Shakur Stevenson ready to replace Ryan Garcia as Devin Haney’s opponent
The former three-weight classes champion said he is willing to fight Haney if Garcia ends up pulling out due to his recent issues.
The bout between the unbeaten WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney and the former interim boxing world champion Ryan Garcia is getting closer, but instead of being an attractive and anticipated fight between two young talents, it’s becoming a worrying bout due to Ryan Garcia’s presumed mental health issues.
The Dream was already a massive favorite to defeat KingRy in their showdown, which is scheduled to take place on April 20. Now, probably nobody gives a shot to Ryan, especially after his strange behavior on social media over the last two weeks.
Garcia, who had previously taken some time off for mental health reasons, seems not to be in an ideal position to take on Haney in such an important showdown. The 25-year-old Garcia has been posting enigmatic posts on X lately, ranting about different subjects: from Tupac’s killer to Satanic rivals, rape and child trafficking.
Many colleagues and experts believe Garcia’s best bet would probably be to take some time off again and make sure to come back when he feels 100% ready.
Stevenson, willing to replace Garcia and fight Haney
One of those voices who believe someone else should be fighting Haney is Shakur Stevenson. The undefeated Newark-bred talent is one of the most promising rising stars in boxing and a fight against Haney would be the perfect scenario for him to prove he’s a special fighter.
”I’m willing to step in for the fighter with CLEAR MENTAL HEALTH issues but if your father is NEVER willing to make a fight with me then there’s nothing else to talk about”, Stevenson said on X.
“Look, I’m willing to fight u and him at WHENEVER y’all say the word”, he added.
In terms of PPV buys, Stevenson looks like a far more attractive option than Garcia currently, but at the same time, Haney’s team is aware that Shakur is a real threat.
Zepeda, Stevenson’s plan B
Despite Ryan’s situation, it’s unlikely that the situation changes dramatically and Haney chooses Stevenson as his next opponent, in what would be a massive event.
Taking that into consideration, Stevenson, who is back to boxing after announcing his retirement, wants to stay active and get into the ring as soon as possible and William Zepeda could be his next rival.
Promoter Bob Arum revealed that he’s open to making the fight between both men on July 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Zepeda, who defeated Maxi Hugues in style last weekend, should talk to his promoter, Oscar de la Hoya, to discuss the fight with Shakur.
“Let Oscar De La Hoya call me, and I’ll get that fight done for July. We have a date, July 6, the Prudential Center is reserved. We certainly would consider him,” said Arum to Boxing Scene.
For Zepeda, if the fight ended up being a reality, it would be great news, as he would get the chance of a lifetime to beat a top fighter and take the step towards stardom. Stevenson, though, would be a big favorite despite Zepeda’s undefeated record, and a win over the Mexican would confirm even more that he needs to fight Haney.