Ryan Garcia Urges Stevenson to Move Up to Welterweight

Ryan Garcia, the newly crowned WBC welterweight champion, has intensified his verbal sparring with unbeaten four-division titleholder Shakur Stevenson, questioning the 28-year-old's elite status and urging him to move up in weight to prove himself. The exchange unfolded on social media and in interviews following Garcia's unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios on February 21 in Las Vegas, where he captured the 147-pound title after a first-round knockdown.

During a livestream with fellow fighter David Benavidez, Garcia dismissed Stevenson as "not the best" and more like "a puppy" than a "monster" in the sport. "You're not even showing that you're like that," Garcia said, emphasizing that Stevenson, who recently competed at 140 pounds, should step up to welterweight if he claims to be among the top talents. Benavidez echoed the sentiment, agreeing that a weight jump would test Stevenson's mettle. The 27-year-old Garcia, operating at his natural 147 pounds, has long pushed for high-profile clashes, but the size disparity currently makes a bout unlikely without compromise.

Stevenson, who claimed the WBO super lightweight title with a dominant win over Teofimo Lopez in...