After claiming the WBC welterweight world title, a host of fighters are eyeing up a lucrative world title shot against Ryan Garcia, but ‘King Ry’ has announced that he is willing to head to a new weight-class in order to face another world champion.
Garcia moved up to the welterweight division after missing the super-lightweight weight limit in his controversial meeting with Devin Haney in 2024, which was followed by a one-year ban from the sport due to a failed drugs test.
‘King Ry’ was unsuccessful in a WBA welterweight title fight against Rolando Romero upon his return and debut at 147lbs, but he impressed in his second outing in the division, dominating Mario Barrios on to finally become world champion.
Before that fight, it was expected that the victor would next defend the belt against mandatory challenger Conor Benn, but Garcia went on to call out WBO super-lightweight ruler Shakur Stevenson.
However, after stating he would fight Stevenson at a catchweight of 144lbs, Garcia has now had a change of heart and has offered to come down to super-lightweight in an attempt to become a two-division world champion.
“Forget the catchweight s**t.
“Let’s do it for real.
“I want to take your belt and snatch it right off you. @ShakurStevenson.”
Garcia missed weight by over three pounds when he was tasked with Haney, thus losing the chance to win the WBC super-lightweight title and insisted that ‘his body could not safely go lower than 143lbs’ and that he refuses ‘to kill himself to make the weight’.
As a result, there is concern amongst his fans that an attempted return to the weight could be a mistake. On social media, Garcia reassured his supporters that he will make the weight safely, before warning Stevenson not to make allegations alluding to his use of performance enhancing drugs.
“To those that are worried about the 140 pound weight. I will tell you this, it was my plan to be able to also win at 140.
“As long as there’s no rehydration clause things will be going forward.
“Testing always included, I’ve never shy’d away from that. For Shakur to assume I’m on steroids, that is defamation. So I would advise you to refrain yourself, I know you are deep down scared and you should have fear. I’m coming for you.
“Fear the lord.”
In response, Stevenson accepted the challenge from Garcia and opened the door for a potential super-fight in the 140lb division.
“That’s my opinion, you can’t sue nobody for their opinion, You a boxer, champ, wassup with all the suing tactics anyway? 140. Let’s do it, chump.”
A Stevenson-Garcia title fight at 140lbs would undoubtedly be one of the biggest fights that could be made in the sport.
