Ryan Garcia Biography: From Victorville Prodigy to WBC Welterweight Champion

November 8, 2026

Daniel Reed

Ryan Garcia is an American professional boxer and the reigning WBC welterweight champion. Born in Victorville, California, on 8 August 1998, the Mexican-American star known as “King Ry” built one of boxing’s biggest social-media followings before he ever won a world title — then won one, beating Mario Barrios in February 2026 and defending it with a second-round knockout of Conor Benn that September. His professional record stands at 26 wins, 2 losses and 1 no contest, with 21 wins by knockout.

Quick facts

Full name: Ryan Garcia
Born: 8 August 1998, Victorville, California, United States
Nationality: American (Mexican-American)
Occupation: Professional boxer
Nicknames: King Ry, The Flash
Known for: WBC welterweight title; wins over Mario Barrios and Conor Benn; the Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney fights
Height: 5 ft 8½ in (174 cm) — Reach: 70 in (178 cm) — Stance: Orthodox
Record: 26–2 (1 no contest), 21 KOs
Children: A daughter (born March 2019) and a son (born December 2023)

Early life and background

Ryan Garcia was born on 8 August 1998 in Victorville, California, to a Mexican-American couple, according to Wikipedia. His father Henry boxed professionally for a short time and has trained his son since childhood; his mother Lisa works as his personal administrative assistant for commercial projects. Garcia started boxing at the age of seven and dreamed of representing the United States at the 2016 Olympics. He became a 15-time national amateur champion, compiling an amateur record of 215 wins and 15 losses. His grandparents came from Anáhuac, Nuevo León, Mexico, and he considers himself a second-generation Mexican-American — he often carries both the United States and Mexican flags into the ring and walks out to Vicente Fernández’s “El Rey”, a nod to his “King Ryan” nickname.

Professional career

Garcia turned professional at 17, on 9 June 2016, stopping Edgar Meza by technical knockout in Tijuana. He signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions in November 2016 and won his first 20 fights, most of them by early knockout. His fast hands — above all a lightning left hook — and his huge Instagram following made him one of boxing’s most marketable young fighters long before he fought for a title.

His first championship came on 2 January 2021, when he beat Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell for the vacant WBC interim lightweight title at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Campbell knocked Garcia down in round two — the first knockdown of his career — but Garcia recovered and finished the fight with a body shot in round seven. He withdrew from a planned defence against Javier Fortuna in April 2021 to manage his health and wellbeing and was stripped of the interim title. After a long spell of inactivity he returned with a unanimous-decision win over Emmanuel Tagoe in April 2022 — his first fight to go the full 12 rounds — and a sixth-round knockout of Fortuna that July.

The Davis and Haney fights

On 22 April 2023 Garcia faced Gervonta Davis at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Davis dropped him in round two and stopped him with a body shot in round seven, handing Garcia his first professional defeat. The fight sold more than 1.2 million pay-per-view buys.

Garcia bounced back with an eighth-round knockout of Oscar Duarte in December 2023, then faced Devin Haney on 20 April 2024 for the WBC super-lightweight title. He knocked Haney down in rounds seven, ten and eleven and won by majority decision (114–110, 115–109, 112–112). The result did not stand: Garcia had weighed in 3.2 pounds over the championship limit, and on 1 May the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association reported he had tested positive for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug, on the day before and the day of the fight. On 20 June the bout was changed to a no contest, Garcia was fined $1.1 million and suspended for a year. He has denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Weeks later, on 4 July 2024, the WBC expelled Garcia after he used racial slurs against Black people and disparaged Muslims in comments livestreamed on social media. His family released a statement saying he had been open about his struggles with mental health and that they were committed to ensuring he received help. The WBC lifted the ban in November 2025.

