LAS VEGAS -- Ryan Garcia, WBC welterweight champion, was cooking a cheeseburger on a live stream with Nina Drama when Dana White FaceTimed to congratulate him on a commercial for his fight against Conor Benn. The video hit over 17 million views in a week.

Almost 20 years ago, Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather produced 2.4 million PPV buys. Garcia, of Mexican heritage, defends his title against Benn on Saturday in Las Vegas (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET). He says he understands how De La Hoya and Mayweather became faces of their era.

"I've really tried to put myself out there to keep boxing going, evolving and kids loving it," Garcia told ESPN. "If I keep putting that life into it, boxing will continue to go forward. I really understand what it means."

Some question Garcia as face of boxing given he is 2-2 with a no contest in his past five appearances since 2023. But in today's climate, he could be it. Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Manny Pacquiao were stars, but Garcia believes no one embodied the sport like De La Hoya or Mayweather. At 28, he's prepared to change that.