Former world champion and San Antonio’s personal Mario “El Azteca” Barrios shared insights into his coaching camp with high coach Bob Santos and promised fireworks for his hometown followers when he takes on Jovanie Santiago on Saturday, February 11 stay on SHOWTIME from the Alamodome in an occasion introduced by Premier Boxing Champions.
Barrios (26-2, 17 KOs) will face Puerto Rico’s Santiago within the 10-round co-main occasion of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The motion is headlined by undefeated two-division world champion Rey Vargas dueling high 130-pound contender O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC Tremendous Featherweight World Championship.
Tickets for the stay occasion, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be found via Ticketmaster.com.
A former champion at 140-pounds, the 27-year-old Barrios returns to the ring after dropping his welterweight debut to former unified champion Keith Thurman in a February 2022 motion combat. Following the combat, Barrios reunited with former coach Bob Santos, who has just lately educated Hector Luis Garcia and Alberto Puello to world titles. As he seems to be to restart his ascent within the star-studded 147-pound division, he’ll return to the Alamodome, the place he beforehand scored an October 2020 KO of Ryan Karl.
Here’s what Barrios needed to say about coaching camp, Santiago and extra:
On preventing at dwelling in San Antonio, Texas:
“I’m all the time excited to present my followers again dwelling an entertaining combat. I really like the place I’m from and I’m all the time proud to step within the ring representing San Antonio. I’m very grateful for an additional alternative to combat in entrance of the San Antonio followers. It’s going to be an explosive night time of boxing and I’m promising an motion packed combat.”
On his current coaching camp:
“I’ve relocated my coaching camp to Las Vegas, Nevada, and am again working with Bob Santos. It’s been a change of tempo, and coming off a little bit of a lay-off, after some actually massive fights, it’s been refreshing resting my thoughts and physique after two arduous camps back-to-back. The change is one I believe that’s going to raise my profession these subsequent few years, as a result of I’ll be coaching within the combat capital of the world.
“I believe loads of fighters lose motivation as soon as they’ve fought on pay-per-view, however being round so many fighters who’re of their prime on the Pound4pound boxing health club out right here has been pushing me day by day. I’m thrilled with how the camp has gone, and I believe folks will see all the pieces I’ve been engaged on come combat night time. I even have my sister Selina working in my nook as effectively. We began this sport collectively and I’m grateful to nonetheless have her enter within the nook. All the things has been nice main as much as this combat.”
On his opponent, Jovanie Santiago:
“I believe he’s a high quality fighter. He had a detailed combat with Adrien Broner that many say he ought to have gained. I believed he struggled with Gary Antuanne Russell, however Gary is a good fighter. I personally suppose Santiago is a man that should you take him frivolously, he could make you look dangerous. Under no circumstances am I aspiring to disrespect him, however I’m going to indicate why I’ve been featured on two pay-per-view essential occasions and am a former world champion. This combat is about me ending this lay off and proving that I’m at a special degree, and a risk on this division. I believe you will note a transparent separation between us on this bout.”
On what a win does for his profession:
“A win places me within the place I wish to be in, which is competing for a world title. Loads of titles have grow to be vacant as of late, and I believe with a powerful displaying I might get within the combine with any of the world champions within the division. My purpose proper now could be to grow to be a two-time world champion, and that’s what I’m set on doing. A win basically provides me that subsequent step to get near a title eliminator or the larger names within the welterweight division. I wish to carry out in a means that makes my metropolis and my staff proud and continues to make the networks wish to see me in greater fights.”