LOS ANGELES — The tension between Ryan Garcia and veteran trainer Joe Goossen flared back to life Thursday, adding a personal edge to Garcia’s upcoming WBC welterweight title challenge.
Garcia will face reigning champion Mario Barrios in the main event of The Ring: High Stakes on February 21 at T-Mobile Arena, streaming live on DAZN. Goossen, Garcia’s former trainer, now stands in the opposite corner as Barrios’ head coach.
Garcia and Goossen worked together for three fights before splitting following Garcia’s seventh-round knockout loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in 2023. That breakup came back into sharp focus at the opening press conference, where Garcia wasted little time calling out his former coach.
“How could you, Joe?” Garcia said, confronting Goossen from the stage. “That’s messed up. I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. That’s insane. You broke my heart.”
Garcia punctuated the moment by handing Goossen a shirt reading “I’m a traitor,” which Goossen casually tossed back toward him.
“This dude really did this to me,” Garcia continued. “It hurt me when he didn’t show up after my loss to Tank. That was a pretty big defeat in my heart, and I didn’t see him after the fight. … I’m a little disappointed in Joe’s decision to go against me, but that fires me up.”
Garcia even suggested that Goossen may have been responsible for sensitive information leaking from his camp ahead of the Davis fight.
Goossen: “I Don’t Have the Resentment”
For his part, Goossen appeared more puzzled than provoked by Garcia’s remarks, insisting the animosity wouldn’t factor into the fight.
“My incentive is always the same, as it is every fight, for my fighter to win,” Goossen said. “That’s it. I don’t have the resentment. Wherever this resentment is coming from, I don’t really know.
“I don’t go to bed at night thinking about revenge or anything of that sort. I just go to bed at night thinking about, ‘What can I do to better my guy that I’m training to win?’”
Goossen noted that coaching against former fighters is nothing new for him, citing past instances earlier in his career, and downplayed how much his familiarity with Garcia will influence the game plan for Barrios.
Barrios Unfazed, Focused on the Belt
Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs), who will be making the third defense of his WBC welterweight title, said Goossen’s history with Garcia had nothing to do with the decision to change trainers. The San Antonio native previously worked with Bob Santos, the 2022 Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year.
“The fact that he trained Ryan Garcia had nothing to do with it,” Barrios said. “The move to go with Joe was going to happen whether this fight happened or not. Me and my team just felt that I needed a change to get this last stretch of my career.
“We’ve been having a hell of a camp, and we’re just looking forward to the 21st.”
Barrios is coming off a controversial majority draw with Manny Pacquiao last July and a split draw against Abel Ramos before that, results that have fueled debate about his grip on the division.
Garcia Promises a Different Version at 147
Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) will be fighting at welterweight for just the second time. In his debut at 147 pounds, he dropped a decision to Rolando Romero in May at Times Square. He insists this outing will look nothing like that performance.
“I gotta go grab that title,” Garcia said. “I’m hungry, I’m excited, and I’m ready to put on a show. This guy isn’t going to lay down, and I’ve got to be more careful with him. If I’m sleeping, he’ll beat my ass. Right now, I’m super locked in and you’re going to see the best version of myself that you’ve ever seen.”
Garcia will be trained by his father, Henry Garcia, marking a full-circle return after working with Eddy Reynoso and Derrick James in recent years.
“I’m honored,” Henry Garcia said. “I know my son more than anyone in this room. Come February 21st, he’s going to be the Ryan that I know and love.”
With old wounds reopened and a world title on the line, Garcia vs. Barrios now carries more than just championship stakes. It’s personal and that tension is already setting the tone for one of the most combustible fights on the early 2026 boxing calendar.
Ryan Garcia, Mario Barrios Kick Off “The Ring: High Stakes” With Fiery First Faceoff
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
