Three-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson has vowed to move up two divisions and defeat a long-term rival in a sensational claim.
The 28-year-old from Newark is set to make his return to the ring next month as he prepares to challenge countryman Teofimo Lopez for the WBO world super-lightweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 31.
Stevenson was last in action on July 12 when he made the third defence of his WBC world lightweight title, defeating Mexico’s William Zepeda via unanimous decision at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Whilst his sights are firmly set on dethroning Lopez next month, another fighter that has been on Stevenson’s radar for quite some time is former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia.
In a recent exchange on the Inside The Ring Show, Stevenson vowed to move up to welterweight and ‘whoop’ Garcia in a shock statement.
“I would whoop your ass, I would whoop your ass. On my life. On my life I would whoop your ass. You suck. You lost to Rolly [Romero]. I don’t care, you lost to Rolly.”
Garcia is reportedly in line to clash with reigning WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios next year, with an official announcement expected to be made in the coming weeks.
‘King Ry’ has been inactive since he suffered that aforementioned shock defeat to WBA welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero at Times Square in New York City back in May, getting dropped on his way to a unanimous decision defeat.
