DAZN APP on either Android or IPhone…IS the T Mobile Arena hosting the David Benavidez-Zurdo Ramirez clash already signed for May 2, 2026? Benavidez has been the best fighter “Pound for Pound” for a while now, “Chicken Spit” Canelo Alvarez has refused to fight “The Mexican Monster” for better than 5 years! NOW light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol has apparently “gotten a Dr.’s note” to get him out of fighting Benavidez..FLOYD & TYSON TO FIGHT? They are talking about Mike Tyson, who in his last ring appearance lost to “Joke” Paul is “talking up” an April clash in Africa with Floyd Mayweather. The ex-heavyweight champ has “apparently” sold his soul!
RING TALK A “GUINNESS BOOK” MATTER?
Having hosted “Ring Talk Worldwide” since 1984, that makes it the “longest running fight show in history.” Saturday & Sundays, Ring Talk airs at 11:06 AM PT/2:06 PM ET LIVE on YOU TUBE. Here is the link for Saturday (1 hour) & Sunday (2 hours).
CLICK HERE FOR YOU TUBE LINK
https://www.youtube.com/@SportsBylineUSA
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is a syndicated talk show host with Sports Byline USA, as well as being a multi- award winning writer whose career in journalism has taken him to 34 countries. Pedro was also Nationally Ranked and a 4-time Golden Gloves boxing champion.
