THE WELTERWEIGHT KING: HOW RYAN GARCIA’S TACTICAL SHIFT DISMANTLED MARIO BARRIOS TO WIN GOLD
Ryan Garcia is the new WBC welterweight king! Get full fight results, O'Reilly’s knockdown, and the Shakur Stevenson call-out.
Ryan Garcia put on a show Saturday night, outclassing Mario Barrios to grab the WBC welterweight crown in a clear-cut unanimous decision. The judges’ cards said it all: 119-108, 120-107, 118-109. No controversy here; Garcia left no doubt he earned that belt.
Barrios, who now sits at 29-3-2 with 18 knockouts, just couldn’t keep up. This loss stings even more coming off his draw with Manny Pacquiao last July.
Garcia wasted no time, knocking Barrios down with a big overhand right in the opening half-minute. But he didn’t get reckless. Instead, Garcia picked his shots, working combinations upstairs and catching Barrios off guard late in round three.
After the fight, Garcia didn’t hold back. “You know who I want. He’s right there. Shakur Stevenson. Let’s go. Let’s run that,” he said on DAZN.
Stevenson, by the way, beat Teofimo Lopez in January to become a four-division champ. If that fight happens, sparks will fly.
Back in the ring, Barrios, 30, just couldn’t figure Garcia out. He’d land an occasional right, but nothing rattled Garcia. By round five, Garcia was all over him, attacking from the bell and unloading on Barrios’ head, though he didn’t manage another knockdown. Still, no question was in control.
At one point in the tenth, Garcia even glanced over at Barrios’ corner, maybe sending a little message to his old trainer, Joe Goosen. Garcia’s dad, Henry, is back in his corner after a stint with other coaches.
Knowing he was way ahead, Garcia eased off in the final rounds. He could coast.
It’s been a wild year for Garcia. He got hit with a year-long suspension and a $1 million fine by New York for allegedly using PEDs after his win over Devin Haney in April. The WBC also kicked him out for a few months after he used racial and ethnic slurs, and he’s dealt with some legal trouble, too.
On top of all that, Garcia was bouncing back from a tough unanimous-decision loss to Rolando Romero in Times Square.
Earlier in the night, Gary Antuanne Russell held onto his WBA super lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Japan’s Andy Hiraoka. That moves Russell to 19-1 with 17 knockouts, while Hiraoka takes his first loss.
Richardson Hitchins was supposed to defend his IBF super lightweight belt against Oscar Duarte, but he pulled out last minute, saying he was sick. That match was actually set to be the co-main event, but there’s no word yet on whether Hitchins will lose his title because of it.
THE EIGHT-FIGURE GAMBLE: CONOR BENN SIGNS A MASSIVE ONE-FIGHT DEAL WITH ZUFFA BOXING
Conor Benn joins Zuffa Boxing! Discover why he left Eddie Hearn, the details of his 8-figure deal, and Dana White's global plans.
Zuffa Boxing just landed one of the top welterweights out there, Conor Benn. The up-and-coming promotion announced Benn’s signing, adding even more star power to its growing roster.
Benn, 29, is riding high after a huge win over Chris Eubank Jr last November, finally getting his revenge after Eubank handed him his first-ever loss just seven months before. Right now, Benn stands at 24-1, with 14 knockouts. He’s held the WBA Continental Europe Welterweight title, too. There’s no date or opponent set for his Zuffa debut yet, but this is a big move for Dana White and his crew, who are serious about building a roster packed with champions and big names.
“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing,” Benn said in a press release. “I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”
Dana White is just as fired up. “Conor Benn is an absolute beast and a superstar,” he said. “He shows up every time and destroys people, and now some of the best fighters in the world are calling him out. He’s ready for a world title next, and I can’t wait to see him compete in Zuffa Boxing. He’s going to be a huge addition to a growing stable of very talented boxers.”
Sports Illustrated reports that Benn’s contract is a one-fight, eight-figure deal, though neither White nor Benn has confirmed that.
This move also heats the ongoing rivalry between Dana White and Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn. Benn had been with Hearn ever since he turned pro in 2016, but now he’s switched sides. Earlier this year, White and his team also grabbed IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champ Jai Opetaia, another former Hearn fighter.
Lately, Hearn and White have been trading shots in the media, which is wild considering they used to get along before White jumped into boxing. With two big signings already in the bag, Zuffa is out to prove it means business. And you just know they’re not stopping here.
CRIS CYBORG EYES HISTORY: MMA LEGEND SET FOR WIBA WORLD TITLE BOXING MATCH ON MARCH 28
Cris Cyborg makes history! Discover how she plans to hold MMA and boxing world titles simultaneously on March 28 in Brazil.
Cris Cyborg is about to chase a slice of history on March 28.
Since leaving the UFC back in 2019, the former featherweight champ hasn’t slowed down one bit. She grabbed the Bellator 145-pound title, then picked up another belt in the Professional Fighters League. It’s like every time she shows up somewhere new, she leaves with gold.
Now, in 2026, Cyborg says she’s on her retirement tour. But she’s not just coasting to the finish line; she’s still looking to add something big to her legacy. This time, she’s stepping into a boxing ring, not an MMA cage.
It’s been a while since Cyborg lost a fight. That was back at UFC 232 against Amanda Nunes. Since then? She’s rattled off nine straight wins in MMA, but that’s only half the story. She started boxing in 2022, and she hasn’t lost there either: seven wins, no defeats.
On March 28, Cyborg gets her biggest boxing test yet. She’ll fight Paulina Cardona for the WIBA super welterweight belt. Winning would make her the first fighter ever to hold world titles in both MMA and boxing at the same time. Big names like Amanda Serrano and Holly Holm have held this belt before, so it’s not just any title.
Journalist James Lynch broke the news online and pointed out just how rare this accomplishment would be. If Cyborg pulls it off, she’ll stamp her name in the record books, plain and simple.
Let’s talk about her opponent. Cardona’s been in the ring a lot – 68 pro fights, to be exact – but her record isn’t exactly stellar. She’s 27-34-7, has been knocked out 15 times, and has only managed two wins in her last 14 outings. So, yeah, Cyborg’s the clear favourite here, and people are already raising eyebrows about the level of competition she’s been facing in boxing.
Still, history’s on the line in Curitiba, Brazil. All eyes are on Cyborg to see if she can pull off something no one else has done before.