Ryan Garcia Reveals Next Opponent After Fights Against Rolley Romero, Devin Haney

Despite losing to Rolley Romero in his most recent outing, Ryan Garcia will have the chance to earn championship gold the next time he steps in the ring.

Per ESPN's James Regan, Garcia announced that he has signed to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on Feb. 21. He most recently lost a unanimous decision against Romero in May. Prior to that, he faced Devin Haney in April of last year, and his win was later overturned to a no-contest.

Garcia was expected to reach new heights after a dominant performance against Haney, but a failed drug test wiped the victory from his record. He would've earned a high-profile rematch against Haney had he beaten Romero, but his disappointing outing allowed Haney to pivot to a fight against Brian Norman Jr. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday for the WBO welterweight title.

Regan noted that Garcia has never won a fight at welterweight, as he's spent most of his career in the lightweight division. Despite his lack of experience at 147 pounds, he's facing a favorable matchup against Barrios, who is coming off of back-to-back draws against Manny Pacquiao in July and Abel Ramos in November 2024.

"My next fight announcement, I got the contract right here like I promised you guys. I am going to fighting for the real WBC championship belt against Mario Barrios Feb. 21. Get ready," Garcia said in a tweet that was later deleted.

The welterweight division is heating up, as Barrios was called out by Conor Benn following his recent win over Chris Eubank Jr. on Saturday. Benn and Garcia have also traded barbs on social media in recent days, expressing interest in a potential fight in the United Kingdom. With Haney also in the mix if he earns a title with a win over Norman on Saturday, 2026 could be an exciting year for the top boxers at 147 pounds.