The rivalry between Ryan Garcia and Joe Goossen has flared up once again, igniting fresh tensions as they prepare for an upcoming bout. This time, however, they find themselves on opposing sides—Garcia will be stepping into the ring against Mario Barrios, the current WBC welterweight champion, who is trained by Goossen. The highly anticipated match is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on February 21, and will be broadcast live on DAZN.
During the opening press conference held in Los Angeles, Garcia did not hold back his feelings about Goossen. He publicly expressed his frustration, labeling Goossen a 'traitor' and even presented him with a shirt emblazoned with the words 'I'm a traitor.' In a somewhat playful yet pointed gesture, Goossen tossed the shirt back towards Garcia, indicating that he wasn’t taking the comments too seriously.
Garcia confronted Goossen directly, saying, "How could you, Joe? That’s messed up. I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. That’s insane. You broke my heart." His emotional response reflected the personal nature of their split, especially after Garcia’s seventh-round knockout defeat to Gervonta 'Tank' Davis in 2023. He shared his disappointment further, stating, "It hurt me when he didn’t show up after my loss to Tank. That was a pretty big defeat in my heart, and I didn’t see him after the fight. He had whatever going on, but he didn’t show up...I’m a little disappointed in Joe’s decision to go against me, but that fires me up."
In addition to expressing hurt feelings, Garcia suggested that Goossen might have been responsible for leaks of sensitive information from his camp leading up to the fight with Davis.
For his part, Goossen seemed taken aback by Garcia’s accusations and insisted that their past relationship would not interfere with his preparation for Barrios. He stated, "My incentive is always the same, as it is every fight, for my fighter to win. That's it. I don't have the resentment. Wherever this resentment is coming from, I don't really know. The bottom line is I’ve got nothing against any fighter I’ve ever gone against. I’m just for my fighter. That’s all, and that’s the way it is."
Goossen emphasized that thoughts of revenge are not part of his mindset, saying, "I don't go to bed at night thinking about revenge or anything of that sort. I just go to bed at night thinking about, ‘What can I do to better my guy that I'm training to win?’"
Mario Barrios, who holds a record of 29 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws, with 18 of those victories coming by knockout, is preparing for his third title defense. His most recent bout ended in a contentious majority draw against the legendary eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao, while he previously fought to a split draw against fellow boxer Abel Ramos.
Barrios secured the interim WBC welterweight title in 2023 after convincingly defeating Yordenis Ugas by unanimous decision, and he followed that up with a successful title defense against Fabian Maidana in 2024, which earned him elevation to full champion status.
Despite rumors to the contrary, Barrios clarified that his choice to bring Goossen on board as his trainer had nothing to do with the latter's previous association with Garcia. Barrios explained, "The fact that he trained Ryan Garcia had nothing to do with it. The move to go with Joe was going to happen, whether this fight happened or not. My team and I felt that I needed a change to get this last stretch with my career. That was the reason for the move with Joe. We have been very familiar with him and his style and everything he has accomplished with his fighters since before I was born. I’m very happy to be out here with Joe. We've been having a hell of a camp, and we're just looking forward to the 21st."
On the flip side, Ryan Garcia, with a professional record of 24 wins and 2 losses, is gearing up for just his second fight in the welterweight division. His debut at 147 pounds was marred by an upset decision loss to WBA welterweight champion Rolando Romero back on May 2 in Times Square, New York. Garcia is determined to prove himself in the upcoming match against Barrios, noting that he feels significantly more motivated this time around compared to his previous fight against Romero. "I gotta go grab that title," Garcia declared passionately. "I’m hungry, I’m excited, and I’m ready to put on a show. For me, it’s all a show. I want to put on the best show possible, and you guys are going to get a great fight. This guy isn’t going to lay down, and I've got to be more careful with him. If I’m sleeping, he’ll beat my ass. Right now, I’m super locked in and you’re going to see the best version of myself that you’ve ever seen."
Garcia, who is 27 years old, will have his father, Henry Garcia, in his corner for this fight. This marks a return to his roots, as Henry previously trained Ryan for his first 16 fights before he switched trainers to work with Eddy Reynoso, known for training boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez, in 2018. Derrick James had been serving as Garcia's chief second for his last three bouts.
Henry Garcia expressed his feelings regarding this opportunity, stating, "I’m honored. I feel proud. I know my son more than anyone in this room, including the past coaches, which I do respect. I have to because they go through sacrifices, but I know my son, and come February 21st, he’s going to be the Ryan that I know and love."
So, as the fight date approaches, the stage is set for an electrifying showdown filled with personal stakes, competitive spirit, and the ever-present specter of past relationships and grievances. Will Garcia rise above the turmoil and reclaim his spot, or will Goossen’s strategic prowess guide Barrios to victory? Only time will tell.
