Lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson blew his stack at hearing Ryan Garcia degrade him in an interview this week, saying, “Nothing stands out about him” and that “He’s scared of his shadow.”
Ryan (24-1, 20 KOs) said that he thinks Devin Haney is “more entertaining than Shakur because he’s willing to “bang” a bit. Shakur won’t lock in,” said Ryan.
Shakur Challenges Ryan
“Lol, if this ain’t the most scariest s*** I done heard. Can you beat me or not? Everything else is irrelevant, Scary Ryan, and that’s why you would give everyone else an opportunity besides me,” said Shakur Stevenson on X, reacting to Ryan Garcia trashing him below, saying he’s “scared of his shadow.”
Kingry said that he “might give” Shakur a chance to fight him, but the way he said it, he made it clear that the negotiations would be on his terms. Shakur would be the B-side, which he probably wouldn’t agree with.
Shakur’s obstacles keeping him from Ryan
- Edwin De Los Santos fight
- Lack of popularity
- Wrong weight class
- Fighting style
Ryan Garcia: “I might give him an opportunity. No one is scared of Shakur,” said Ryan to the Breakfast Club. “Shakur is scared of his shadow. Did you see his last fight?”
The Injury Debate
Akin Reyes: “He [Shakur] did say his hand was injured though [against Edwin De Los Santos] when we sat down with him. Do you think that could have affected his performance?”
Ryan: “My hand was injured, and I couldn’t even use it during my whole training camp for [Francisco] Fonseca and knocked that dude out in one round. Don’t give me that, ‘My hand hurt.’ Everybody’s hand hurts.
“No, they don’t. Quit hyping up Shakur,” said Ryan, reacting to being told that boxing fans want to see him fight Shakur. “I have not heard that at all. I’ve never heard that. no one on the street has ever said, ‘Yo, you and Shakur would be great.’ You do, you and yourself.”
Akin: “Don’t you think Shakur is a good boxer?”
Ryan: “He’s a good boxer, but it’s nothing that stands out to me. Okay, you know how to move, but it’s nothing like Tank or me or Canelo. I’ve been watching boxers my whole life. I know ones that are different. He’s not different.
“Devin is doing everything he can to be not normal. He wants to stand out. He’s picking up steam.”
Akin: “Do you think he’s better than Shakur, Devin Haney?”
Ryan: “I think he’s more entertaining than Shakur. I don’t say he’s better. I think his fights are more entertaining. People would rather watch a Devin Haney fight than Shakur. Shakur will do everything not to get an ounce of hitting. He’s scared to really lock in and get in there. Devin is not. Devin will go in and bang a little bit when he has to.
“So, I think our fight will be way bigger than a Shakur fight.”