Welterweight champion

Garcia returned on 2 May 2025 in New York’s Times Square, losing a unanimous decision to Rolando Romero for the vacant WBA (Regular) welterweight title after being knocked down in round two. His next fight was his breakthrough: on 21 February 2026 he beat defending champion Mario Barrios by 12-round unanimous decision at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, dropping Barrios in the first round, to win the WBC welterweight title — the first full world championship of his career.

He defended the belt on 12 September 2026 against mandatory challenger Conor Benn, stopping the Briton by second-round technical knockout (1:25) at the same venue. As of November 2026 his record is 26 wins (21 by knockout), 2 losses and 1 no contest across 29 fights.

What is Ryan Garcia doing now?

Garcia is the most talked-about name in boxing in November 2026. On 4 November, former undisputed super-middleweight champion Terence Crawford — who retired in late 2025 with a 42–0 record — publicly floated a comeback and called Garcia out at 160 pounds, middleweight, thirteen pounds above Garcia’s welterweight limit. Garcia replied: “Do you really need to get beat up? Stop the yapping, send an offer or shut up.” No fight has been signed, and Crawford has since also mentioned Floyd Mayweather as a possible opponent.

Mayweather is the other name in Garcia’s orbit. Garcia said in October 2026 that he and Mayweather had agreed to fight for his WBC welterweight title, which would put Mayweather’s 50–0 record on the line. On 2 November Mayweather announced he will first fight an exhibition against Australia’s Matty Floyd on 19 December in Bangkok, describing it as a tune-up before facing Garcia. Reporting by Uncrowned has cautioned that claims of a Mayweather–Garcia agreement were premature and that no serious discussions had taken place between the key stakeholders, while promoter Eddie Hearn has said he understands the fight is on. Garcia has said he will fight on 6 February 2027 regardless of the opponent, and his team is in advanced talks about a unification fight with WBA (Super) champion Teofimo Lopez.

Outside the ring

In 2021 Garcia signed with Gatorade, becoming the first American boxer ever to appear in a Gatorade campaign. In 2019 he played Sonny Mendoza in the Brat teen web series On the Ropes. He has spoken openly about his Christian faith and about his struggles with alcoholism and bipolar disorder. In June 2024 he was arrested after damaging a room and hallway at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, with the hotel reporting about $15,000 in damage; he was later charged with one misdemeanour count of vandalism.

Garcia has two children: a daughter born in March 2019 and a son born in December 2023. His former wife is Andrea Celina.

Net worth snapshot

Garcia’s estimated net worth is about $50 million as of 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth — a figure built on eight-figure fight purses, pay-per-view shares and endorsements such as Gatorade. Read the full breakdown, including his biggest paydays and why reported purses are not the same as net worth, in Ryan Garcia’s net worth.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ryan Garcia’s record?

As of November 2026, Ryan Garcia’s professional record is 26 wins (21 by knockout), 2 losses and 1 no contest in 29 fights. His losses came against Gervonta Davis (seventh-round knockout, April 2023) and Rolando Romero (unanimous decision, May 2025). His win over Devin Haney in April 2024 was later changed to a no contest after a failed drug test.

Is Ryan Garcia a world champion?

Yes. Garcia has held the WBC welterweight title since 21 February 2026, when he beat Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. He defended the title on 12 September 2026 with a second-round technical knockout of Conor Benn. He previously held the WBC interim lightweight title in 2021.

Why was Ryan Garcia suspended?

Garcia tested positive for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug, around his April 2024 fight with Devin Haney. The result was changed to a no contest, he was fined $1.1 million and suspended for one year. He denied knowingly taking the substance.

Is Ryan Garcia fighting Floyd Mayweather?

Not yet confirmed. Garcia says they agreed to fight for his WBC welterweight title, and Mayweather announced a 19 December 2026 exhibition in Bangkok as a tune-up before facing Garcia. But reporting has cautioned that no serious negotiations had taken place, so the fight is talked about rather than signed.

How old is Ryan Garcia?

Ryan Garcia was born on 8 August 1998 in Victorville, California, making him 28 years old as of November 2026.