LAS VEGAS, NV – Another major fight card occurs in Las Vegas this weekend.
There’s nothing better than driving to Las Vegas with friends to attend a major boxing card in the casino capital of the world. You never know what adventure will occur.
More than a few thousand fans will be driving from Southern California to the Nevada city to see WBC welterweight titlist Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) defend his crown against mercurial Ryan “KingRy” Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) on Saturday Feb. 21, at T-Mobile Arena. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy and TGB Promotions loaded card.
“It’s great to see a stacked card like this,” said Oscar De La Hoya, who as a fighter led many blockbuster cards in Las Vegas during his fighting career.
Barrios is a product of San Antonio, Texas which has seen success in the 21st century with many Texans emerging as champions lately. It used to be rare, but now it’s common to see Texans succeed in the highest levels.
The champion trained in Los Angeles for this fight with Joe Goossen, who formerly coached Garcia.
“I’ve been champion for a reason,” said Barrios. “I leave it all in the ring.”
Garcia, who grew up in Southern California, has all the traits of the last “Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya, who is the promoter and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. Once upon a time, East L.A.’s De La Hoya was the face of boxing, winning six weight divisions from super feather to middleweight.
Every fighter wanted to fight him because that meant big money.
In many ways Garcia has picked up De La Hoya’s gauntlet, except for winning world titles. He has never won an actual world title, but a victory over Barrios can remedy that on Saturday.
“It does feel like old times. It feels great to be back with my dad,” said Garcia, who was prepared by his father Henry Garcia for this fight. “Together we are undefeated.”
Back in the 90s and early 2000s, whenever De La Hoya announced he would be fighting in Las Vegas, the casino city would fill up quickly and money came pouring in. The entire city would be a massive party scene.
De La Hoya was one of the few pro boxers who was popular with women and that increased his value. It’s a phenomena rarely seen in boxing and it re-appeared when Garcia arrived 10 years ago. The dark haired boxer has that same appeal with women.
No use arguing about his appeal. Simply visit his social media accounts to see his millions of followers. That has led to him becoming one of the best paid fighters without a world title.
Most fighters want to face Garcia in the boxing ring because they know a big payday comes with it. Ask Gervonta “Tank” Davis if he got his biggest payday when he fought Garcia.
Las Vegas used to shine whenever De La Hoya was signed to perform. Perhaps my favorite De La Hoya fight was his second fight against Julio Cesar Chavez at Thomas & Mack Center in 1998. That was a wild affair after the fight was over and De La Hoya won again. Caesars Palace was the host casino and the place was filled with celebrities and people from all over the world.
“I’m 100 certain Ryan will win,” De La Hoya said about the Garcia-Barrios clash. “I see fire in his eyes.”
De La Hoya knows about big fights.
Another great De La Hoya fight in Vegas was against the wild and crazy Ricardo Mayorga in 2006. The Nicaraguan was one of my favorite fighters to watch because he was so unpredictable and cunning. I first saw Mayorga upset an incredible world champion Vernon Forrest at Pechanga Casino. He then repeated the feat in Las Vegas. During the weigh-in Mayorga walked to the scale with a full sized pizza in his hand and made the weight. The next day Mayorga and his wild swinging ways defeated Forrest again.
When De La Hoya fought Mayorga on May 6 at the MGM Grand, the Golden Boy was super charged after Mayorga had insulted him and his wife at the Beverly Hills Hotel during the press conference. The East L.A. fighter knocked out Mayorga in the sixth round and the crowd was delirious. Parties were held everywhere and thousands of people happily roamed the casinos.
De La Hoya was the toast of Las Vegas whenever he fought there. Then came Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. They also had the ability to fill up the hotel rooms in Las Vegas. The late Ricky Hatton would also guarantee sell outs when he fought Pacquiao and Mayweather. Those British fans came in the thousands all the way from Britannia.
As a boxing reporter I had some great times the days before and night after the fights. Too many crazy stories to tell. Each fight has its own tales.
Personally, I miss seeing fights live outdoors at Caesars Palace. The last boxing card I remember seeing at Caesars Palace was October 2004 when Wladimir Klitschko fought DaVarryl Williamson outdoors, but in the front of the hotel. It sprinkled that night and almost ruined my laptop.
I’ve been covering boxing cards from Las Vegas since 1993. The city itself always changes but the crowds never change. Although I began as a boxing writer in 1985 I did not attend a boxing card in Las Vegas until eight years later. The newspaper I wrote for did not have enough clout to merit a media credential.
Not many boxing writers exist any more. The boxing scene is covered by social media sorts and their phones.
Come and see for yourself this fight weekend in Las Vegas. You won’t regret watching a major boxing card live.
Other Las Vegas fights
Also on the same boxing card, Richardson Hitchins (20-0) meets Oscar Duarte (30-2-1) for the IBF super light world title. And Gary Antuanne Russell (18-1, 17 KOs) fights Japan’s Andy Hiraoke (24-0, 19 Kos) for the WBA super light world title.
There will be three world title fights on the same boxing card thanks to the cooperation between TGB, Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.
Prices are very reasonable for this stacked boxing card.
Morning Fights from Nottingham
Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood meet again on Saturday Feb. 21, in Nottingham, England.
Wood (28-4, 17 KOs) won their first encounter with Warrington (32-4-1, 8 KOs) back in October 2023 in Sheffield. That first battle ended in a knockout win for Wood in the seventh round.
The DAZN telecast begins at 11a.m. (Pacific Time).
Sunday Female Fights
Claressa Shields (17-0) meets Franchon Crews-Dezurn (10-2) for the undisputed heavyweight championship at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. DAZN will stream the Salita Promotions card.
The boxing card features six female bouts and five male bouts including light heavyweights Atif Oberlton (14-0) vs Joseph George (13-1); and heavyweights Pryce Taylor (10-0) vs James Evans (9-2-1).
Fights to Watch
Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Josh Warrington (32-4-1) vs Leigh Wood (28-4).
Sat. DAZN pay-per-view 2:45 p.m. Mario Barrios (29-2-2) vs Ryan Garcia (24-2).
Sun. DAZN 5 p.m. Claressa Shields (17-0) vs Franchon Crews-Dezurn (10-2).
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