Garcia compares Stevenson to Devin Haney as talks continue over potential fight
Ryan Garcia has backed himself to defeat Shakur Stevenson, saying the matchup would not be difficult. He believes his speed and timing would decide the fight.
Garcia made the claim while speaking on a podcast, pointing to his past performances against top opponents.
“I’ve beaten a slick fighter already, Devin Haney, who is longer, stronger, and faster than Shakur,” Ryan said to Creators Think Podcast.
“Shakur’s better defensively, but he’s never faced a guy as fast and with timing like myself. It wouldn’t be a hard fight.”
Ryan Garcia has the physical tools in this matchup, but Shakur Stevenson has the system. To beat Shakur, a fighter needs to be able to reset his “computer,” and so far, nobody has found the “Alt+Delete” key for Shakur’s brain.
Moving up to 147 has filled Ryan out. He’s now the naturally larger man. In a clinch or a phone-booth trade, Ryan’s physical strength at welterweight might bully a Shakur who is still acclimating to the higher weights.
Shakur became a four-weight world champion in January after defeating Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super-lightweight title in New York. The unbeaten American has previously held titles at featherweight, super-featherweight, and lightweight.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) won the WBC welterweight title with a victory over Mario Barrios in February and has been linked to a potential fight with Stevenson in recent weeks.
While Ryan talks up a fight with Shakur, his actions suggest a different path. Negotiations for a Stevenson-Garcia bout at 140 pounds recently stalled over a rehydration clause dispute. Instead, Ryan has pivoted toward a potential July 2026 date with Teofimo Lopez, the very man Stevenson just dismantled last January.
Shakur (25-0, 11 KOs) is the king of “hitting and not getting hit.” He fights at a range that makes Ryan’s left hook, his most dangerous weapon, almost impossible to land cleanly.