Ryan Garcia appears ready to take over as the next face of boxing after big win and bigger callouts

LAS VEGAS — If Saturday's performance was any indication of what the prime of Ryan Garcia is going to look like, boxing might truly be on the verge of catching fire once again.

Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) entered the fight already considered one of boxing's biggest crossover stars thanks to his electrifying skills and large social media following. Yet, headlining his first Mexican Independence Day Weekend card inside T-Mobile Arena, his second-round dismantling of British star Conor Benn (25-2, 14 KOs), to make the first defense of his WBC welterweight title, still felt like a true, star-making moment.

The 28-year-old Garcia, a native of Victorville, California, opened 2026 by dropping and dominating Mario Barrios over 12 rounds in February to win his first world title. And in the build to this weekend's return, Garcia spoke confidently about his maturation, both physically and mentally, following years of inconsistent performances, substance abuse and toxic behavior outside of the ring.

On Saturday, "King Ry" as a fighter, very much appeared to have entered the peak of his powers as Garcia, thanks to his newfound poise and the evolution of his right hand, took the fight to Benn and efficiently put him away inside…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/