Devin Haney has weighed in on the upcoming WBC welterweight title clash between Ryan Garcia and champion Mario Barrios and he’s hoping his former rival gets the job done. Garcia is expected to face Barrios on February 21, having stated publicly that he has already signed for the fight.
Garcia’s first appearance at 147 pounds didn’t inspire confidence. He dropped a unanimous decision to Rolando Romero in May, only a year removed from his controversial majority-decision win over Haney which was later overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for ostarine and received a one-year suspension. Despite the setback and the loss to Romero, Garcia now finds himself one victory away from becoming a welterweight world champion in 2026.
Haney, meanwhile, has rebounded sharply since their first encounter. After a flat performance against Jose Ramirez in May, he returned with authority last weekend, flooring Brian Norman Jr. in round two and cruising to a unanimous decision to claim the WBO welterweight title. Now a three-division world champion, Haney has made it clear that unfinished business with Garcia remains high on his agenda.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV after defeating Norman, Haney said he wants Garcia to beat Barrios for redemption and for the chance at a major unification fight next year. “Of course I want the rematch — that’s redemption,” Haney said. “The same way he was rooting for me, I’ll be rooting for him. I want him to win, and I think the stars will align. It’ll be a massive fight.”
If Garcia upsets Barrios in February, the welterweight division could be headed toward one of 2026’s biggest events: Haney vs. Garcia II, this time with multiple belts on the line.
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