Mario Barrios hopes to open doors to unification on Jake Paul-Mike Tyson card

Welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios will defend his belt against Abel Ramos on November 15 on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The event marks a collaboration with Netflix in the streamer’s first live-broadcast boxing card and brings big exposure to Barrios as he aims to solidify his status in the division. 

Barrios, 29-2 (18 KOs), captured the interim WBC title by defeating Yordenis Ugas in September 2023 and then defended the belt in a unanimous decision victory over Fabian Maidana in May. The bout with Ramos, 28-6-2 (22 KOs), marks his first official title defense since being elevated to full titleholder status following Terence Crawford’s vacating of the belt. A 29-year-old San Antonio native now training out of Las Vegas, Barrios will be trying to open doors for potential unification bouts in 2025.

“I think 2025 is going to be a really exciting year for the welterweight division,” Barrios said at his media workout Tuesday night. “I feel like all of us champions have the same mentality – we all want to fight the best. We all want to bring these big fights to the fans, and that’s more than likely to happen.”

Other belt holders in the division include Jaron “Boots” Ennis (IBF), Eimantas Stanionis (WBA) and Brian Norman Jnr (WBO). Barrios weighed in on his potential opponents, noting that Stanionis – a familiar presence on Premier Boxing Champions broadcasts – might be the easiest fight to arrange, as Barrios has spent his career with PBC. As for Ennis, who will face Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9 in Philadelphia, Barrios remarked, “He’s the most difficult, skill-wise.”

Barrios is determined to make a statement against Ramos. “I want to continue to show my skills and abilities and prove why I’m champion in the first place,” he said.

The unique setting of the Paul-Tyson card adds an extra layer of intrigue.

When asked how he feels about the unusual event lineup, Barrios admitted, “I’m asking a lot of the same questions. I’ve been with PBC since early in my career, and this is the first time I’m on a different network, a different promotional company. I’m very curious – Jake Paul and Mike Tyson in the main event, it’s kind of out of the ordinary.”

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.