Garcia the favorite against Barrios

Ryan Garcia’s (24-2, 20 KOs) unusually calm and quiet behavior before a major fight may indicate that he has gathered his thoughts and is fully focused. This makes him the favorite in his upcoming bout against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs).

This opinion was expressed by renowned boxing expert and analyst Teddy Atlas.

“At this stage of Barrios’ career—considering that Garcia is younger, faster with his hands, and a bit more explosive—I would give him the edge. But on the other hand, what is his mental state? Where is he psychologically right now? You have to take risks and ask yourself: is he mentally sound?” the expert questioned.

“Right now, it’s quiet on the Western Front, and if there’s silence around Ryan Garcia, that’s good news. If there’s no noise, maybe everything is going according to plan. Based on that, I’d still say I’m leaning toward Garcia,” Teddy noted. “The thing with Barrios is that you know exactly what to expect from him. With Garcia, there’s no such certainty—you never know which version of the fighter you’re going to see. But I still assume Garcia will be in a good place and fully focused.”