Mario Barrios Talks Training Camp With Joe Goossen & Upcoming Fight With Ryan Garcia

By Miguel Maravilla

WBC welterweight champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas begins his 2026 campaign as he takes on Victorville, California’s Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) in what should be an action-packed fight. Barrios defends his title against Garcia next Saturday night in headlining, The Ring “High Stakes” from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas live on DAZN Pay per view.

“I feel good excited, just ready it’s a big fight. There is a lot of noise for this fight, I’m ready,” Mario Barrios told FightNews.com “This fight means everything, it’s always fun fighting someone that draws that attention. I’m excited and ready,” Barrios added.

The 30-year-old, Barrios is geared up for the big stage once again taking on Garcia.

“I have been here already. I’m not a fighter that hasn’t been around this noise. I bring the experience and boxing IQ to this fight. I’m going to make sure I come out with the victory,” Barrios said about headlining.

Coming off a draw against the legendary Manny Pacquiao this past summer, Barrios left it all in the ring in going the distance with the Filipino boxing icon and hall of famer. Barrios now gets set for the next task in Ryan Garcia.

“I fought a living legend fighting Pacquiao. I was able to take a lot of that fight, that type of platform, status, from a boxing perspective I had never been there with someone that fought like him. I’m going to use everything from that fight go out there and continue to be successful,” Barrios on his last fight with Pacquiao.

Having his first camp in Southern California, Barrios trained at the Ten Goose Boxing Gym under the guidance of respected trainer Joe Goossen in preparation for the showdown with Garcia.

“I’ve been having a great camp. It was good I was out in LA with Joe since December and now in Vegas. It has been intense, Joe’s work rate is one of a kind,” Barrios on his camp with Joe Goossen. “He has focused on other things, aggression, punch output, the work rate, a lot of those things. He knows how to push a fighter and keep a fighter there mentally. We have had a great camp,”

Goossen, the trainer that made and guided the Ruelas Brothers Gabriel and Rafael, to world titles, adds Mario Barrios to the list of many fighters he has trained over the years. The list of fighters includes former world champions Michael Nunn, Joel Casamayor, the late Diego “Chico” Corrales, Robert Guerrero, and most recently worked with Ryan Garcia adding some spice to the showdown with Barrios.

“Joe knows how to push a fighter and keep a fighter there mentally. I was aggressive when I was younger, so I needed someone to work with my high punch output. The main reason I went with Joe was to work with a coach that I’m familiar with. I’m familiar with his style,” Barrios said.

For the 27-year-old Garcia, he dropped a unanimous decision against Rolando “Rolly” Romero in his last fight, last year in May as Garcia was knocked down and suffered a right-hand injury in the process. Prior to that fight, Garcia was tested positive for PEDs following his one-sided decision win over Devin Haney which was later ruled a no-contest.

“I feel once he was dropped, he didn’t want to be in the ring anymore. I can’t really take too much of that fight. We are looking at Ryan’s performances when he looked good but rather than the ones when he looked bad. We just know Ryan doesn’t like to be uncomfortable,” Barrios on Garcia “He is very unpredictable, explosive, dangerous. You never know which type of Garcia you’re going to get, that is why he is so dangerous. That is one of the reasons this fight is so exciting,” Barrios added.

Garcia’s other defeat came at the hands of Gervonta “Tank” Davis in April of 2023. Barrio’s current trainer Joe Goossen served as Garcia’s chief second for that fight as he was knocked out in the seventh round. Following the fight, Garcia dropped Goossen and recently accused the veteran trainer of being traitor. Barrios described the separation as a “Messy ass breakup,” during the kickoff press conference.

Barrios also suffered his first defeat to Davis back in the summer of 2021, as Barrios was dropped three times in the fight in a valiant effort as he was stopped in the eleventh round. Following the defeat to Tank, Barrios went the distance with former world champion Keith Thurman in dropping a unanimous decision.

“Against Tank that was my last fight at 140, when I fought Thurman, it showed how gritty and tough I am. I wish I would’ve shown more skill in that fight, I felt I had to prove too much in that fight. I knew it was a roll of the dice but I’m in this sport to test myself.”

Since the back-to-back defeats, Barrios has not tasted defeat and captured the WBC welterweight crown against Yordanis Ugas in 2023 as Barrios gets set for the fourth defense of his title.

“I’ve been growing since. Now I have evolved into a more complete fighter, and I will show why I’m one of the best fighters in the world and current WBC world champion.”

Win or lose, one thing is certain, Barrios is a fan friendly fighter and will give it his all as he has proven in the past. A win over Garcia, Barrios could possibly set himself for a potential fight against Rolando Romero, or a unification with WBO champion Devin Haney.

“A win puts in me in a position to continue to bring exciting big fights to the welterweight division. Unification fights or big names, it does a lot for the sport.”

Overall, a victory in this fight puts Barrios in a great position to begin 2026.

“You don’t want to miss any second of this fight, if it’s me or if it’s him. One punch can change the fight. Skills pay the bills and going into this fight I definitely have the heart and all of that will play a factor come fight night!”

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