Shakur Stevenson IMAGO / Torsten Helmke

Shakur Stevenson Speaks Out on Potential Ryan Garcia Fight

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Rashad Grove | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 11:43 AM ET

Shakur Stevenson is letting his future fight plans be known.

The current Ring and WBO 140-pound champion recently said that he is willing to take on Ryan Garcia at a 144-pound catchweight if he can defeat Mario Barrios on Saturday. Speaking with Inside the Ring, Stevenson was eager to affirm that he would welcome a challenge from Garcia.

“I love the fight. I think that's perfect. I think it'll be a lot of excitement in that fight. It's a big money fight," Stevenson told Inside the Ring.

"Ryan Garcia is somebody who comes in there [and] you never know which version of him is going to show up,” Stevenson continued. “If the good version of him shows up, he gets spanked. If the bad version of him shows up, he gets spanked.”

Gracia seeking his first world title

Garcia and Barrios are fighting for the WBC welterweight title this weekend. The bout is the main event of “The Ring: High Stakes” on DAZN PPV.

“I know he's confident, so let's run it,” Garcia told Mike Coppinger. “I just love something about fighting somebody people don't think I'm going to beat. It's like the Devin Heaney effect.

“With Shakur, they're going to think he’s going to spank me, blah, blah, blah. When I get in there, and I start hitting him, it's gonna be [different] because I'm not one of those fighters that don't have a quick eye,” Garcia continued.

“He knows that my eye is quick. That same eye twitch that Shakur has, [I have it too].”

Garcia and Stevenson fought as amateurs

Garcia also noted that he fought Stevenson when they were amateurs and said that he was robbed. Stevenson said that he won the fight with ease.

Along with Garcia, Stevenson is interested in taking on undefeated IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla (24-0, 17 KOs). Stevenson accused Muratalla of taking advantage of Cruz, an Olympic gold medalist for Cuba, who was in just his seventh pro fight.

“Tell them to bring it across the desk, and I'll say yes,” Stevenson said. “Make sure the money is right. I feel bad for y'all, because it sounds like a good fight, but once you see the fight, you’re going to be like, ‘Oh my God, why did I want to watch this?’ This is not a competitive fight, but if that’s what you guys want to see, I’m down.”