The Ostarine debacle may have chipped away at his credibility. But Ryan Garcia maintains he is still a stand-up guy. After suffering a loss to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero in May last year, many wondered who the Victorville native would fight next. Months passed with no update. In the lead-up to his fight with Anthony Joshua, after the Gervonta Davis fight had to be cancelled, Garcia’s name was floated as an opponent for Jake Paul.

Ryan Garcia revealed that Jake Paul had offered him $20–$25 million for the fight. He then explained that he turned down the deal because he wanted to compete for a world title. That decision led to him being booked against Mario Barrios for the WBC title fight later this month. Following the 27-year-old’s claim, Claressa Shields quickly weighed in. “Cap!!!! This man is Cap!!!” she wrote on X. Although some time has passed since then, ‘King Ry’ hasn’t let the accusation slide. “You can go ask my lawyer, Lupe, who was handling that deal,” Garcia told DAZN Boxing. “Go ask him.

“I don’t need a cap for that. I was offered that money, but guess what? I chose to fight Mario Barrios. So that kind of answers your question.” Had Garcia accepted the fight with Jake Paul, critics likely would have accused him of taking the easier route, as ‘El Gallo’ is often criticized for staging gimmick bouts.

Still, Ryan Garcia claims his “instincts” led him to pursue Mario Barrios and a shot at the title. “That’s what I really wanted to do, and I made that decision for myself, and I feel very happy about it,” Garcia explained in the interview. But questions remain. Barrios is coming off a majority draw against Manny Pacquiao, a legend, but one well past his prime.

Barrios struggled in that bout, and Garcia appears eager to capitalize on it to secure a title, even though some critics argue his opportunity is undeserved. A potential victory could also position him for a long-anticipated unification clash with rival Devin Haney. From a business standpoint, a rematch with Haney would be lucrative, especially given the controversy surrounding their first fight. 

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While the business implications are clear, Garcia’s focus is on the opponent in front of him—and he isn’t impressed with what he sees.

Ryan Garcia believes he will face a shell of Mario Barrios

Seeking his first world title, ‘King Ry’ didn’t hold back in his assessment of Mario Barrios, stating he believes he’ll be facing a diminished version of the fighter on February 21 at T-Mobile Arena. “I think he’s getting a little worn down now,” Garcia said. “I think he’s taken some good punches and a couple of too many good shots. He’s slowed down a little bit.”

While acknowledging Barrios’ strengths, Garcia added, “He fights a certain way that’s very generic, but he’s very good at it.” Barrios has gone 3-2-2 over the last five years and is coming off back-to-back draws in title defenses. Garcia believes youth and speed will be the difference here. “For sure [I can knock him out]. I believe I have the fastest hands in boxing,” he said.

Ryan Garcia appears so confident about his chances against Mario Barrios that he gave up on making $25 million, though such confidence also accompanied him during the Romero fight. Do you think his upcoming bout will meet the same fate?