Garcia vs. Stevenson heat
Ryan Garcia publicly called Shakur Stevenson a “puppy” and said he ‘wants to fight [him] bad,’ escalating a public rivalry that’s gaining traction for a big 147‑lb clash. (boxing-social.com) Stevenson fired back by downplaying Garcia’s power, calling him basically a one‑weapon fighter — the trash talk is fast‑tracking a potential superfight. (boxingnews24.com)
Ryan Garcia captured the WBC welterweight title on Feb. 21, 2026, beating Mario Barrios by unanimous decision (119‑108, 120‑107, 118‑109) at T‑Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on a DAZN PPV broadcast. (ESPN) Shakur Stevenson dethroned Teófimo López on Jan. 31, 2026, winning the WBO junior‑welterweight title by unanimous decision (119‑109 x3) at Madison Square Garden. (Yahoo Sports) Boxing databases list Garcia at 25‑2 with roughly a 80% knockout rate and Stevenson at 25‑0 with 11 KOs, underscoring the contrast between Garcia’s power numbers and Stevenson’s unbeaten record. (Box.Live) Stevenson has publicly said he’s open to a meeting with Garcia but wants independent VADA testing as a condition, a demand his camp has reiterated since Garcia’s move to 147 pounds. (BoxingScene) Negotiations face a second technical hitch: Stevenson previously signaled talks would be easier if Garcia reverted to 140 pounds without a rehydration clause, while Garcia has floated catchweights (144 lb) and also indicated willingness to move back down to 140. (BoxingNews24) Mandatory obligations complicate scheduling — Garcia’s WBC position lists Souleymane Cissokho as a potential mandatory and Stevenson has been linked to Keyshawn Davis as a top contender — and promoters/platforms that staged recent title nights (DAZN/PPV) would likely be central to any deal. (Box.Live)
