Ryan Garcia’s weight check drama continues troubling pattern ahead of Mario Barrios title fight

Ryan Garcia’s rocky road to redemption hit another speed bump this week when the WBC fined him $5,000 for submitting his mandatory 14-day weight check video late. While the social media star eventually proved he weighed 154.2 pounds — safely under the 155-pound threshold —the timing violation raises familiar concerns about his professionalism as he prepares to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on February 21.

GARCIA HIT WITH FINE

BoxingScene has learned that Ryan Garcia has been hit with a $5,000 fine and a warning of further disciplinary action after failing to meet the initial deadline for his 14-day WBC weight-check.

https://t.co/kRrXdEKQXn pic.twitter.com/gg1mknSbaZ

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) February 14, 2026

The infraction might seem minor on the surface. Garcia’s team was supposed to submit the video by Saturday, February 7, but didn’t provide proof until days later, following a stern warning from WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. In contrast, champion Barrios submitted his weight check (153.0 pounds) on time without issue, continuing his track record of compliance that’s defined his entire career.

However, context matters tremendously when evaluating Garcia’s latest misstep. This isn’t an isolated incident — it’s the latest chapter in a troubling pattern that’s threatened to derail what should be a promising career.

Just ten months ago, Garcia badly missed weight ahead of his April 2024 fight with then-WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney, setting off a chain reaction of controversies. While Garcia dominated Haney to win a majority decision, the victory was overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for ostarine, a banned performance-enhancing substance. The result? A one-year suspension and forfeiture of his entire $1.1 million purse.

Now, as Garcia attempts to rebuild his reputation and capture his first legitimate world title, this weight check violation — however small — sends the wrong message. The WBC’s 14-day weight monitoring exists as a critical safety measure to prevent dangerous weight cutting. When Sulaiman threatened to contact the Nevada State Athletic Commission about Garcia’s non-compliance, it underscored how seriously the sanctioning body takes these protocols.

The optimistic spin suggests Garcia’s team simply didn’t understand the deadline requirements. Yet for a fighter trying to prove he’s turned over a new leaf, ignorance is hardly an excuse. Professional boxers at this level should have management teams that understand and comply with every regulatory requirement, especially when their client has already burned through most of his goodwill with boxing’s governing bodies.

Garcia still has a chance to make things right. He’s reportedly passing his VADA drug tests and must hit another weight check on Saturday at no more than 151.4 pounds (3% above the 147-pound limit). But with each stumble — no matter how small — the 24-year-old makes it harder to escape the shadow of his past mistakes.

Barrios, meanwhile, continues doing everything right, even if his recent performances against Abel Ramos and Manny Pacquiao both ended in controversial draws. For Garcia, the message is clear: talent alone won’t restore his credibility. Consistency and professionalism will.

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