Shakur Stevenson didn’t hold back in taunting Ryan Garcia recently, confronting him with a string of posts on social media. After successfully navigating his first fight at welterweight against Teofimo Lopez without a knockout but still securing the win, Stevenson turned his sights on Garcia. He declared his intention to attend Garcia's next bout while mockingly calling him a "scrub."
Garcia’s performance in recent times hasn't met expectations, as he faced setbacks due to a couple of losses and a year-long suspension after testing positive with [VADA](https://www.vada-testing.org/). However, focus now shifts to Vegas where Garcia is set to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on February 21st. Insights into Garcia’s preparation suggest that a win over Barrios might set up an enticing future matchup with Stevenson.
Stevenson's interest lies in a catchweight duel at 144 pounds, provided Garcia clinches victory against [Mario Barrios](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Barrios). Fueling the narrative, Stevenson's assistant revealed that Ryan’s father had previously expressed readiness for such a fight by stating simply: “I’m down.”
The potential showdown holds greater weight under one condition—Garcia must deliver an impressive victory against Barrios. Anything lesser could diminish the appeal of the much-debated collision between Stevenson and Garcia.
Adding his thoughts to the buzz surrounding this scenario, Stevenson tastelessly joked about inviting VADA officials should they ever meet in the ring. His comments highlighted the importance he places on maintaining stringent standards for testing and competition integrity—a not-so-subtle jab recalling Garcia's past controversies.
With storylines intersecting and anticipation building among fans, all eyes remain firmly fixed on Vegas as questions around Garcia’s standing in the boxing landscape will soon be answered. Should he emerge victorious, it might just be enough to tempt Stevenson—and please crowds everywhere—for what could be an enthralling matchup in the world of boxing.
