Ryan Garcia Blasts ‘Traitor' Joe Goossen
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Ryan Garcia and Mario Barrios stood face-to-face at the launch of their media tour for their February 21 WBC welterweight title clash.
The press conference was dominated by Garcia’s antics towards his former trainer, Joe Goossen, who is now training Barrios. Garcia, who is back under the tutelage of his father, Henry Garcia, went as far as presenting Goossen with a custom "I’M A TRAITOR" t-shirt, which he pulled from a backpack during his time on stage.
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Garcia’s outburst stemmed from Joe Goossen’s departure following his 2023 loss to Gervonta "Tank" Davis. Garcia claimed that Goossen "abandoned" him immediately after the defeat and was later responsible for leaking sensitive camp information. Goossen stood his ground, as he refused to be bullied by Ryan.
The two fighters also have plenty to prove. Garcia has not won a boxing match since 2023 where he stopped Oscar Duarte. Since then, he has had a no-contest against Devin Haney. Despite getting a majority decision win, the result was overturned after Ryan tested positive for Ostarine. A one-year Ostarine suspension followed. However, Ryan came up short against Rolando Romero in his next fight, losing a unanimous decision.
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Meanwhile, Barrios is seeking his first "win" in nearly two years. His last two title defenses ended in draws: a controversial November 2024 split draw with Abel Ramos and a July 2025 majority draw against the 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao. Here were the key moments from the presser.
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Key Moments
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"I got to thank the WBC. I can’t thank you enough. I love the WBC, like you have no idea how much I love the WBC. I gotta go grab that title. I’m hungry, I’m excited, and I’m ready to put on a show. For me, it’s all a show. I want to put on the best show possible, and you guys are going to get a great fight," Garcia
"He’s definitely a character and has the personality of an influencer, but he’s still a dangerous fighter. I’m getting ready for a Ryan that we know and think is going to be a 100 percent. Regardless of all the bull—- he has going on, he’s still one of the biggest names in the sport, and I want to bring the biggest fights to the fans. He’s saying he’s 100 percent ready, and that’s exactly what we want," Barrios
"Distance and timing is going to be the key, and using my physical attributes and boxing skills. It’s an advantage having Joe Goossen, but we can just look at his last couple of performances and pick up his bad habits, what he does well and what he does poorly. I have been doing this for a long time, and I love it. I stay motivated and in the gym. I stay working. I’ve never been a talker. I just work," Barrios
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