Shakur Stevenson dismisses Ryan Garcia over potential 144 showdown

On February 21, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Ryan Garcia challenges Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight title in the main event of The Ring: High Stakes fight card, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View. Despite being on the verge of fighting for a world title, Garcia has had plenty to say about Shakur Stevenson. 

Shakur has now appeared on The Stephen A. Smith Show, firing back at Garcia, dismissing his old amateur rival ahead of a potential showdown at 144 pounds.

Shakur Stevenson fires back at Ryan Garcia

Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) has recently spoken about facing Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs), and Shakur responded via his X account: 

“144 Ryan let’s do it.. I’ll be at your fight now scrub! Vada will be involved so don’t run from that,” said Stevenson.

When asked by Smith how he would beat Garcia, Stevenson said:

“I think he’s very overrated. If a guy loses to Rolly that way…The way that I saw him lose to Rolly. All Rolly did was take away his left hook. That means clearly that’s all he got. He better sharpen up his weapons before he gets in the ring with me”

Options for Shakur Stevenson

It remains to be seen what Shakur does next. After being stripped of his WBC lightweight title, it seems certain the Newark native will stay at super lightweight or move up further in weight. As well as a potential bout at 144 pounds against Garcia, Shakur called out Conor Benn immediately after his win over Lopez:

When asked on the live DAZN broadcast what he wanted to do next, Shakur Stevenson said:

“There’s a fighter in here right now, and he motivated me too. Where’s Conor Benn?” 

“Hey Conor Benn, we can get it banging, boy. We can get it banging!”

Stevenson added: “I want that same rehydration clause that you put on (Chris) Eubank Jr., and I want a fight.”

Before anyone could breathe, Benn was in the ring to confront Stevenson: 

“You’re too small for me,” Benn told the undefeated Stevenson. “You’re tiny, you’re tiny. You can’t punch. You can’t keep me off of you. I’ll rough you up.”

An undeterred Stevenson said: 

“Sign the contract. Let’s make it happen.

“Eddie (Hearn),” he shouted over to his Matchroom Boxing promoter, “I want him, he’s food.”

Shakur Stevenson vs Conor Benn, who wins and how?