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WBC Welterweight Title Bout: Barrios to Face Garcia in Las Vegas

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Welterweight World Championship: Barrios vs. Garcia Set for Las Vegas

A welterweight world championship event is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, featuring WBC champion Mario Barrios defending his title against challenger Ryan Garcia. The event, which includes several undercard bouts, was subject to a last-minute cancellation for an IBF title defense.

Various sources indicate the event is scheduled for either Saturday or Sunday, February 22.

Main Event Overview

Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) will defend his WBC welterweight title against Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs). For Garcia, this bout represents an opportunity to secure his first major world title. His last professional appearance was a unanimous decision loss to Rolando Romero in May. Barrios, the current champion, has recorded two draws in his last two fights, including against Manny Pacquiao in July.

Event Schedule and Broadcast Information

The event is set to occur in Las Vegas. One source indicates a Saturday schedule, while another specifies Sunday, February 22. The main card broadcast is slated to commence at 6 p.m. ET on CBS Sports. For Australian audiences, the pay-per-view card is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. AEDT, with main event ring walks anticipated between 3-4 p.m. AEDT.

Undercard Bouts and Results

The event's undercard featured several matches:

  • Gary Antuanne Russell will defend his WBA super lightweight title against Andy Hiraoka. This bout was moved to the co-main event slot following a cancellation.
  • Frank Martin and Nahir Albright's super lightweight match concluded in a unanimous draw with judges' scores of 95-95, 95-95, and 95-95.
  • Bektemir Melikuziev defeated Sena Agbeko via TKO in the seventh round of their super middleweight contest.
  • Amari Jones secured a victory over Luis Arias via fourth-round TKO.

Undercard Changes

An IBF super lightweight title defense between champion Richardson Hitchins and Oscar Duarte was canceled due to Hitchins' illness. Both fighters had completed the mandatory same-day IBF weigh-in, with Hitchins at 149.4 pounds and Duarte at 149.6 pounds, both within ten pounds of the 140-pound super lightweight limit. Hitchins had previously claimed the title from Liam Paro in December 2024 and stopped George Kambosos in June.

Betting Odds

Betting odds for the main events, provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, were listed as follows:

  • Ryan Garcia -250 vs. Mario Barrios (c) +195 (WBC welterweight title)
  • Gary Antuanne Russell (c) -350 vs. Andy Hiraoka +260 (WBA super lightweight title)