On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Ryan Garcia quieted his loudest detractors with a virtuoso performance against WBC Welterweight king Mario Barrios. "King Ry" was on fire as he dropped the champ in the first 23 seconds of the fight and easily won his first major title by unanimous decision.
The victory ended what has been a nightmare last few years for him. After a decisive loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023, he bounced back with a victory over Oscar Duarte, then had a career-defining win over Devin Haney overturned by a drug suspension. After sitting out for six months, he returned in May of 2025 only to be on the wrong side of a sizable upset against Rolly Romero.
However, after Saturday night, Garcia is back in the driver's seat and can line up some big bouts for the rest of 2026. With that in mind, let's look at five potential opponents for the 27-year-old's next fight.
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You can bet that loss to Romeo is still eating at "King Ry." That night in May of last year was a low point for his career, and it had his biggest haters feeling further vindicated. If the new champ truly wants to put all of his recent troubles behind him, looking to avenge the loss against Romero will definitely be a possibility.
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Following his big win, he and pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson had a cordial face-off backstage to test fan interest in a potential fight. With Stevenson having dominated at junior welterweight, moving up seven pounds to welterweight is an eventuality.
For team Stevenson, Garcia will make sense as a winnable fight and a chance at a title in another division. For Team Garcia, a matchup would be a huge risk, but it offers the opportunity to gain P4P status.
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Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao made his return to pro boxing last year at 46, and in the eyes of many observers, beat Barrios for the WBC belt. However, the entertaining bout was called a draw. If Garcia wants a winnable fight with a big-name opponent, "Pac-Man" is an option. And after how he performed last year against Barrios, he is a worthy foe even as he closes in on 50.
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The bout that many around boxing believe will be at the top of Ryan Garcia's next fight wishlist is a rematch with Devin Haney. In their first clash, Garcia knocked his rival down three times. However, there is certainly reason to believe his outstanding performance was medically enhanced.
Just like a rematch with Romero, a second fight with Haney offers vindication. But also a chance to prove he is a P4P fighter, and the opportunity to get another belt and aim to be a unified champion at 147 pounds.
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Fight making in boxing is always a difficult challenge, so while fans would like to see Ryan Garcia in matchups with Haney, Pacquiao, or Stevenson, it is just as likely that negotiations fail. That is why a fighter like Liam Paro could end up being the new WBC champ's next opponent.
The Australian is a top-five fighter in the division at 27-1 and has scored some big wins during his career. "The Prodigy" is a logical option if Garcia can't secure a matchup with a bigger name in his return.
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