There’s no other way to put it, Shakur Stevenson was flat-out boring during his showdown against Edwin De Los Santos. Fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, booed Stevenson mercilessly. Once they realized that Stevenson wasn’t stepping on the gas and continued to play it safe, they refrained from booing and simply walked out.
Like most, Ryan Garcia wasn’t impressed by what he saw. Known for his dramatic power and knockouts, Garcia wishes that Stevenson gave the paying customers something to cheer for.
Immediately after, Stevenson tried to play it cool. But, with his critics blasting him left and right, he revealed that he had a bevy of issues heading in. From a supposed hand injury to an unspecified illness, Stevenson admitted that he was going through it. Garcia though, isn’t giving him any passes. From his point of view, Stevenson should be ashamed of himself, not only because of his latest performance but because of his safety-first approach at all times.
Garcia has been unrelenting in his criticism, forcing Stevenson to respond. More than anything, Stevenson would love to fight Garcia next. Although he normally uses his legs to get out of the way, against Garcia, he promises fans that he’ll be far more exciting.
“We could fight next, weak ass,” said Stevenson to Garcia on his social media account. “I’m gonna stand in front of you all night long I promise.”
Garcia, by and large, has never shied away from a challenge. He recently squared off against Gervonta Davis, despite most pleading with him to avoid him. He may have come up short, but Garcia believes the lone loss of his career will make him better.
With both fighters seemingly onboard, there remains your typical political hurdle standing between them. Of course, Stevenson is associated with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, while Garcia fights under the promotional thumb of Golden Boy Promotions. Also, and possibly more importantly, both fighters compete in separate weight classes.
Their current weight difference, however, could be extraneous. According to Stevenson, although Garcia is a bigger man, he would be willing to meet him at a reasonable weight in order to make their showdown a reality.
“We could do a catchweight or he can come to 35 if he want to finally become a world champion.”